San Juan Fiesta in Oliva
The San Juan Festival takes place in June and this really is a must if you are
visiting Spain at this time. The night of 23 June is the most important and on
this one night the whole town visits the beach year where rules are relaxed and
you can have a bonfire and BBQ on the beach, play music, dance and watch the
fireworks.
The celebrations of San Juan are pagan in origin and comprise a degree of
rituals, customs and practices that are originally from pre-Christian
celebrations and encompass fire, water and sun. The night of San Juan on the 23
June celebrates the triumph of light over dark. It is said that on this one
night of the year you can change a bad year into a good year by leaping over
your bonfire on the beach at least three times. It is also said that the
bonfires lit on this night can cure diseases of the skin and cleanse the body
and soul. The beach is packed with people enjoying the atmosphere and there is
always a live band performing and at midnight a huge firework display explodes!
At this point everyone gets up and walks into the sea to make their wishes for
the year and flowers are thrown into the waves to give thanks for the coming
summer.
