VEGLIA DI SAN GIOVANNI
June 27th 2026
Circolo Culturale Contadino di Colognole
Pontassieve, Italy
An event organized by La Leggera and part of the Tramontana Network project, co-funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe program
A celebration of the Feast of St. John the Baptist in Tuscany. According to local tradition, legends and rituals that remain alive in the memories and customs of the locals mark the eve of June 24th and the overnight hours from June 24th to 25th.
On the night before the feast, it is traditional to pick flowers and petals (mainly roses), let them soak in a container of water all night from June 23rd to 24th, and then use this scented water on the morning of the 24th to wash your face.
June 24th is still linked to another practice: harvesting St. John’s wort to make an ointment for sunburn and using pitted walnuts for a liqueur.
The St. John’s Fires, once lit at various farms and meant to bring good luck, are now fireworks in town.
To honor the traditions and legends around St. John’s night, La Leggera hosted open ecoprint workshops using local plant species. These workshops provided an opportunity to share and discuss the history and folklore associated with this magical night.
