San Juan/Hogueras Celebrations, June 23rd, 24th 2020, Beach Closures
Most municipalities prohibit access to the beach, while others only limit bonfires and celebrations.
The night of San Juan is one of the most special for people from Alicante and every year thousands of people gather on the beaches to celebrate the arrival of summer. The holiday will be very different this year due to the crisis of the coronavirus and many municipalities have banned bonfires and access to the beaches to prevent further contagion.
The celebration of the night of San Juan will not take place next Tuesday since, although we will already be out of the state of alarm, the local, regional and national authorities have advised against the celebration. Below we compile the main municipalities of the province in which it will not be allowed to celebrate the night of San Juan:
Alicante
The city of Alicante has announced a comprehensive safety device for the night of San Juan, of the 23 to June 24, which will participate a hundred local police and volunteers from the Association of Civil Protection in order to shield all the beaches and coves with access controls and fencing, avoiding celebrating traditions bonfires on the sand.
The agents will review and control all accesses to the city's five beaches, Postiguet, Albufereta / Almadraba, Urbanova, San Juan and Tabarca, and the coves of Cabo de la Huerta, and will continue to patrol on foot and with quads throughout the night.
Elche
The Elche City Council was one of the first town halls in the province of Alicante to take the decision to disallow the celebration of the night of San Juan in the early hours of June 23-24. The mayor, Carlos González, has indicated that measures will be adopted to control access and monitor compliance with the ban on making bonfires.
Santa Pola
The coastal town has suspended the celebration "as a preventive and security measure to ensure compliance with social distancing measures and avoid new infections of the covid-19," according to a statement.
Orihuela
The Orihuela City Council has suspended the authorizations to make bonfires on the beaches of the municipality. To do this, the area of Citizen Security will strengthen surveillance for compliance by users of the municipal ordinance.
Torrevieja
Torrevieja is another of the municipalities that has suspended the celebration of the night of San Juan on its beaches.
The Vila Joiosa
From the social networks of the Municipality of La Vila Joiosa it has been reported that the beaches will be closed . Specifically, the consistory prohibits access to the bathing area from 3:00 p.m. on June 23 to 7:00 a.m. on 24.
Benidorm
In Benidorm they have also decided not to allow entry to the beaches on the night of June 23 to 24 out of prudence.
Altea
The town of Marina Baixa will close access to the beaches from 9:00 p.m. as a security measure for the coronavirus. The Local Police will be in charge of the surveillance device that will prevent the alteanos from approaching the coast and making bonfires.
Denia
The mayor of Dénia, Vicent Grimalt , has indicated that they will close the beaches on the night of San Juan to avoid "outbreaks"
Teulada-Moraira
The Teulada- Moraira City Council will also close the municipality's beaches on the night of June 23-24, that of "Nit de Sant Joan" . Access to the beaches will be closed from 9:00 pm on the 23rd to 7:00 am on the 24th.
Xàbia
The "Nit dels Focs de Sant Joan", Xàbia festival of tourist interest that consists of lighting bonfires in the historic center and jumping them, cannot be held this year. However, the town council reports that it will let dinner on the beaches on the night of San Juan , but without fire or fireworks. The penalty for making bonfires or dirtying the beaches with food, containers, butts or other combustion materials can reach 750 euros.
Benissa and Calp
These two towns in the Marina Alta also prohibit beach parties, but do not close them.