A small rock in the Atlantic: Fire fiesta on La Palma

Witches dancing on the beach on St John's feast, at Puerto Naos, Los Llanos, La Palma _Island

Thursday is the feast of St John the Baptist. On La Palma, they have the very sensible custom of holding the party on the night before the public holiday, so that everyone can sleep late the morning after. Since fiestas often go on until the early hours, sleeping in next morning is delicious.

In Catholic countries, people celebrate the feast of St John with bonfires. (Any similarity to pagan midsummer festivals is purely coincidental.) On Wednesday night, there are traditionally lots of small, private bonfires, although many of these are banned this year because the wether's unusually hot and so there's a risk of starting a major forest fire. However, the bigger fires will go ahead. Traditionally these are at: San Andrés y Sauces, San Juan Belmaco (Malpaíses in Mazo)and El Remo (in Fuencaliente), and in Puerta Naos (Los Llanos), the witches will dance round a bonfire on the beach.

On Thursday, there will be special church services in Puntallana (main village), and Belmaco in Malpais, Mazo. And Astrotour will be holding a free star party at San Antonio volcano visitors' centre from 7 pm until midnight, where you'll be able to see the surface of the sun (safely!) find out how to make a sundial, how to find your way using shadows, myths and legends, observation with telescopes and more.

Labels: fuencaliente, Los Llanos, Mazo, Puerta Naos, San Andres y Sauces, San Juan.