FESTA SAN JOAN 2022!
June 23rd marks the beginning of summer in our village. It's the feast day of St. John the Baptist and coincides closely with the summer solstice. By tradition, fire is brought from the sacred mountain in French Catalunya to each village in Catalunya. A bonfire is started just before dusk. In the old days the fire was kept going all night.
There is a ceremony where children read original poems about San Joan. Everybody hangs out to socialize for a couple of hours. They serve a traditional pastry called "coca". I'll never forget the first time I went to the Festa. Someone insisted that I needed some coca. I told them I was disinclined to chew the leaves of a tropical shrub. They couldn't understand what I was saying so they brought me a piece. You can see what Catalan coca looks like below. They are usually made with fruit and sprinkled lightly with sugar and anisado.
San Joan is much like the 4th of July. The kids set off fireworks late into the night. The children here have a game they call "Let's Make the Old Guy Jump!". It involves me walking through the village while they drop firecrackers behind me. It's fun for all ages. I consider it a public service. They do this to all the adults, by the way, so they're not actually picking on me.
Tomorrow is a holiday. Everyone will sleep in and then cook out in the afternoon. I have some friends coming from Barcelona. As we say around here:
BONES FESTAS!!!
The bonfire behind City Hall.
