Puerto Rico: Events

What is happening in Puerto Rico:

United States citizens do not require visas or passports. Canadians need only bring a photo ID card. Citizens of many Western European countries, Australia, New Zealand and Japan can take advantage of a US reciprocal visa waiver as long as they are not going to stay longer than 90 days. Every Puerto Rican town celebrates its saint's day, with a mixture of pagan and Catholic iconography and Indian, African and Spanish traditions.

January

• New Year's Day, Jan 1 - National Holiday
• Saint Sebastian Street Festival - at Old San Juan

The Old San Juan festival takes place in Old San Juan on the third week in January, Revelers dress up in horned masks for dancing and parades and is perhaps the best place to celebrate carnival in January.

February

• La Virgen de la Candelaria - February 19 at Mayaguez

Revelers dress up in horned masks for Carnival as they appear on the streets for dancing and parades. The colour of the masks is dictated by that city that the carnival takes place.

June

• Festival of St. John the Baptist - San Juan
• Casals Festival - San Juan

The Festival of St. John the Baptist takes place in late June in San Juan. It has a mixture of religious and secular cultures and one of the most noteworthy things is to see people walking backward into the sea at midnight.

July

• Independence Day - July 4 - Public Holiday
• St. James Festival - at Loiza

The St. James Festival takes place in late July and celebrates the town's multicultural heritage.

December

• Las Navidades - start on December 15
• Christmas Day - 25th December - National Holiday
• Festival of Innocents in Hatillo - December 28

Las Navidades starts on December 15 and runs through January 6. It is a period of socializing and religious observation; through many of the celebrations take place at family homes.