Published on November 1, 2025 3:33 PM GMT

On the longest night of the year, we gather to remember what we’ve built.

This year’s Seattle Secular Solstice explores the theme of Progress: how far we’ve come, and how far we have yet to go. Through readings, speeches, and song, we’ll trace humanity’s journey from the first fires to the frontiers we haven’t yet reached. We’ll celebrate the scientists, engineers, inventors, and founders who refused to accept the world as they found it. And we’ll renew our commitment to the grand project of building a future worth living in.

What is Secular Solstice?

Secular Solstice is a rationalist community tradition marking the winter solstice—the longest night of the year. It’s structured as a ceremony that moves from light into darkness and back again, mirroring both the astronomical event and the human experience of struggle and triumph.

We acknowledge the darkness: the losses we’ve suffered, the problems we haven’t solved, the tragedies that still occur. We sit together in a moment of silence, confronting the reality of a universe that does not care about us.

And then we kindle the light again. We celebrate what we’ve achieved, we honor those who built the world we inherited, and we commit ourselves to continuing their work.

It’s part concert, part ritual, part philosophical reflection. There’s music (both participatory and performed), there are readings that range from somber to stirring, and there’s a shared experience of moving through grief and into hope together. If you’ve ever wanted to feel the weight of humanity’s challenges and the strength of our response in a single evening, this is that experience.

What to Expect

The event runs approximately 3 hours, moving through distinct sections that mirror the progression from light through darkness and back to dawn. You’ll hear original compositions and adaptations of traditional songs. You’ll hear speeches about what we’ve lost and what we’ve built. And in the moment of darkness, you’ll sit in complete silence with a room full of people who understand what it means to confront an indifferent universe and choose to build anyway.

This year’s theme of Progress means we’ll be paying special attention to human achievement: the technologies that transformed our lives, the ideas that expanded our possibilities, the individuals who looked at impossible problems and solved them. We’ll also look forward to the work that remains: the diseases we haven’t cured, the energy we haven’t harnessed, the worlds we haven’t reached.

No prior Solstice experience necessary. Whether you’re a regular attendee or this is your first time, you’re welcome.

Logistics

When: Saturday, December 20th, 2025, 6:00-9:00 PM
Where: Nexus Hotel, Seattle
Tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/emberlight/1904387
Afterparty: 9:00PM+ at the Safehouse, a rationalist group house at 11328 23rd Ave NE

Ticket Pricing:

• Standard ($20): Covers venue, materials, and event costs
• Supporter ($40): Pay a bit extra to help make the event accessible to everyone
• Patron ($100): Support the event and help us invest in an amazing experience
• Accessible (FREE): For those facing financial hardship or for whom standard pricing is a barrier. No questions asked. We want you here.

Join Us

The winter solstice has been marked by humans for millennia with a recognition that the darkness is real, but temporary. That the light returns. That we endure.

But we don’t just endure. We build. We make the world brighter, warmer, and more abundant than it was before. We refuse to accept cold, darkness, or scarcity.

On December 20th, we’ll gather to remember that, to celebrate it, and to commit to continuing it.

See you on the longest night.