spanish FESTIVALS | FIESTAS IN SPAIN

The festival of San Juan

San Juan takes place between June 20th till 24th and is a huge party full of bonfires, fireworks, music and dancing.
Six months after Christmas the arrival of the summer solstice is celebrated during the shortest night of the year. The celebrations of San Juan are of pagan origin and consist to a greater degree of inherited rituals, practices and customs originating in pre-Christian celebrations. The night of San Juan, 23 of June, is the shortest of the year in the northern hemisphere and basically means the triumph of light over dark. The basic characteristics of these rituals are fire, water and the sun. Legend has it that the bonfires that burn on this night can cure diseases of the skin, cleansing the body and soul. One can even change a bad year into a good one simply by jumping over the bonfire a minimum of three times.
San Juan is celebrated in almost all of Spain, but in some parts it takes on a special meaning. In Ciutadella (Menorca) people visit from all over Spain (including many television crews) to witness the celebrations. People take to the streets and party non-stop for 3 to 4 days drinking pomada, an explosive mix of Mahon gin and lemonade, and slapping the back sides of the large black horses with riders that dance in the crowded streets and dart in and out of local doorways. As the evenings progress you will also witness large scale battles of people enthusiastically throwing sackfuls of hazelnuts at each other which is meant to be a sign of love. It has to be seen to be believed.

The festival of San Isidro, Madrid

The festival of Semana Santa

The festival of San Fermin, Pamplona

To find out more about other spanish festivals and entertainment in Spain please choose a region from below.

spanish festivals and other forms of entertainment around spain

To find out more about local Spanish festivals and entertainment in Spain choose the region you are interested in from the list at the bottom of the page or click one of the links below.

The festival of San Juan

The festival of San Isidro, Madrid

The festival of Semana Santa

The festival of San Fermin, Pamplona

Do you have some exciting pictures of festivals in Spain?

If so, send them to info@spanish-living.com and we will try to add them to these pages