IF YOU'RE in the Comunidad Valenciana any time between now and the early hours of March 20, you may notice an awful lot of noise and colour on the streets. It's the season for the region's biggest festival,...
San Juan 'bonfire night' brings beach parties to Spain
24/06/2017
COASTAL towns and cities in Spain celebrated the midsummer festival of San Juan last night (Friday) by jumping over bonfires on the beach and burning wish-lists.
Alicante city and the town of Jávea, an hour north of the provincial capital, also hold one of their main fiestas over the week leading up to the summer solstice – the Fogueres, or 'bonfires' in valenciano.
Huge paper mâché monuments featuring caricatures of politicians and celebrities, satirising current affairs, are set up around the towns and are burnt down on the night of June 23, Saint John's Day on the Catholic calendar, or San Juan in Spain and Sant Joan in valenciano and catalán.
The festival, which includes parades, public paellas, and late-night concerts and discos, typically ends with a spectacular firework display on the night of June 24, Saturday this year.
Traditionally, on San Juan night, Spaniards write a list of their wishes for the year to come and throw it on a bonfire on the beach, which they then immediately leap over before running into the sea and jumping over the next three waves.
Spain's main summer solstice celebration is in fact two days after the longest day of the year, unlike elsewhere in Europe – particularly Scandinavia - where beach parties take place and giant floral pagan crosses are erected.
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COASTAL towns and cities in Spain celebrated the midsummer festival of San Juan last night (Friday) by jumping over bonfires on the beach and burning wish-lists.
Alicante city and the town of Jávea, an hour north of the provincial capital, also hold one of their main fiestas over the week leading up to the summer solstice – the Fogueres, or 'bonfires' in valenciano.
Huge paper mâché monuments featuring caricatures of politicians and celebrities, satirising current affairs, are set up around the towns and are burnt down on the night of June 23, Saint John's Day on the Catholic calendar, or San Juan in Spain and Sant Joan in valenciano and catalán.
The festival, which includes parades, public paellas, and late-night concerts and discos, typically ends with a spectacular firework display on the night of June 24, Saturday this year.
Traditionally, on San Juan night, Spaniards write a list of their wishes for the year to come and throw it on a bonfire on the beach, which they then immediately leap over before running into the sea and jumping over the next three waves.
Spain's main summer solstice celebration is in fact two days after the longest day of the year, unlike elsewhere in Europe – particularly Scandinavia - where beach parties take place and giant floral pagan crosses are erected.
Related Topics
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