Following the summer solstice each June, parts of Spain celebrate Saint John the Baptist, or Sant Joan, in Catalan
The regional holiday in the Balearics falls on Monday 24th June, but the celebrations kick off the night before, with the ‘Nit de Foc’ (night of fire) starting at sunset on Sunday evening.
In towns and villages throughout Mallorca, Ibiza, and Menorca, expect to see people running about dressed as demons, brandishing flame torches, setting off fireworks and creating mayhem. It’s a riot of colour and noise, the air filled with the sound of drumming, flutes, and live music, and the smell of bonfires and barbecues.
The custom for these celebrations is to write down a list of all the bad things that happened to you in the last year and toss it onto a bonfire, before jumping over the fire to symbolically leave all those bad things behind. Then write a new list with wishes for the coming year, which you hang on to for good luck.
It is the one night of the year that barbecues are permitted on the islands’ beaches, so this is where many families and revellers will be having a cook-out and partying on crowded stretches of sand until the early hours.
‘Nit de Sant Joan’ is not for the faint-hearted, as Health & Safety goes AWOL, but from a safe distance, it’s a terrific spectacle.
NB. To anchor in front of Palma cathedral, a permit is required. Contact ESTELA to arrange your permit.
Palma de Mallorca
In Mallorca, there are events happening all around the island, though most of the action takes place in Palma. Crowds descend on Parc de la Mar, in front of the cathedral, to watch devils enter the park. After the ‘correfoc’ fire runs, human pyramids and fireworks, revellers head to the beach to bathe in the sea for purification and to make wishes for the summer solstice.
Ibiza
Ibiza’s most popular event is the party in Sant Joan de Labritja villzgde square, featuring markets, concerts, children’s entertainment and food and drinks stalls. Bonfires, barbecues, and live music can be found on Talamanca beach, Figueretas, Santa Eulalia, and Sant Rafael. Some are rowdy parties, others have more of a spiritual hippy vibe.
Ciutadella, Menorca
In normally sedate Menorca, particularly Ciutadella, caution is thrown out of the window entirely. In a festive ritual known as ‘Jaleo d’es Caragol’, horses rampage through the crowded town square, and prance on hind legs. Surrounded by thousands of excited onlookers, being trodden on or kicked in the head is a real danger. For a taste of this equine spectacle, visit https://shorturl.at/9GYfD.