Sant Joan in Mallorca, is a magic festivity which makes Mallorquins come together to welcome the coming of the summer months on the 24^th of June. As legend has it, on this particular night the sun dances and people come to view it, where the horizon slices the edge of the land.

The magic of the year’s shortest night 

The evening of Sant Joan is a festivity, which invites Mallorquins and visiting tourists to participate in the party atmosphere. The night of Sant Joan is an opportunity for Mallorquins to gather on the island’s beaches and light bonfires, and enjoy seeing in the shortest night of the year.

Sant Joan and Menorca

Although this festivity is celebrated all over the Mediterranean, the most important and well known of all the festivities is in Ciutadella, Menorca. Even though there have been some changes through the years, the festivity is still quite true to the traditional values and character. The common theme for all the festivities in Menorca is the horse which is also the central and main attraction in the festivities. These beautiful and elegant horses are only bred in Menorca as a local breed, “La Menorquina“.

During the festivity the horses, who are the main protagonists, are dressed up and ridden through the streets where the island´s young people encourage the horses to jump and to dance for as long as possible on their hind legs. Their riders are known as “caixers” and must be, in the case of the Sant Joan festival, country people, two “ caixers Pagesos”, Menorcan land foremen (lloc), one must come from the southern part of the island (Migjorn ) and another from the north (Tramuntana).

In Menorca the festivity has three main days: “ Día des Bé” in which a live sheep is washed and decorated with coloured silk ribbons. The Sant Joan´s Saturday (23^rd June) the “caixer Senyor” gallops along the route which goes from Cathedral Square to New Square. On Sant Joan´s Day (24^th June) the procession begins at 7am. One highlight of the day is when the “caixer Senyor “  invites the authorities to watch the mediaeval style games that take place in the Baixamar square.

Finally, a monumental firework display brings the emblematic and famous festivities of Sant Joan to an end until the following year.

Back in Mallorca, our students of Spanish this year will have the opportunity to enjoy this magical evening around a bonfire near the sea, where, those brave enough will swim (or splash, at least) at midnight, as the tradition requires. Don’t miss this opportunity!