St. John Festival in Europe is one of the most famous midsummer celebrations. It shows how old traditions are still alive all across Europe. Every country celebrates it differently, but they all share the same basic ideas - lighting fires, bringing people together, and marking the longest day of summer.
The most popular European countries that celebrate the St. John Festival include Lithuania (known as the Saint Jonas Festival), Spain (Nit de Sant Joan), Italy (Festa di San Giovanni), and Portugal (Festa de São João/São João Festival).
Interestingly, Goa in India also celebrates this festival in the name of Goan São João, influenced by the Portuguese. It is also called as Goa Water Festival. Whether you're jumping over bonfires in Lithuania, hitting people with plastic hammers in Portugal, or diving into wells in Goa, each tradition of this festival offers its own magical way to welcome the peak of summer.
1. Saint Jonas Festival - Lithuania
Saint John's Festival in Lithuania (also called Rasos or Joninės) happens on June 24th every year. It's a big summer celebration!
History: Long ago, before Christianity came to Lithuania, people celebrated the longest day of summer. They made offerings to their old gods and lit special fires. Some people still do this today.
When Christianity arrived, it got mixed with the old traditions. Now, both Christians and people who follow the old beliefs celebrate the Saint Jonas Festival together.
What To Expect:
- Singing and dancing until sunset
- Story telling
- Searching for a magical fern flower at midnight
- Jumping over bonfires
- Watching the sunrise
- Washing their faces with morning dew
- Girls put flower wreaths in rivers and lakes
Special Tradition: People named Jonas, Jonė, or Janina get lots of congratulations and greetings on this day because it's their special name day!
It's basically a huge summer party where old traditions meet new ones, and everyone celebrates the brightest time of year together.
Date: 24 June 2025
Suggested Read: 20 Famous Festivals In India To Celebrate With Loved Ones
2. Nit De Sant Joan - Spain
St. John's Eve traditions in Catalonia are really exciting! In this part of Spain, they call it "Nit de Sant Joan" (which means "Night of St. John" in the local language). This is one of the biggest and most important celebrations in Catalonia - almost everyone joins in the fun.
History: The St. John's Festival has very old roots that go back thousands of years to before Christianity, when people celebrated the summer solstice - the longest day and shortest night of the year.
Later, when the Catholic Church came along, they made it a religious holiday honouring Saint John the Baptist on June 24th.
What To Expect:
- Lighting big bonfires
- Set off fireworks
- Playing music and dancing across different parts of Spain
- Partying all night long
Special Tradition: On St. John's Night, people follow many fun traditions that are believed to bring good luck and healing.
The most popular is jumping over bonfires three times to make wishes come true, while some people go swimming in the sea because they think it has special healing powers on this night.
People also pick herbs during the celebration because they believe these plants have extra healing strength.
Date: 23 June 2025 & 24 June 2025
3. São João Festival - Portugal
São João Festival is one of the biggest and traditional festivals in Portugal, honouring Saint John the Baptist every June 23rd- 24th. Thousands of people come to the city centre and old neighbourhoods to pay tribute to Saint John the Baptist in a party that mixes religious traditions with pure fun.
History: This amazing festival has been celebrated in Porto for over 600 years! During the 19th century, it became the city's most important holiday.
What To Expect:
- Beautiful fireworks lighting up the Douro River
- Streets are filled with colourful decorations
- Food stalls
- Music
- Delicious traditional Portuguese food like grilled sardines, green peppers, rice, and Caldo Verde soup
Special Tradition: The most unique and fun traditions include people playfully hitting each other with plastic hammers and garlic flowers, and jumping over bonfires three times to bring good luck and make wishes come true.
Date: 23 June 2025 & 24 June 2025
Suggested Read: The Guide to 10 Festivals in Bhutan
4. Festa Di San Giovanni - Italy
Every year on June 24th, Italy celebrates the Festa di San Giovanni to honour Saint John the Baptist, who is the special protector saint of many Italian cities, including Florence.
This celebration mixes religious ceremonies with fun community activities like colourful fireworks displays, exciting parades through the streets, and traditional historical games that bring the whole community together.
History: This festival is a very old tradition that has been celebrated in many Italian cities for hundreds of years, especially in places like Florence, where Saint John the Baptist is their special protector saint.
The celebration brings together both Christian faith and local culture, mixing old religious customs with even older traditions that existed before Christianity came to Italy.
What To Expect:
- Displays of fireworks, especially over the Arno River in Florence
- The Calcio Storico Fiorentino (a medieval football game) is played on June 24th
- Historical parade
- The Ceremony of Candles (La Cerimonia dei Ceri) in Florence
Special Tradition: The most unique traditions include the Calcio Storico Fiorentino - a wild medieval football game that's more like a mix of rugby, soccer, and wrestling played in historical costumes!
Historical parades with people dressed in medieval costumes also make this celebration feel like stepping back in time.
Date: 24 June 2025
5. São João Festival - Goa, India
The São João Festival in Goa is one of the interesting festivals in India in June. It is an exciting Catholic celebration held on June 24th that honours Saint John the Baptist.
The Goa Water Festival June is famous for its unique St. John's Eve traditions, especially the joyful custom where people (mainly young men and newly married men) jump into wells, ponds, and streams for good luck and fun.
This festival started as a religious celebration of Saint John the Baptist but has grown over time to also celebrate the arrival of the monsoon rains, making it a perfect mix of faith and seasonal joy.
History: The festival came to Goa when the Portuguese ruled the region, and they mixed their Catholic religious traditions with the local Goan culture.
The celebration honours Saint John the Baptist, who, according to Bible stories, jumped with joy inside his mother's womb when Mary (Jesus's mother) came to visit his mother Elizabeth - this is why jumping into water became the special tradition of the festival.
What To Expect:
- Jumping into water
- Colourful processions, lively music, and traditional dances
- Participants often wear floral crowns
- Boat parades are also a significant part of the celebration
- Traditional foods like patoleo, a coconut and jaggery pancake
Special Tradition: The Goa Water Festival June, has beautiful family traditions. New sons-in-law are officially introduced to the whole village during the celebration, and then they join in all the fun activities.
Newly married couples and families who have just had babies use this time to give thanks and celebrate their happiness.
The most important tradition is the symbolic jumping into water, which represents the joy that Saint John felt while still in his mother's womb when Mary came to visit - so when people jump into wells, ponds, and streams, they're celebrating that same kind of pure happiness and excitement.
Date: 24 June 2025
