In a place where snow flies for almost half of the year, summer is savored.

So Mainers made the most of Friday’s summer solstice, which is the longest day of the year and the first day of summer.

Mainers responded by taking their activities, from jogging to drinking, outdoors. Bike riders in Portland started the day snapping photos of the 4:59 a.m. sunrise and kids rode carnival rides into the dark in Old Orchard Beach.

In between, there were ice cream cones and lobster rolls, freshly cut grass and pungent bait barrels, toll booth jams and backyard barbecues. Mainers ate, swam, danced, ran, mowed, rode and sailed into summer. And, more than anything, they enjoyed the weather. Welcome to summer.