2027 Night of San Juan

The Night of San Juan on June 23, the eve of the feast of St. John the Baptist, welcomes midsummer with bonfires on beaches and squares across Spain, blending a Christian feast with older solstice rites. Groups gather around fires from dusk, jumping over the flames — three or seven times, depending on local lore — and wading into the sea at midnight to wash away bad luck for the year ahead. Alicante's Hogueras de San Juan, with towering papier-mâché monuments set alight on the night of the 24th, is the largest festival, while Catalonia celebrates the Revetlla de Sant Joan with fireworks, cava and the coca de Sant Joan sweet flatbread, and beaches from Barcelona to Málaga and A Coruña fill with parties. June 23 is not a national holiday, though June 24 is a public holiday in Catalonia and some other regions. Beachfront hotels and late-night transport are busy, so plan the journey home. This countdown ticks to midnight Central European Time in Madrid on June 23.