Get your bikinis ready because Noche de San Juan (Night of Saint John) is tonight! June 23 the summer’s biggest beach bash featuring food, drinks, live music, and that’s right, plenty of bikinis! This no-holds-barred festivity actually harkens back to time-honored traditions celebrating the capital city’s namesake and patron saint, St. John the Baptist.
Although Noche de San Juan is celebrated in Catholic countries across the world, Puerto Rico’s way to celebrate the evening is unique. At the stroke of midnight, thousands of festivalgoers descend on shorelines all across the island to jump backwards into the ocean and ward off the mal de ojo (evil eye). The water is said to be blessed that evening, and anyone who jumps in backwards (either 3, 7, or 12 times) will bring in good luck for the rest of the year. Don’t have a beach close by? Any body of water works: pool, lake, river, even your own bathtub!
As locals and tourists flood the Puerto Rican coastline, here’s a quick Noche de San Juan survival guide:
- Arrive early to find parking
- Bring a towel and bathing suit
- Bring a plastic bag for all your trash
- Make sure to pack a cooler full of food, ice, and drinks that will keep you going late. Remember the real fun happens at midnight!
- Have fun!
