Noche de San Juan: fireworks, bonfires and a midnight swim
Every year, on the night of 23 June, the Malaga coast is lit up, both literally and metaphorically, as thousands of people head to the beaches to enjoy the Noche de San Juan (Saint John’s Eve).
The Feast of Saint John the Baptist, which is actually on 24 June (though in most countries the festivities are held the night before), marks the beginning of the summer and is full of pagan rituals centred around fire and, of course, water.
It’s interesting to note that this is one of the few saints’ days that commemorates the anniversary of the saint’s birth rather than death.
Given the timing of the event, the Fiesta de San Juan attracts a lot of university students who use the opportunity to burn their study notes following the exam period!
Noche de San Juan traditions
As part of the festivities, you’ll see many people jumping three times over one of the blazing bonfires, which are seen for miles along the coastline. These are lit to ward off evil spirits, and doing so will (supposedly) rid you of your problems.
After this, a midnight dip in the sea, which according to tradition, is purest on this night, will clean and purify your soul.
Also at midnight, huge fireworks displays mark the arrival of the actual feast day.
Another element to look out for is the burning of ‘juas’ (effigies), which are normally a nod to the year’s big local news stories.
Celebrating San Juan in Malaga
In Malaga, Noche de San Juan celebrations are particularly lively on La Malagueta beach, given its proximity to the city centre.
The much bigger La Misericordia and El Palo beaches, to the west and east, respectively, will also be lively, albeit with a less international feel and more local vibes.
This is one of the bigger fiestas and includes fireworks, pyrotechnics, live music and entertainment, which continues until the early hours.
Typically, the evening gets started at around 10pm.
Daryl is the co-founder of Malaga Guru. He is a copywriter, editor and translator who moved to Malaga a decade ago having first fallen in love with the city on his Erasmus year. After working for many years at local expat newspaper SUR in English, Daryl gained expert knowledge in life from the perspective of foreign residents and decided to co-found this site in 2016.