From today, Menorca is immersed in one of the most popular festivities on the island, as well as on the whole of the Balearic Islands: the Fiestas de Sant Joan.

On the 23rd and 24th of June, the famous Fiestas de Sant Joan are held in Ciutadella, Menorca, although preparations begin much earlier and practically extend throughout the year.

Sant Joan 2023 Programme

  • Sunday before 23rd June: “Dia des Be”. At 9 am, the ‘fabioler’ will play the first ‘toc de fabiol’ at the house of the ‘Caixer Senyor’. It will start the ‘Comitiva des Be’, led by ‘s’Home des Be’. Accompanied by the ‘caixers’, covered in lamb skins, he is in charge of going through the streets of Ciutadella with the animal on his shoulders to announce the arrival of the Sant Joan festivities. There is a whole tradition and cult about the care of the ‘Be’.
  • 22nd June. ‘Es Festers’. Ciutadella fills up with bonfires, parties and dancing.
  • 23rd of June. Vigil of Sant Joan. 09:00h: ‘Primer Toc de Fabiol’. 14:00h: Start of the ‘Replec de Caixers i Cavallers’ (Carrer de Santa Clara – Casa Simó) 18:00h: ‘Caragol des Born’ (Plaça des Born). 19:00h: Hazelnut throwing in Avenida Constitució (Plaça de ses Palmeres and Avinguda Jaume I el Conqueridor). 19:30h: Singing of Vespres (Sant Joan de Missa Chapel). 20:00h: Hazelnut throwing in Constitució Avenue (between Bar de Calós and Plaça de ses Palmeres). 20:00h: Musical performance (in front of Bar Calós). 22:00h: Corregudes a la Plaça (Ses Voltes Cathedral Square). 23:00h: Caragol de Santa Clara (Streets near the Convent de Santa Clara).

    festes de sant joan de ciutadella. Foto Facebook Sant Joan més a prop

    Ciutadella’s Sant Joan festivities attract hundreds of people to Menorca. Photos: Facebook of ‘Sant Joan més a prop’.

Sant Joan and Sant Joanet

  • 24th June, Sant Joan. 08:00h: ‘Replec de Caixers’. 10.00h: ‘Jocs des Pla’, consisting of a series of trials that have their origins in medieval jousting and tournaments, and are held in the port of Ciutadella. 13.30h: ‘Caragol de Santa Clara’ (Streets near the Convent of Santa Clara). 14.30h: ‘Missa de Caixers’ (Menorca Cathedral). 17.00h: Start of the ‘Replec’. 20:00h: ‘Jocs des Pla’, Port of Ciutadella. Es Pla’. 23.00h: ‘Corregudes a la Plaça’. 00.30h: ‘Caragol de Santa Clara’.
  • 25th June, Sant Joanet. 05.00h: Last ‘Toc de Fabiol’. 23:00h: Fireworks over the sea.

 

Origin of the festivities

This festival dates back to the 14th century. In its beginnings, a fact that still remains today, the saint’s workers used to go on horseback to a small rural hermitage (now Sant Joan de Missa) to honour their patron saint. The main part of the procession is made up of the ‘cavallers’, who are peasants of all ages, while the ‘caixers’ represent four social strata: Church (‘Caixer Capellà’ or ‘Capellana’), nobility (‘Caixer Senyor’), artisans (‘Caixer Casat’ – married and master of a manual trade – and ‘Caixer Fadrí’ – apprentice, single, who can come from the countryside or the city -), and peasants (‘Caixers Pagesos’). The ‘fabioler’ (municipal bailiff), mounted on the ‘somereta’ (donkey), leads the ‘qualcada’ (cavalcade) to the sound of the drum and the ‘fabiol’ (jaramillo), with simple, unmistakable notes.

Recommendations for celebrating Sant Joan

The typical drink in Ciutadella that accompanies these festivities is the ‘gin amb llimonada’, a combination of gin and lemonade. In other towns, it is also known as ‘pomada’.

Due to the large concentration of people who attend these festivities and the type of celebration in the street, it is advisable to wear comfortable, closed shoes.

To get to Ciutadella, during Sant Joan there are public buses from all the towns in Menorca and also from the airport or Maó.