The Night of San Juan is a Christian festival of pagan origin in which bonfires are lit and fireworks and firecrackers are launched. Although it is celebrated on the night of June 23-24, it is associated with the summer solstice (June 21) and pagan rites that, with bonfires, sought to increase the strength of the sun on its way to the winter solstice. The fire, in turn, fulfilled a purifying function in the people who contemplated it. If you see a bonfire, stand and look at it.
Nowadays, we talk more about St. John's Eve than St. John's Night because the protagonist is the party. It is not celebrated a verbena, many are held in public or private premises, in private homes, in the streets and on the beaches of Barcelona. Days before June 23, the first firecrackers are already heard: they are mainly from children and young people who can not wait for the night of June 23. And it is that in the festival of San Juan are the locals who buy their firecrackers and fireworks, and launch them throughout the night.
The bonfires are built by neighbors or neighborhood organizations that look for or bring old furniture to burn. You will find bonfires in many squares of the city and on the beaches, and if you dare to buy firecrackers or fireworks you will find stalls in many places in Barcelona.
And to finish, we do it with a good bite of coca de San Juan and a glass of cava, the typical food and drink of the shortest night (or almost) of the year.
The Flame of Canigó
From June 22 to 23 a ritual related to the bonfires of the Night of San Juan is celebrated, although its origin and evolution had, and has to do with the desire to keep alive the Catalan culture. The fire of the Flama del Canigó is never extinguished; it remains in the Castellet of Perpignan until June 22nd when it is moved to the summit of Canigó. At midnight, the fire is distributed among a chain of volunteers who will take it to the Catalan-speaking towns, where it is traditional to light bonfires on St. John's Eve. Each town organizes the reception of the Flame in its own way, but part of the ritual is shared: before lighting the bonfires, a common message is read to remember the meaning of the initiative. In Barcelona the fire of the Flama arrives at the Plaza de Sant Jaume and from there it is distributed to the neighborhoods of Barcelona to light all the bonfires of the city.
Program of the Flame
- 16:30 h. Departure of the Flame from Camp Nou to Sant Jaume square. Route: Arístides Maillol street, Riera Blanca, Madrid avenue, Tarragona street, Espanya square, Gran Via, Universitat square, Pelai street, Fontanella street, Via Laietana and Jaume I street.
- 17:45 h. Welcoming party of the Flame in Sant Jaume square, with the participation of the Àliga, the Capgrossos Macers and the Gegants de la Ciutat, while the music of the cobla Sant Jordi - Ciutat de Barcelona plays.
- 18:00 h. Arrival of the Flame of Canigó to Sant Jaume square and lighting of the cauldron. Pillar of honor of the Castellers of Barcelona.
- 18:05 h. Dances of the Eagle, the Capgrossos Macers and the Giants of the City.
- 18:15 h. Reading of the message of this year's Flame.
- 18:30 h. Distribution of the fire of the Flame that will be used to light the bonfires throughout Barcelona.
Midsummer's Eve celebrations with bonfires in the center of Barcelona (2024)
This year there will be bonfires and Midsummer's Eve celebrations in more than 30 venues in the districts of Ciutat Vella, Eixample, Sants - Montjuïc, Gràcia, Sarrià - Sant Gervasi, Horta Guinardó, Sant Andreu, Les Corts, Sant Martí and Nou Barris. In addition to the festivals and bonfires, some districts organize other activities such as parades, correfocs, concerts, workshops of "cocas de San Juan" and "ratafías", singing of "havaneras" or raffles of "cocas" and "cavas".
St. John's Eve celebrations in Ciutat Vella
El Raval
- Place: Rambla del Raval
- From 19:00 h
- Lighting of the bonfire: 22:00 h
La Barceloneta
- Place: Poeta Boscà square
- From 20:30 h
- Lighting of the bonfire: 21:00 h
- Correfoc: 21:30 h (from Poeta Boscà square to Barceloneta square).
Old Quarter
- Place: Passeig de Lluís Companys
- From 21:00 h
- Lighting of the bonfire: 10:00 pm
Saint John's Eve celebrations in Eixample
Sant Antoni
- Place: Floridablanca street with Entença (Av. Mistral)
- Lighting of the bonfire: 23:00 h
- Place: Floridablanca Street between Rocafort and Calàbria
- From 16:00 h (children's activities)
- Drums and small Correfoc: 20:00 h
- Lighting of the bonfire: 21:00 h
List of all the festivals in Barcelona
San Juan on the beaches of Barcelona
The beaches of the city are a very popular destination for the inhabitants of Barcelona to celebrate San Juan. Last year approximately 60,000 people gathered there. If you decide to spend San Juan along the coast of Barcelona, keep in mind that these are natural areas, so it is not allowed to light bonfires, throw firecrackers, smoke, or throw waste into the water or sand.
Remember that the metro will run all night.
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