Celebrate San Juan in Canarias

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(Free-Press-Release.com) May 16, 2011 -- The festival of San Juan is a greeting to summer and thus it takes place on June 23rd each year. The festival is full of fireworks, bonfires, dancing, music and lots and lots of food. Since it’s held as a traditional welcome to summer, it takes place on the shortest night of the year.

The festival is celebrated by several towns and cities around the globe. All these festivities share a few things that are common. However, each also has its own unique rituals.

The festival is very important in the towns and cities that are situated near the sea. In Galicia, people touch images of “botar fora” or “meigallo” in order to get rid of bad things. In Alicante, during the night, around two hundreds bonfires are held around the city. In Palamós and Roses, bonfires and fireworks are held by the seashore. In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria people make bonfires, and later, bath in the sea.

In Canarias, fire and water are the main celebration of the night during the San Juan festival. People belonging to all age groups take part in preparing bonfires. Traditionally, if a person jumps over a bonfire three times in the night of San Juan, he or she will be purified and all their problems will vanish forever.

There is another tradition which involves women to prepare perfumed water that combines the aroma of seven plants including rose, laurel and rosemary. The water is, then, used to bathe or wash their faces. The ritual is performed in order to purify the women for the new season.

23rd June or the San Juan is very special for the coastal city Tenerife in the Canary Island. During the night, the sky is illuminated by the light of several bonfires, and seems to welcome the approaching summer solstice. In order to enjoy this all mentioned cases, it is advisable to book an apartment in tenerife (http://www.perfectsuntravel.com/en/apartments-spain-tenerife.html) or a well located hotel in Tenerife (http://www.perfectsuntravel.com/en/hotels-spain-tenerife.html).

The flames of the bonfires symbolize purification. These are usually lit on the shore so that the enchantment of fire maybe complemented by the strength of the sea.

For the city of Puerto de la Cruz in the Canary Island, San Juan festival holds prime importance. During these celebrations, several cultural acts start late in the afternoon at the designated sites. Thousands of people gather here ad enjoy the fiesta with candles. There is another interesting tradition here: You can wish anything here but for this wish to come true it must be written on a piece of paper and put into the fire.

Traditionally, jumping three times over a bonfire will bring good luck for the rest of the year. For people a little less brave, a purifying dip in the Atlantic waters at midnight may bring the same results.

By morning the ashes of bonfires are still present in the atmosphere. The tradition “Baño de Cabras”, meaning “bathing the goats”, is performed. For this purpose local goat keepers bring their flock to the main fishing port in order to fulfill the ancient aboriginal tradition. This can be a very amazing sight for visitors.

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