Sant Joan sets Barcelona alight

Sant Joan is one of the most popular festivities celebrated in Barcelona. On the night and early morning of 23 and 24 June, young and old alike take to the streets to throw bangers, dance around bonfires, drink cava and eat the typical cakes known as coca. Lots of streets and squares around the city host celebrations of the shortest night of the year.

It’s difficult to choose among such a wealth of activities, and the full programme of festivities is available here. If you happen to be near Carrer de Consell de Cent, around Carrers de Viladomat and Comte Urgell, you might be interested in knowing that a bonfire will be lit there at 8.45pm, followed by a running fire parade, an open air dinner and finally a concert featuring the groups Citrus Dude and La Golden Beat. The Canigó Flame will be arriving at Plaça del Sol at 10pm to light the bonfire there, followed by a celebration featuring Mesclat, Cobla Catalana dels Sons Essencials and DJs. Similar celebrations are also planned for Mas Guinardó and Jardins del Clot de la Mel, while Carrer de Galileu is set to begin their festivities with a bring-your-own open air dinner, followed by a taste of burnt rum and Sant Joan coca, a fireworks display and a bonfire and, finally, a dance.

This year’s Sant Joan celebrations also commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first arrival in Barcelona of this symbolic fire of brotherhood. It is the flame with which bonfires are lit on the eve of the feast of Saint John in the Catalan lands, and is comes from the top of Mount Canigou, in northern Catalonia. This Flame will be received in 2017 by the Parliament of Catalonia and then taken to Barcelona town hall, where the authorities will be waiting. The flame will appear again in the evening in Plaça de Sant Jaume before going around the city to light the different bonfires.

Additional information is available here.