23rd June is the longest day of the year, as well as the shortest night. The Saint John's Eve in Catalonia matches with and celebrates the Summer Solstice, which is one of the twice a year event, when the sun's apparent position in the sky reaches the maximum declination over the Equator line and is at its highest position, the zenith.
If on June 23rd the sun has shone, at night the Earth shows off its most splendorous peak. The custom of the ancient Romans was to pick up the herb called Verbena, in spanish, the one in the picture, from where Saint John's Eve takes its name.
This herb brings good luck to anyone who picks it up. During this night all herbs get healing properties if we rub the wound at 0h.
Another healing power which gives us the Earth is water: tonight we beautify the body if we swam in the sea, in the river or we lie naked in the dew. Tonight the stones dance. In Catalonia the stones par excellence, the mountain of Montserrat, dance all night.
We can sight more fantastic creatures:
the phoenix, the basilisk, the griffin, hydra ...
They do all think of some mischief to get into our brains and stealing memory or partying with the devil or witches. Because this is the night that they have more power. They gather and dance naked atop a stone. And if we drink milk or eat seven eggs, we understand the language of feather or hair animals.
We Humans celebrate the party with bonfires and fireworks. The fire tonight doesn't hurt us. We put children to walk by the embers of the fire to make them stronger, and the lovers jump seven times over or round seven times the fire to match their love.
Formerly bonfires were lit from the Flame of Canigó, symbol of this catalan mountain, and start to turn the other fires on in Catalonia.
The origin of the fires is in the desire to regenerate the heat of the sun to ensure a combination of the virtues of the earth: water, earth, wind and fire. They dance around the bonfire to attract good spirits and scare the bad ones. One of them was the Baton Dance, to stimulate plants and expel evil spirits. 
In villages it is common marquees with orchestras with live music for young and old. The traditional dessert is coca, especially that llardons one (greaves), accompanied by cava, a sweet bubbled catalan wine.
Saint John's Eve is the welcome to summer festival, sun-worship, celebration of the force transmitted to us for life. Celebrate!!
