206 CultureShock! Austria
abound in all the major cities, so park your car and walk
around to enjoy the festivities.Summer Festivals
Bonfires all over Austria mark the Summer Solstice. Fire, as
tradition has it, symbolised great power, warding off peril
and pestilence in midsummer. Today, bonfires mark the sun’s
reaching its zenith, on the first Saturday or Sunday after 21
June. There are also bonfires marking saints’ days: Saint Vitus
fires on 15 June, John the Baptist fires on 24 June, and fires
for Saint Peter and Saint Paul on 29 June.Maypoles, which symbolise fertility, are centres of festivals in small villages.