Welcome the Spring with a Vernal Equinox celebration. This year the spring equinox is on Monday, March 20, 2023, at 21:24 UTC. This means that it will occur on March 20, 2023, at 5:24 PM EDT or 2:24 PM PDT in the Northern Hemisphere.
The spring equinox, or Ostara, is also called the vernal equinox and has long been celebrated as a time of renewal, rebirth, and new beginnings. Ostara occurs at the halfway point between the winter and summer solstice and is one of the four fire festivals or quarter days that fall within the solar wheel of the year in the Gaelic calendar. The vernal equinox is also the second of three traditional Celtic spring celebrations; Imbolc, Ostara, and Beltane. And although the spring vernal equinox marks the first astronomical day of spring on the Gregorian calendar, the first signs of spring can often be seen as early as Imbolc.
Many cultures around the world celebrate spring festivals and holidays such as Easter and Passover, around the time of the equinox. For example, Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon which happens after the March equinox. And these ancient earth-based spring celebrations, rituals, and traditions influence the Easter Traditions that many people continue to celebrate today. Learn what the vernal equinox is, and how to celebrate spring with these fun facts and spring equinox celebration ideas.
What is the Equinox?
The word equinox is derived from Latin. It means “equal night.” On the day that the sun passes over the equator, the length of day and night are said to be approximately equal. This means that there will be approximately 12 daylight hours and 12 hours of darkness on both the spring vernal equinox and the autumnal equinox.
It is a time of balance between day and night, dark and light, death and rebirth–both within and without.
At the exact moment of the equinox, the sun shines directly on the equator before continuing its journey north or south, depending on the time of year. In other words, the equinox is the point in time when the sun crosses the celestial equator. It is an astronomical event that happens simultaneously across the world but is converted into local time.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the sun passes over the equator and continues northwards after the spring equinox. On the autumnal equinox, the sun crosses over the equator and continues its southward declination.
In the Southern hemisphere, the path of the sun is reversed. This means that the sun moves south of the equator after the spring equinox and will continue its journey north after the autumnal equinox.
Related: Summer Solstice Celebration Ideas
What is the Spring Equinox?
The spring equinox marks the astronomical first day of spring in both the northern and southern hemispheres, even though they occur six months apart.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox is when the sun crosses the celestial equator and moves northwards from the equator at 23.5 South. While in the Southern Hemisphere, the vernal equinox is when the sun crosses the equator and descends towards its southernmost declination.
Thus, the spring equinox marks the moment when the sun crosses over the celestial equator and continues on its journey towards its northernmost ascent in the Northern Hemisphere. At the same time, it moves south of the equator after the spring equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.
When is the Equinox?
There are two equinoxes and two solstices every year. One equinox occurs in September, while the other occurs in March. The season that you welcome, fall or spring, depends on the side of the equator that you live on. This means that the southern hemisphere celebrates the autumnal equinox on the same date and time that the northern hemisphere celebrates the spring equinox and vice versa.
When is the Spring Equinox?
The spring equinox is sometimes called the March equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the September equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. This is because the spring vernal equinox typically falls between March 20 – 22 in the northern hemisphere and September 21 – 23 in the Southern hemisphere. On rare occasions, the equinox can happen just outside of those date ranges to account for leap years.
A leap year is when an extra day, February 29, is added to the calendar. Leap years are added to keep the seasons, or the solar year, in sync with the Gregorian calendar. Even though each equinox’s date and time change slightly each year, the spring vernal equinox and fall autumnal equinox always happen at the same moment all over the world.
What Day is the Spring Equinox in 2023?
In 2023, the spring equinox will happen on Monday, March 20, 2023, at 21:24 UTC. (Source) The graphics for this post show March 21 as the equinox, but in 2023 it occurs on March 20.
This means that the spring vernal equinox will happen at 5:24 PM EDT, or 2:24 PM PDT, on March 20, 2023, in the Northern Hemisphere.
Spiritual Meaning of the Spring Equinox–Ostara
The spring equinox represents the struggle between day and night, light and dark, and death and rebirth. So physically, metaphorically, and thus spiritually; It is a time of sowing seeds, planting new life, nourishing ourselves, and tending to the cycles of nature, in preparation for the gifts of summer and the abundance it can bring–within and without.
In other words, the cycles within each of us are a mirror of the cycles that occur in nature on Earth and a metaphor for the cycles that occur within all beings. And this means that spiritually the spring equinox is a time to tend to the cycle of life and death, dark and light, both inside out and outside of ourselves. As within so without.
And this makes Ostara a great time to pause and take a moment to get in touch with any new life beginning within you mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Practice nourishing the seeds of awareness by asking yourself if there is anything you can do, or stop doing, to cultivate this growth, bring your dreams to life, and be the bright shining star you were born to be.
“The spring equinox, Ostara, is a time of balance between day and night, dark and light, death and rebirth. The Earth awakens from her slumber and brings with her the gift of new beginnings. But only you can plant the seeds of awareness that nourish your dreams and bring them to life.”
Nell Regan K. (Founder of Rhythms of Play)
Spring Equinox Traditions
The spring equinox, and solar sabbat festival known as Ostara, has been celebrated as a time of fertility, rebirth, renewal, and new beginnings for thousands of years. And today, many of the spring solstice rituals and symbols that were once attributed to Ostara have found their home in modern-day Easter traditions.
The word Ostara originates from the name of the Greek goddess Eostre. In the past, pagans held a huge festival to honor Eostre on the same day that Easter falls today–on the first Sunday after the first full moon that falls after the spring equinox. I know it’s a mouthful, but it still is the date chosen to be “Easter” to this very day!
Ostara Rituals, Eostre, and Easter Traditions
The spring equinox, Ostara, is a time for rituals and celebrations surrounding the themes of fertility, new beginnings, and rebirth. Eggs and bunnies represent fertility, while eggs and seedlings are considered symbols of rebirth and renewal. In ancient times, baskets filled with eggs were offered to Eostre as a symbol of fertility and new beginnings.
Because Easter is celebrated on the same day that many pre-Christians celebrated Eostre, several of the traditions associated with Eostre and the spring equinox have been reinvented and included in Easter Traditions. It is also no coincidence that the word Easter is so similar to the word Eostre.
Making Easter baskets, coloring or dying eggs, and including the Easter bunny allowed people to continue to honor the rituals and traditions that the masses found most meaningful. So many of the customs that were once associated with early earth-based spring equinox celebrations are still an integral part of the Easter traditions that so many people hold dear and continue to celebrate today.
Related: Winter Solstice Celebration Ideas
How to Celebrate the Spring Equinox: 16 Vernal Equinox Celebration Ideas
Below you will find sixteen traditional spring equinox celebration ideas. Some of the spring equinox traditions on the list are individual suggestions, while other spring equinox rituals and celebration ideas can be done with family and friends. So, feel free to create something meaningful for yourself, your family, or your friends. Or do nothing but enjoy the day. If you live in the Southern Hemisphere and are welcoming the fall, try these ways to celebrate the fall autumnal equinox!
1. Get Outside & Connect
Take some time to celebrate the new life beginning that surrounds you in nature. Watch the sunrise and/or sunset, go for a walk in the park, take a bike ride, do some bird-watching, lay in the grass, or take a hike. As you do so, take a moment to observe the life beginning around you, and get in touch with any new life stirring within you mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Ask yourself if there is anything you can do, or stop doing, to nourish this growth, and cultivate awareness.
It can also be fun to search for the signs of spring. To learn more about the signs of spring’s arrival (and what to look for in the natural world), hop over to look at Signs of Spring. You might also enjoy this printable spring scavenger hunt. And for even more fun outdoor activities, hop over to have a look at our quick list HERE. Or, if you’d like a bigger selection, pop over to have a look at this list of outdoor learning ideas and educational nature activities.
2. Plant New Life
If you didn’t start digging in the earth after Imbolc, the vernal equinox is a great time of year to plant new life–both literally and metaphorically. And that makes it a great time of year to prepare the garden and plant fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spring flowers. But if you live in an area where it is impossible to plant anything because of cold temperatures or snow cover, start some plants indoors and get your yard and garden ready for late spring plantings. Or, try any of the gardening ideas listed below!
3. Visit a Megalithic Monument
This may not be possible for many of us but the idea of it sure is fun! Stonehenge is open to visitors on the winter and summer solstices, and, spring and autumn equinoxes. So if it’s not in the cards to make a trip this year to visit Stonehenge, plan to check it off your bucket list by visiting one of the solar fire festivals that occur within the Wheel of the Year.
4. Prepare a Spring Feast
No spring celebration should be complete without a delicious meal shared with family and friends that is prepared with fresh and local seasonal spring foods. So spend some time shopping at your farmers’ market or favorite local produce stand to collect a selection of fresh spring foods to prepare for a spring feast!
For the equinox, we recommend celebrating with foods that honor the coming of spring, such as eggs, early spring greens, shoots, sprouts, seasonal local produce, bread, fresh local dairy products, wine, etc.
My favorite meal to prepare for the spring equinox is an egg brunch with colorful fresh fruits and vibrant leafy greens because they signify new beginnings and a fresh start in the same way that each new day does. And my family’s favorite main dish for our spring feast is the perfect meal for the occasion. Because it is called “Egg in a Nest!” You can find the recipe and instructions in YUM! A cookbook I co-authored along with several other amazing mothers that’s full of our favorite healthy recipes for kids.
5. Host or Attend a Bonfire
A bonfire is a great way to celebrate the equinox. Tell spring stories passed down from one generation to the next, dance, sing, beat drums, play music, and celebrate the spring. But please be safe and follow city or county laws and regulations should you choose to make your spring celebrations into a true fire festival as people did in the days of old. And be sure to click the link to learn how to build a campfire and keep everyone safe. Because it never hurts to be prepared–especially if there will be children in attendance.
6. Enjoy Spring Arts, Crafts, and STEAM Activities
Creating spring crafts is a great way to welcome the season and celebrate the beginning of spring. So, make spring arts and crafts traditionally associated with spring to celebrate the equinox. This makes bunny, egg, and chick crafts–and the other spring craft ideas on the list below a perfect choice.
- Bead Bunny Craft
- Pom-Pom Chicks
- Egg Craft Ideas (or scroll down to see the ideas in the next list item)
- Paper Roll Birdhouse Craft
- Felt Flower Craft
- Fingerprint Flower Magnet Crafts
- Baby Chick Craft Ideas
- Watercolor Surprise Easter Egg Art
You might also enjoy our spring bucket list full of even more seasonal crafts and activities, including this fun round-up of flower art projects. Or, another spring craft you can make with the kids is the gorgeous four-season Handprint and Fingerprint Tree shown in the photograph below. Feel free to do all seasons or just a spring tree with our step-by-step tutorial.
7. Decorate Eggs
If you’re not ready to decorate Easter eggs on the solstice, decorate some wooden Easter eggs for displaying around your home to welcome the arrival of spring instead.
Decorated wooden eggs are fun to put in Easter baskets and hide for egg hunts on Easter. And, best of all, they become a family heirloom that can be reused year after year–instead of a bunch of rotten eggs! Check out these wooden egg crafts for lots of fun ideas!
Another fun egg decorating idea is creating watercolor surprise egg art–Draw your own, or grab our printable egg template to surprise the kids today!
Related: How to COLOR brown eggs
8. Bring Spring into your Home
There is nothing like the fresh smell and beauty of spring in the home. Pick or purchase a bouquet of spring flowers or refresh and renew your home and body with essential oils. There is nothing like an essential oil diffuser to bring the fresh scents of spring into the home.
9. Decorate the House with Spring Decor
Decorate your home with DIY spring home decor. We like to set up and decorate a spring Easter tree on the equinox and keep it up until Easter Sunday. You can also try some of the spring arts and crafts found on our spring bucket list, like these felt flowers, and bunny crafts, or create a spring nature table.
10. Create a Spring Alter for the Equinox
Another simple way to decorate the home with spring decor is by creating a spring equinox altar, shelf, or table. We use our spring nature table for this purpose, but you are welcome to create anything you like. One of our many spring tables is shown in the photograph above.
11. Stand an Egg on its End
Legend says that you can stand an egg on its end during the spring equinox. I have never tried this, and it may not work–but it sure sounds exciting. Besides, it can be fun convincing your guests to attempt it while waiting for your spring solstice family feast. Go ahead, give it a try! What have you got to lose? I’ve even had at least one reader that claims to have done it in the comments below–thank you, Mel!
12. Meditate and Practice Yoga
Meditate upon new spring life, and celebrate the change of seasons. On the equinox, day and night, dark and light are balanced. So, spend time in meditation or practice yoga to create inner harmony, peace, and balance. Got kids? Have a look at this list of FREE kids’ yoga videos and encourage your children to give yoga a try at home or in the classroom.
13. Read Books about Spring
Read spring books with your kids to help them understand the equinox and the cyclical nature of the seasons. For a short and sweet list of books about springtime, click over to have a look at these magical spring books for kids.
14. Restore Balance in the Home
Cleaning is a great way to restore balance in the home or workplace and prepare for new beginnings. Recruit everyone to help with a deep spring cleaning. Get rid of clutter and anything that you no longer need, or no longer serves you, to make space for the new season. Keep children and pets safe, with homemade natural cleaning products.
Related: 15 Ways to Raise a Helper
15. Begin Something New
Because the equinox is about new beginnings, it’s a great time of year to let go of the old and begin fresh. Grab our QuickStart Planning Guide to help you get started! As the days begin to grow longer and the temperatures begin to warm, and people begin to spend more and more time outdoors, it’s a great time to make a commitment to yourself to start something new.
- Make a list of everything you’ve been wanting to do.
- Pick your top three choices.
- Make a plan to start one and go from there. Learn how to make SMART goals and get the Dream Life Tool Kit to design an action plan to make it happen!
16. Establish a Daily Routine or Rhythm
The spring is typically a time of renewal, regeneration, and rebirth. Establishing a new daily routine or rhythm can help you care for and educate children, ease transitions, increase productivity so you have more freedom to do what you love, and provide a framework for your daily to-do’s. Children thrive when there is a solid rhythm established at home. So click the link to learn more about the power of rhythm and how to plan your daily routine.
Related: Easter Art Ideas Kids LOVE!
Fun Ways to Celebrate the Spring Vernal Equinox
We hope that you enjoyed learning more about the equinox and fun ways to celebrate the first day of spring. If you’re curious to learn more about the wheel of the year, each of the solar quarter-day festivals, and lunar cross-quarter-day festivals, are on the list below.
And be sure to check out fun family Easter traditions to learn more about how spring equinox traditions have influenced the way many people celebrate Easter today. You may also enjoy this spring bucket list filled with fun ideas. Inside, you can find our favorite spring activities, arts, and crafts!
And, to learn more about Rhythms of Play click HERE!
What are the Solar Quarter Day and Lunar Cross-Quarter Day Festivals that fall Within the Wheel of the Year?
If you’re curious to learn more about the wheel of the year, each of the solar quarter-day festivals, and lunar cross-quarter-day festivals, are on the list below.
- Winter Solstice (Yule)
- Imbolc (Candlemas)
- Spring Vernal Equinox (Ostara)
- May Eve or May Day (Beltane)
- Summer Solstice (Litha)
- Lughnasadh (Lammas)
- Fall Autumnal Equinox (Mabon)
- Samhain (Hallows)
You keep using the word solstice but it’s the equinox. The solstices are in June and December. Not the same thing as the equinox.
I’m aware of that Jeff, thank you. I’m not sure what article you are reading, but the article above states that we are celebrating the spring vernal equinox. I have read through it just to make sure I don’t have any typos and did not find any but there may be something I missed. Maybe you are confusing the links to my summer and winter solstice posts?
oh he might have meant this one. It happens to us all. We read something so much we cannot see anything after awhile. Great article either way. Thanks for the 411.
8. DECORATE EGGS
If you’re not ready to decorate your Easter eggs on the solstice. You can decorate some wooden Easter eggs for displaying around your home.
Thank you, Tracy! I knew it was something like that. I have fixed it to read “equinox.” Thank you for helping me find my typo.
Festive ideas to celebrate one of nature’s original holidays! Great post.
Thank you! So glad you appreciated it 🙂
I’ve somehow never heard that about balancing an egg before! Looking forward to trying it out with my teen later today.
This is my second year running a Renewals & Rebirthings series on my blog in honor of this season and what it can offer us. I’m so excited to see you mention this aspect of Spring as well.
Thanks for these great tips!
Thanks, Kate!
I’ve haven’t been able to make an egg balance equinox or not! Let me know if it works for you. Spring has been about renewals and rebirth since the beginning of time. Enjoy!
The standing an egg on its end is not hogwash actually! My dad woke us up once when we were kids on either the Fall or Spring equinox around 5am and did this with us and it worked! We took a picture that my parents probably still have somewhere. It was really neat and I’ll never forget it.
Really Mel?! That is amazing to hear!
A lot of my readers want to call this false, but I’m glad that there is someone out there that has experienced it to be true. Maybe others will give it a try and find the success your father did when you were a child. Happy spring!
Nell
I found you through Pinterest and I am so glad I did!! I have been a child care provider for decades and these days care for a smaller group including two of my schoolage grandchildren. Love your ideas and perspective on things! Thank you for taking the time to create this site!
Hello Jean! Thanks for the vote of approval and for taking the time to reach out. Your effort makes mine genuinely worth the while. I hope others enjoy the information they discover on Rhythms of Play (including learning about the spring equinox) and find it as helpful as you do. Thank you for inspiring young hearts and minds and educating children to change the world!