Is this a traditional celebration where you live?
It's a very strong tradition in Galicia, maybe the most enjoyed night in the year. People, mostly teenagers, build up to 3 meter high piles of wood that are lit at midnight. They spend weeks seeking for scrap wood at construction sites and asking for old furniture at the neighbourhood. Cities and towns get covered in smoke. After some time of burning, when the height of the flames is low enough, people jump over the fires. The embers are used to grill pilchards, which are consumed in great amount (its price doubles these days).
Of course, nobody can eat grilled pilchards without wine, which is also consumed in great amount...
It's really a lot of fun.
There is music, but it's not a specially musical night, maybe musicians fear that their instruments get burned
I suppose the summer solstice is celebrated since thousands of years, and it seems to be often linked with fire.
I believe it happens in Cornwall, but not England in general. The Reformation, and indeed the Mediaeval church before, more or less banished it. People go to Stonehenge etc. at the solstice, but this is neo-pagan and not connected at all with St. John (who I gather was John the Baptist).
The unpredictable and wet nature of the English summer - especially June - makes it impossible to fix a date therein and guarantee far in advance that it will be dry enough for a bonfire and a party - let alone guarantee it will be so every year. It makes more sense to forget about this, and just whip out the barbecue kit at short notice when there's a gap in the weather.
We live near a beach , here in northern Spain,where, traditionally, bonfires are lit on St. John´s eve.
Bonfire odours are already beginning to waft in through the open windows (it´s warm and muggy) and it´s definately time to bring the washing in off the line !
It reminds me a bit ( but only a bit ! ) of Guy Fawke´s night in the London suburbs when I was a kid..
St. Jean Baptiste is a huge 'national festival each year in Quebec. Bonfires, neighbourhood parties, music, parades, etc. Lots of fun and a paid holiday!
Happy Saint John's night!
Happy Saint John's night!
Is this a traditional celebration where you live?
It's a very strong tradition in Galicia, maybe the most enjoyed night in the year. People, mostly teenagers, build up to 3 meter high piles of wood that are lit at midnight. They spend weeks seeking for scrap wood at construction sites and asking for old furniture at the neighbourhood. Cities and towns get covered in smoke. After some time of burning, when the height of the flames is low enough, people jump over the fires. The embers are used to grill pilchards, which are consumed in great amount (its price doubles these days).
Of course, nobody can eat grilled pilchards without wine, which is also consumed in great amount...
It's really a lot of fun.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Ramiro
Re: Happy Saint John's night!
Hey Ramiro, sounds like a blast, I'm sure there's plenty of music too, right?
Looks like celebrating the arrival of summer is a long, time-honored tradition regardless of ethnicity or cultural background, pretty cool:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midsummer
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Happy Saint John's night!
There is music, but it's not a specially musical night, maybe musicians fear that their instruments get burned
I suppose the summer solstice is celebrated since thousands of years, and it seems to be often linked with fire.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Ramiro
Re: Happy Saint John's night!
Just found this:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/San_juan_cacharela_jpereira.jpg
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by Ramiro
Re: Happy Saint John's night!
Seems it used to be celebrated in Ireland
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/StJohnsEve.html
but not so much these days
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by cathycook
Re: Happy Saint John's night!
I believe it happens in Cornwall, but not England in general. The Reformation, and indeed the Mediaeval church before, more or less banished it. People go to Stonehenge etc. at the solstice, but this is neo-pagan and not connected at all with St. John (who I gather was John the Baptist).
The unpredictable and wet nature of the English summer - especially June - makes it impossible to fix a date therein and guarantee far in advance that it will be dry enough for a bonfire and a party - let alone guarantee it will be so every year. It makes more sense to forget about this, and just whip out the barbecue kit at short notice when there's a gap in the weather.
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by nicholas
Re: Happy Saint John's night!
We live near a beach , here in northern Spain,where, traditionally, bonfires are lit on St. John´s eve.
Bonfire odours are already beginning to waft in through the open windows (it´s warm and muggy) and it´s definately time to bring the washing in off the line !
It reminds me a bit ( but only a bit ! ) of Guy Fawke´s night in the London suburbs when I was a kid..
# Posted on June 23rd 2008 by murfbox
Re: Happy Saint John's night!
http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=146343&sc=84
# Posted on June 24th 2008 by oldstrings
Re: Happy Saint John's night!
St. Jean Baptiste is a huge 'national festival each year in Quebec. Bonfires, neighbourhood parties, music, parades, etc. Lots of fun and a paid holiday!
# Posted on June 26th 2008 by JNW