Sao Joao da Vila '97

Sao Joao has been held in Vila Franca Do Campo for as long as everyone can remember. Over the years there have been changes, but the festivities are the same. It starts on June 23 to June 24 at night, and lasts almost a week. It starts in the different villages on the evening of June 23. People build bon fire's and jump over it. Although it is dangerous, it is tradition. That night the "marchas" (parading) around the Vila start. Everyone involved practice months in advance to ensure everything goes well. After the parading around the Vila , people go to the soccer field to wait for the different groups from all over the island to perform their "marcha" on stage. There is also some groups that come from other islands in the Azores to do their "marcha" in Vila Franca do Campo.  At the end when everyone has presented their "marcha" the group that danced the best, is declaired the winner.

This is a picture of someone jumping the bonfire

This is the "marchas" of the children of Agua d'Alto