June 23rd, Sant Joan’s eve
After the Day of the Lamb, the festivities continue on the Sant Joan’s eve, June 23rd, at 2 p.m.
One of the most popular events, the “fabioler” (herald) comes on a donkey to the palace of the “caixer senyor” to ask for permission to start the festivities. The consent is given and the flute and drum is heard again for the first time. The people are super excited and full of joy because of the new Sant Joan festival has begun.
Then the “fabioler” begins to gather all riders in the streets of the old part of Ciutadella, following the customary rituals. This takes hours, as soon as everyone has joined tha cavalcade, before they collect the ” caixer senyor ” and the caixer capella”, the flag of Sant Joan will be picked up. The wife of the “caixer casat” will hand over the flag to the “caixer fadrí”. He will be carrying the flad during the rest of the festivities. Once the flag is added, the caixer senyor” and the “caixer capella” will join the parade and then all the important events will take place.
The cavalcade of horses will go through the streets, alleys and squares of the old city , sometimes to the rhythm of the music of the local music band. The riders make their horses rear on their hind legs prance and dance. The crowd, mostly young people storms to the horses to make them rear and show their bravura to the girls
Of the events for the Sant Joan’s eve, the most spectacular and colourful are the Caragol des Born accompanied by the Music Band and the emotional Vespres in the chapel of Sant Joan de Missa. The programme for this day is completed by the Hazelnut party, the Corregudes a sa Plaça, the Caragol de Santa Clara.
When all events are completed they farewell the “caixer capellà” and the “caixer senyor”. All the riders are invited at the palace of the caixer senyor ” for a drink and a snack after having stabled their horses. They will then walk to the house of the caixer senyor “. Here is a protocol, the riders keep their hat between the legs, so they can put the snacks in a napkin, using a hand to hold their glass with the other hand eat them. The festival ends deep in the night.
