San Juan

In Quebec, June 24, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, is a party. Parades, big budget concerts, block parties awash in the blue and white of the fleur-de-lys. Canada Day celebrations pale in comparison.

Here, San Juan has no nationalist associations--it's a celebration of the longest night of the year. The traditional way to celebrate it, like so many traditions passed down over generations, is really fun, but really dangerous. Every neighbourhood sets up a huge bonfire, which is the centrepiece of the evening's celebrations; beer stands and music are secondary, though necessary. You write your regrets for the past year and wishes for the year to come on a piece of paper, and toss it into the fire. Burning of school books and notes is optional. Then comes the dangerous part: jumping over the fire. You have to do it in order for your wishes to come true.

but as one of my students put it, you start out the evening preparing the fire and drinking beer. Then, the height of the flames is inversley proportionate to your level of drunkness. By the time you feel courageous enough to jump over the bonfire, the flames have burnt down into coals. some municipalities have banned the bonfires, but some still have officially sanctioned events, and others still just continue the tradition anyway.