San Juan is a peculiar fiesta that is celebrated throughout the country and a spectacular event to experience. It is the welcome of the summer and is celebrated on the year’s shortest night, which falls on the 23/24 of June this year.
Cities, towns and villages come alive as the people celebrate during the night with bonfires, fireworks, food, music, and dance. The celebrations are bigger in the areas that are along the coasts as everyone heads down to beaches to build bonfires and celebrate the tradition of bathing in the water at the stroke of midnight. It’s a lively night full of fun for men and women, young people and children.
Traditions of San Juan
Jumping over the bonfire three times is part of the tradition.
The celebrations of San Juan are about fire and water, night and day. The fire purifies and the water rejuvenates which explains the importance of lighting bonfires and bathing. At the stroke of midnight the bonfires are set alight and strangely enough people start jumping over them. This is done three times in order to cleanse and purify and burn away problems. Another amazing sight at midnight is seeing hoards of people heading for the water to bathe as the tradition is to jump into the water to wash away evil spirits. If you are not happy about jumping over bonfires or bathing in the middle of the night you can also go down to the shore and wash your face and feet three times. This is another tradition that is practiced at midnight and grants one three wishes for a happy following 12 months and also purifies oneself.
San Juan is a surreal experience for many as the coats are lit up by hundreds of bonfires, the water is full of people bathing and the beaches are more crowded than they would be during the day. San Juan is about having fun and sharing the start of the summer with the ones closest to you. Concerts and entertainment, music and dance, food and drinks that is what San Juan is all about. It is a great fiesta (party) not to be missed for both children and adults. Bring food and drinks and head down to the beach for a wonderful start of the summer.
Bonfires along the coast.
