With the start of June, the countdown begins to welcome the summer and the summer festivities begin. One of the most celebrated nights of this month is the well-known San Juan Night. This night is the night of June 23rd at 00.00 and thousands of bonfires are lit.
Its beginnings are like a pagan festivity and before Christianity arrived, bonfires were lit where the purpose was to purify and give strength to the sun. From that day onwards, the days would begin to get shorter and the winter would arrive. Since Christianity, this day commemorates the birth of Saint John the Baptist and here the bonfires represent the announcement of the birth. Nowadays it is taken as a night of celebration of the arrival of summer and holidays.
This festival is celebrated both nationally and internationally. In the case of Andalusia, where Reserva del Higuerón is located, there are many beaches where you can celebrate this magical night.
In Malaga you can celebrate this celebration on any beach with a large number of people and also enjoy live music on some beaches. The tradition is the burning of the “júas”, they are dolls made of rags filled with sawdust or paper. In the case of Benalmádena, this celebration is at the same time of their fair so you can enjoy decorated streets where people will place their júas at the door of their houses. At 00.00 they will all be burned in a common bonfire, others will jump over the bonfires on the beaches, enter the beach with their backs to the sea and make a wish, papers to write wishes and then burn them, these are many of the activities that can be carried out and celebrated on this day.
In Almería, they prepare moragas on the different beaches, waiting for midnight to do everything that will bring them luck, such as getting into the water and not forgetting to enjoy the popular “sardine”.
Granada not only celebrates St. John on the beach, in fact, the municipality of Lanjarón celebrates its main festivals on this date. During the night the Night of the Water is celebrated, where hoses are used to wet all those who participate and becomes a tourist attraction in this season.
In Cadiz it is known for the Burning of the Juanillos. It is based on the burning of dolls that are distributed throughout the city of Cadiz and also reward bonfires, those that have been the most fun and best achieved. As in Malaga, people go to the beaches to continue celebrating this festivity and do actions such as taking a bath in the sea.
Huelva also celebrates this festivity with the tradition of bonfires, being Punta Umbría the most outstanding in the province. They make big candles that are spread all over the territory of the thing.
Also at 00.00 the moment is accompanied by fireworks shows that you can enjoy on any beach you choose this next San Juan.
And don’t forget, do you know what wishes you’re going to make?
