Each March in the Northern Hemisphere, we bid farewell to the cold winds of winter and welcome the sun’s warming rays. Like you, we appreciate the change in seasons and the expectation that comes with it..  There are a few names that describe this particular change in season, i.e., Vernal, Spring, and March Equinox. This year, it happens on March 20, at 5:24 P.M. EDT. But how much do we really know about the occasion of the seasonal change?

Perhaps you thought the Equinox was on the same day every year. But it actually moves slightly each year. For instance, next year, it falls on March 19. This happens because our calendar doesn’t perfectly align with the Earth’s actual rotation around the sun.

The event is marked when the sun crosses the celestial equator going south to north. As a result, on the day of the Equinox, the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere receive roughly equal amounts of sunlight. And while the Earth tilts on its axis the rest of the year, neither hemisphere is tilted more toward or away from the sun than the other on this day.

People worldwide recognize this occasion as a symbol of rebirth and fertility. Nowruz, the Persian New Year starts on the Vernal Equinox. The centuries-old holiday is observed by millions of people around the world and lasts 13 days. In Japan, the day is a national holiday called Shunbun no Hi and is commemorated by tending to the ancestors’ graves.

At Chichen Itza in Mexico, crowds gather to watch as the afternoon sun creates shadows resembling a snake that represents the Mayan god Kukulkan along the stairs of the main pyramid, El Castillo. And at Stonehenge in England, druids and pagans congregate to watch the sunrise on the equinox and welcome spring.

How you will celebrate the coming of Spring? Broadway Stages suggests a stroll in the sun on the Newtown Creek Nature Walk! Perhaps a visit to one of the many parks across the city to enjoy the flora and fauna! Whatever you do, make it a great beginning to a bright and prosperous Spring!