The Festival of San Juan on June 24th is a major event in the Spanish calendar as it is associated with the coming of summer. The Spanish never need an excuse for a party and the day is celebrated in both urban and rural areas with bonfires and festivities. These fires are particularly popular in the Catalonian and Valencian communities, and in some areas the date is also celebrated as Catalan nation day.

Nowhere are the celebrations more alluring than in the city of La Coruna in the province of Galicia. During the day, there are a number of colourful parades and street performances led by men dressed in giant costumes. If that wasn't surreal enough, don't be surprised if you see a local Spanish version of the bagpipes joining in alongside the larger musical groups.

As darkness falls, the festival truly comes into its own, as a succession of bonfires are lit throughout the area. For the most spectacular sights, try and make it down to either the Riazor or Orzan beaches, where the reflection of the flames on the Atlantic Ocean has earned the event the nickname noite da quemia(night of flames). Fire-jumping is a traditional aspect of the celebrations across Spain, and you can expect to see young men show off their daring and testosterone by jumping through the flames.

In the city of Alicante, the feast day is considered the most important event of the year. Although originally a one day affair, it now encompasses five days of fireworks, bullfighting and street parties. Among the more exotic events are a paella contest, a procession of wooden figures called 'ninot' and a medieval street market.

These feast days are very much a community event. Bonfires are organised by local delegates called foguerers, who represent a defined area or neighbourhood. There are also groups of friends called barracas, who raise the money for the community to eat, drink and make merry. Each neighbourhood will pick a young girl to be crowned as Beauty of the Fire, and she will then be dressed in traditional clothes and paraded through the streets.

The festival of San Juan is a perfect chance to get a glimpse of the warm, generous and fun loving communities that are at the centre of Spanish culture, and it also provides a perfect way to kick start your summer. So if you haven't booked your flights to Spain yet, now you know where to start.