Sant Joan – fireworks and Cava see in the longest day

In the weeks leading up to the summer solstice, little wooden huts start to pop up around the city and if you investigate further you’ll find they are selling a variety of fireworks.

While the summer solstice is widely celebrated worldwide – indeed, it has always been an important date since ancient times – in Spain the longest day is a holiday for St John the Baptist, or Sant Joan in Catalan. Among the traditions and festivities that go with it are fireworks the night before, June 23rd.

When I first heard about the fireworks it was a complaint; the dogs didn’t like it, it scared them to death and the fireworks go on all night. At the time I dismissed the complaint, as easy as it was for me to do, living in England at the time.

However, when I moved to Barcelona I realised the problem; I was expecting polite English fireworks, but found that Spanish fireworks are a bit like those bunker busters the Americans used to “shock and awe” Saddam Hussein; they are really loud, they really do go on ALL night – and they terrify our cats.

So, while many people are out on their terraces throwing fireworks around, we’ll all be locked up in our apartment, with the TV or music full blast and air con switched on – this is one night of the year that just isn’t fun if you are a pet owner.

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