Saint John’s Eve is a celebration of pagan origin really famous in Catalonia. The evening of June 23rd, towns and cities fill with bonfires, music and party.
The feast of Saint John coincides with the official arrival of summer, and it’s celebrated on the shortest night of the year. Its origin comes from the ancient celebrations related to summer solstice, because feasts were almost always related to nature cycles. Fire has a leading role in that feasts.
Bonfires are a great symbol of this night, and lots of people use them to burn old things, like furniture or notes. But there aren’t only bonfires; another main figure that night is firecrackers, which fill all corners with noise and gunpowder smell. Kids enjoy a lot this feast, because cities are full of light, color and noise and the most daring ones set off their first firecrackers.
Although it’s celebrated in other parts of Europe, Saint John’s Eve has a special importance in Catalonia. At beach places, people go to the sea, where there are lots of bonfires, and they dance all night long. In the inland areas, squares of towns are full of concerts, bonfires and parties.
In Barcelona, many pubs organize their own Saint John’s parties, and there are lots of outdoor concerts in many parts of the city. The beach is a big meeting point, where most of young people finish their night.
If you want to discover this magical night, wherever you are in Catalonia you only have to go out to the street and follow the scent of fire!