St John's Eve and the burning of the Juanillos

On St John's Eve, which by the traditional calendar marks the arrival of summer, Cádiz has a custom of its own: burning the Juanillos. These are figures made by residents and local associations in the neighbourhoods, both in the historic centre and outside the old walls, which poke fun at people or issues in the life of the city and the country.

The City Council's Festivals Department coordinates the night: it runs a competition, sets the order of the burnings so the bonfires are staggered, and agrees safety measures with the fire service, Civil Protection and other council departments. In recent years the City Council has also burned a large figure of its own in plaza de San Antonio.

The burnings are spread across the neighbourhoods. In 2025 they began outside the old walls, by the Campo de la Aviación residents' association in Loreto and in the courtyard on calle Bulería (Tacita de Plata), continued in the historic centre, in plaza Manolo Santander in La Viña and in plaza de España, and ended with the municipal figure in plaza de San Antonio.

Each Juanillo has its own motto and usually mocks current events. The municipal rules allow any theme but require recycled, non-polluting materials and no metal frames, with a maximum of nine square metres and three and a half metres in height; the jury judges artistic quality, humour, wit, topicality and Cádiz tradition, and awards three prizes.

The jury visits every registered burning through the evening and night, and the busy route is accompanied by a band.