#SummerSolstice #SanJuan #SantJoan #bonfire #Iowa #midsummer
Saturday marked our 31st Summer Solstice celebration. The bonfire tradition goes back to pre-christian times in Europe. The Catholic Church tried to baptize the pagan tradition, putting the feast day of a major Saint (John the Baptist) as close as possible to the Solstice. In Spain bonfires are a part of the San Juan celebrations (In Catalan-speaking areas, Sant Joan). Other countries celebrate the day under different names.
