La revetlla de Sant Joan - Barcelona 2010

Sant Joan in Spain is the midsummer solstice celebration marking the start of the summer season and the day with the longest period of daylight in the year, not to be confused with the "Equinox", which are the days, when the day has equal lengths of day and night.  The Equinoxes occurs  twice a year usually in March and September. In Spain and Barcelona the Sant Joan celebrations are on the evening of the 23rd June. The day after is the 24th June and this is  Saint John's day and a public holiday in Catalonia and Spain. The Sant Joan fiestas take place from sundown to sunrise on the night before Saint John's day, and are also called "verbenas," which means open-air fiestas or celebrations.The Sant Joan festival is also called "La Nit de Sant Joan" - the night of Saint John.

The summer solstice was considered the most important event of the solar year in ancient times. Fire was celebrated on this day as the symbol of abundance, purity and fertility and to this day fire and fireworks are one of the central elements in the Festival of Sant Joan with fireworks and bonfires illluminating the skies of Barcelona. Visit the Barcelona city Nit de Sant Joan website http://www.bcn.es/santjoan for more details about verbenas  firework displays and bonfires all over the city where you will usually find information about events in each neighbourhood (barrio) of Barcelona, and plenty of information about Sant Joan traditions along with fireworks and bonfire safety information.

The biggest element of the festival of Sant Joan is fire. The flame to light the fires is called the "Flama del Canigó," which is taken to different villages every year. There are bonfires, called "hogueras" in Spanish or "fogueres" in Catalan everywhere in Barcelona and Catalonia. You can also participate in the rituals of fire purification to cleanse your sins and rid yourself of bad luck by burning something.   There are several traditions you can follow. Old furniture is often used for the bonfire to symbolise a gesture of  "out with the old - in with the new! Another is that you write down whatever you wish for, throw the note on the fire and then leap into the air three times. Another more dangerous tradition is to clasp the hand of your loved one, and leap together over a bonfire seven times! Then you will live happily ever after! And be well smoked! The fire jumping sound like a tradition best forgotten unless the fire is very small. Too many few drunken revellers have been badly burned over the years attempting to jump over huge fires only to stumble and fall back into them instead.  They got scars ever after, not happiness.

  Safety advice about bonfires
  Safety tips when watching "correfocs"

Water is another important element of Sant Joan. According to tradition, on the eve of Sant Joan you can cleanse your sins in water symbolising the baptisms of Sant John. According to belief, a swim will cure all your ails, aches and pains.  Any water will do.  You can swim in the sea or in a lake or even just bathe your face with the morning dew and you will be sin-free and cured. This is a much safer midnight tradition than jumping over bonfires!  Don't burn your sins - drown them. If you are on the beaches of Barcelona you will not be the only one having a sin-swim. Thousands of students and young people invade the beaches (mostly on Bogatell and Mar Bella) to celebrate the Nit de Sant Joan. Many swim their sins away with a dip in the sea at midnight!  The water temperature of the Barcelona is around 20-22 degrees at this time of year, so it's a pleasant experience. Watching the Sant Joan sunrise is an important part of the Nit de Sant Joan and a good excuse for partying all night. Sunrise will be at around 06.15 on 23rd June.

Herbs are a big element of Sant Joan. Herbs are said to have curative powers that become one hundred times stronger on the night of Sant Joan.  Thyme, Rosemary and Verbena (the herb that gave name to the fiestas!) are collected and eaten on Sant Joan. The herb verbena was offered to the Gods in ancient times. It has a very powerful smell and some say it has aphrodisiac properties.

There is a strong tradition of fireworks in Catalonia purportedly stemming back to the days of the arab invasions.  Each barrio in Barcelona has its own firework display along with local all-night bonfires fuelled by collections of old furniture! In the barrios you will find dancing and celebrations in the plazas, street parties, music and entertainment. Firecracker - "petardos" - shops and huts spring up all over Barcelona and are usually open 10 days before the Night of Sant Joan. So be prepared for many many small and big bangs on the days before Sant Joan, and after the festival. It can drive you quite mad, if you live in a busy neighbourhood - and you can forget the siestas during Sant Joan week!

  Safety tips about fireworks

Food is usually a big part of any Catalan festival.  For Sant Joan is a tradition to eat Catalan 'Coca' desserts. Coca consists of a bread base topped with with fillings of various kinds.  The size of the bread should be twice as long as it is wide!

  Catalan Coca dessert recipe

Every club and bar in Barcelona will have Sant Joan parties so check out our nightlife section to find clubs and bars in Barcelona.

The Barcelona metro and trams are open all night on 23rd June, which is good because the Taxis in Barcelona charge an extra supplement of around 5 euros between midnight and 06.00! And as the saying goes.  "Fred per Nadal i calor per Sant Joan, salut per tot l'any" which means "Cold for Christmas, warm for Sant Joan, health for the whole year!"

Tirar petardos = throw bangers/firecrackers