The Festival of San Juan
The shortest night of the year in the Northern hemisphere, June 23rd, is celebrated in almost all of Spain – the arrival of the summer solstice.
The beach of Valencia and the whole coast as far as you can see becomes a huge party zone, bonfires making the centre piece of every group gathered to celebrate this triumph of light over dark. It is believed that the bonfire can cure diseases of the skin and cleanse the body and soul and if you jump over it 3 times it can turn a bad year into a good one! At midnight everyone enters the sea to wet their feet and wash away the sins of the year gone by, what a site to look back and see the beach full of burning fires and groups eating, drinking, making music, dancing and partying. Supermarket trolleys overflowing with food, drink and wood for the party that lasts until sunrise!
A walk along the promenade brings you to the live stages (last year 3!) with lights, music and live acts, as everyone enjoys these immense outdoor discos. And of course it wouldn´t be Valencia without a firework or two to add to the spectacle that is the Festival of San Juan, something that has to be seen to be believed.
The shortest night of the year in the Northern hemisphere, June 23rd, is celebrated in almost all of Spain – the arrival of the summer solstice.
The beach of Valencia and the whole coast as far as you can see becomes a huge party zone, bonfires making the centre piece of every group gathered to celebrate this triumph of light over dark. It is believed that the bonfire can cure diseases of the skin and cleanse the body and soul and if you jump over it 3 times it can turn a bad year into a good one! At midnight everyone enters the sea to wet their feet and wash away the sins of the year gone by, what a site to look back and see the beach full of burning fires and groups eating, drinking, making music, dancing and partying. Supermarket trolleys overflowing with food, drink and wood for the party that lasts until sunrise!
A walk along the promenade brings you to the live stages (last year 3!) with lights, music and live acts, as everyone enjoys these immense outdoor discos. And of course it wouldn´t be Valencia without a firework or two to add to the spectacle that is the Festival of San Juan, something that has to be seen to be believed.
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