THE SAN JUAN'S NIGHT (night of 23 to 24 June)

The night of San Juan, is a tradition from time immemorial, celebrating the arrival of the summer solstice and the longest day for the collection of crops, and the shortest night for the destruction of evil.
It is a pagan ritual associated with the bonfires that were lit to give more power to the sun, as is becoming increasingly weak until the winter solstice, also used the ritual of fire as a symbol of purification for those who contemplate it.
Converted from Christianity to religious holiday (like all pagan rites that couldn't forbid are absorbedgiving them a religious character. In Spain, almost all holidays are religious among the converted in antiquity and those that thanks to the dictator Franco were Christianized).
This holiday is celebrated in many parts of Europe, but is much more rooted in Spain, Portugal (fogueiras de Sao Joao), Norway (Jonson), Denmark (Sankthans), Sweden (Midsommar), Finland (Juhannus), Estonia (Jaanipäev ) and UK (Midsummer).

In South America, is celebrated in Brazil (Festas Juninas), Paraguay, Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Venezuela (the night of San Juan).
The night of San Juan, is also related to ancient Spanish legend as "The Legend of the Haunted" (which varies according the regions of Spain and Latin America.

While in most places, is celebrated coinciding with the Summer Solstice, the night of 21 to 22 June, respecting the pagan rite, in countries like Spain and Portugal it shows the Christian influence in the change of date.

In Spain, there is a polemic regarding the date of its celebration, because the day of San Juan is the day 24 and there are areas where the bonfires are made from 24 hours a day 23 as in the case of Valencia, and in other locations like Alicante is done the evening of day 24.
In Valencia, it's usually celebrate it on the beach (who can), and about 24 hours on day 23are lit the bonfires with wood that people bring from home. It is also said that gives you good luck to have your feet soaked at 00 hours (at sea and who can't do this improvising usually elsewhere) even the more adventurous get ourshelves whole in the water as when you're entering in the water, should be make a wish.

During the celebration, people often carried the dinner and consume large amounts of alcohol during the whole night around the bonfire.
The most daring, jump the bonfires making a wish, and if they fall from the jumping standing up without burning, the wish will comply.

The party usually lasts until sunrise.

picture of people around a San Juan's bonfire taken from internet