St. John's Fire 2025: Focus on tradition and fire danger in Bayreuth!

St. John's Fire 2025: Focus on tradition and fire danger in Bayreuth!

In the city and district of Bayreuth, people look forward to a very special tradition: the St. John's bonfire. On June 18, 2025, preparations will begin for the celebrations, which will culminate on St. John's Day, June 24th. These events are not only a tradition, they also reflect community coming together and gratitude for the forces of nature. Again courier According to reports, St. John's fires are also known as cannon fires and are very popular.

The celebrations are deeply intertwined with myths and rites that point to the summer solstice on June 21, which marks the beginning of calendar summer. In 2022, many fires had to be canceled due to the severe drought, and it looks like there will be particular attention to the fire risk this year. This is an important aspect that the local fire department is keeping a close eye on.

Tradition and meaning

The St. John's bonfires traditionally take place on St. John's Day and are directly related to the birth of John the Baptist. This is also seen as a forerunner of Jesus and has significance both in Christianity and in regional customs. Adrian Roßner, a local historian, explained to the Bayreuther Tagblatt that the fires celebrate the longest day of the year and symbolically represent the power of nature. Young people often jump over fire to connect with this power.

The celebratory customs surrounding John the Baptist are diverse. So the St. John's fires have taken on a Christianized form of solstice fires, which symbolize the victory of light over darkness. The gap of six months between the birthdays of John and Jesus is considered biblically proven and shows the close connection between the holidays.

Rituals and superstitions

In recent years, more controls have been carried out regarding the use of fuel in order to counteract illegal waste incineration. The Hasslacher Berg informed that unauthorized materials were discovered during spot checks. The district office plans to take action against such offenses and calls on organizers to provide fuel responsibly.

Another interesting custom is the belief in “Kanneskraut”, which is not associated with St. John's wort, but rather with arnica. In earlier times, this “magic plant” was considered protection for the harvest and was planted around the fields in the Fichtelberge. The legend of the dreaded Bilmesschneider, a hare with sickles on its legs, was also widespread until the 1920s. Such stories underline the deep-rooted traditions surrounding St. John's fire and the associated celebrations.

With the upcoming festivities, many are looking forward to a big get-together that celebrates not only the light and warmth, but also togetherness. In this sense, St. John's Fire 2025 could be a very special community celebration.