Top Annual Festivals in Puerto Rico

Fiesta de los Reyes Magos

Date: January 6

Celebrated in: Juana Díaz, Isabela, and other municipalities

The Fiesta de los Reyes Magos celebrates Epiphany and honors the Three Wise Men who, according to Christian tradition, brought gifts to baby Jesus. In Puerto Rico, this holiday is one of the most cherished parts of the holiday season.

Fun things to do: 

• Watch a reenactment of the Nativity at a local church
• See the Three Wise Men during the Reyes Magos parade
• Open presents on the morning of January 6
• Visit the Home of the Three Kings in the town of Juana Díaz

Along with Christmas and New Year's, the Epiphany on January 6 is also celebrated as part of the holiday season in Puerto Rico. According to Catholic tradition, the Three Wise Men (in Spanish, los Tres Reyes Magos) visited baby Jesus in the manger to deliver gifts. In Puerto Rico, town festivals throw parades featuring locals and actors dressed as the Three Wise Men as they pass out presents to children. The two most famous festivals are Fiesta de Reyes Juanadina, in the town of Juana Díaz, and Fiesta de Reyes Isabelinos, in Isabela.

Tip: Arrive early to secure a good viewing spot along the Three Kings parade route.

Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián

Date: Third weekend of January

Celebrated in: Old San Juan

The Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián is Puerto Rico’s largest and most iconic street festival, officially closing out the Island’s holiday season with days of nonstop music, dancing, and celebration.

Known locally as "Las SanSe", this highly anticipated Puerto Rican festival takes over Old San Juan from Wednesday evening through Sunday afternoon. During the day, plazas are filled to the brim with artists and artisans; some have stages for live music, dance, and circus performances. In the evening, the party ignites, and the street fills with people and music.

Fun things to do:

• See the Comparsa de los Cabezudos, where giant puppet heads parade through the streets
• Buy souvenirs at local arts and handicraft stalls on the streets of the Old Town
• Dance the night away to the rhythm of local bands playing on the streets
• Explore the city's historic plazas filled with live entertainment

Tip: Wear comfortable shoes and stay hydrated.

Festival de la Novilla

Date: Third weekend of January

Celebrated in: San Sebastián

Fun things to do:

• See the flower-crowned cow leading the procession through town
• Enjoy the amusement park rides
• Learn about Puerto Rico’s agricultural roots

A novilla is a heifer, and it is the focus of a popular celebration in San Sebastián, a rural town on the west side of the Island. Celebrated on Sunday, live bands perform everything from folk music to salsa, artisans, and fried food vendors occupy the town square, and amusement park rides are set up. A cow is decked out in a crown of flowers and leads a parade through the town where scenes of country life are depicted on elaborate floats. The Festival de la Novilla closes with a concert of traditional music.

Tip: Explore the food stalls for a taste of traditional Puerto Rican cuisine

Festival del Frío

Date: Late February 

Celebrated in: Adjuntas

Fun things to do:

• Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the area
• Don’t miss the  Trovadores Competition, a type of traditional Puerto Rican music
• See the local houses all decorated with vibrant, colorful flowers

On an Island known for its warm weather year-round, the Festival del Frío, or the “Festival of the Cold” in English, celebrates the coldest peak in Puerto Rico: the mountainous municipality of Adjuntas. Visitors can enjoy carnival rides, local artisans, games, food, live music, and more in a family-friendly environment.

Tip: Bring a light jacket or sweater for the full “frío” experience

La Campechada

Date: May or November

Celebrated in: Rotates across cities every year

Fun things to do:

• Experience firsthand rich Puerto Rican culture
• Attend a workshop on local art
• Listen to local musicians and theater artists perform

La Campechada is a Puerto Rican festival that brings together artists, performers, musicians, actors, puppeteers, and others with the aim of educating the public about Puerto Rican art and culture. Every year, the festival is dedicated to a prominent Puerto Rican artist and that becomes the inspiration for many of the new works presented during the festivities. There is an Artisan Fair, a Book Fair, an Art Fair, guided walks, conferences, workshops, live drawing, theatrical performances, and more. The city hosting the event changes each year.

Tip: Check the schedule in advance to catch specific music or dance performances you’re interested in

Carnaval Ponceño

Date: February or March

Celebrated in: Ponce

Fun things to do:

• Enjoy the colorful parades featuring the long-snouted vejigantes
• Wear a mask and mingle with the locals
• Enjoy the lively atmosphere of La Guancha, a boardwalk area with restaurants, bars, and shops

This annual Puerto Rico celebration  in the town of Ponce lasts a full week and ends the day before Ash Wednesday. Every day of the Carnaval features colorful parades and activities, with long-snouted vejigantes (a local folk character that wears a colorful papier-mâché mask and multicolor jumpsuit) taunting the crowd, the appearance of King Momo and the coronation of the Carnival Queen, a masquerade ball, and finally the Burial of the Sardine, a simulated funeral marking the beginning of Lent.

Tip: Bring a camera to capture the elaborate costumes

Festival de Teatro Puertorriqueño e Internacional

Date: May to June

Celebrated in: Santurce, San Juan

Fun things to do:

• Immerse yourself in the variety of plays, musicals, and other theatrical productions available
• Expand your knowledge of Puerto Rican arts through educational activities, such as workshops, conferences, and talks
• Enjoy traditional Puerto Rican cuisine at the festival’s food stalls

The Francisco Arriví and Victoria Espinosa theaters come to life during this theater festival, which features performances of both local and international plays. Every year, the festival is dedicated to a prominent member of the theater community and features all types of theatrical works—from classic dramas to experimental performances. The theaters are located in the heart of Santurce, otherwise known as the art district of San Juan, and are surrounded by hip restaurants, coffee shops, and remarkable street art.

Tip: Buy your tickets in advance as they sell out quickly, especially for the most popular shows

Plan a street art tour around Santurce

Festival de la Piña Paradisíaca

Date: May or June

Celebrated at: La Parguera, Lajas

Fun things to do:

• Buy local pineapples and other agricultural products
• Enjoy typical fried foods like empanadillas and alcapurrias
• Dance all evening to local bands

The "Pineapple Festival" is a Puerto Rican festival celebrated every year in La Parguera, an oceanfront community in the southern town of Lajas. The festival features vendors selling locally grown pineapples and dozens of local agricultural products and fried foods while local bands liven up the evening. La Parguera is packed with restaurants and bars as well as small hotels, charter boat rentals, and even a bioluminescent bay. During the celebration, there is a 5K race with an impressive view of the marina and mangrove coves that make La Parguera a favorite getaway for both locals and tourists.

Tip: Do not miss the amazing bioluminescent bay

Noche de San Juan 

Date: June 23

Celebrated in: San Juan

Fun things to do:

• Complete the midnight ritual at the beach to guarantee a prosperous rest of the year
• Celebrate like a local by heading to your preferred beach early to get a great spot near the shore
• Eat local food at any of the barbecues set up on the beach

Saint John's Eve, locally known as Noche de San Juan, is an unofficial celebration in the capital of Puerto Rico that celebrates the nativity of Saint John the Baptist. Hundreds of people crowd the beaches so that at midnight they can jump backwards into the ocean seven times for good luck. Some hotels and bars also throw parties in honor of Noche de San Juan.

Tip: Avoid the busy beaches by joining the festivities at any of the hotels throughout the island that hold big parties to celebrate the occasion

Festival de Santiago Apóstol

Date: Last weekend of July

Celebrated in: Loíza

Fun things to do:

• Experience the unique vejigantes featured in this Puerto Rican celebration
• Try local delicacies such as alcapurrias, piononos, and bacalaítos
• Have fun on the amusement rides

In Loíza, there is another style of vejigante, the ones whose masks are made from coconut and driftwood. During the Festival of Saint James, the Apostle, in Spanish Santiago Apóstol, there is a lively parade through the town where the vejigantes and the Spanish knights do battle, representing the struggle between the forces of good and evil. Bomba music, a traditional folk music with a distinctive African influence, thumps out while dancers use their colorful skirts to create a dialogue with the drummers, and the musicians respond to the dancers rather than the other way around.

Tip: Learn beforehand about the different types of vejigantes and other traditions to better understand and enjoy this colorful festival

Festival Nacional Indígena

Date: End of November

Celebrated in: Jayuya

Fun things to do:

• Watch Indigenous Taino ceremonies and costume pageants
• Visit nearby coffee plantations
• Take a hot air balloon ride for a panoramic view of the town and the scenic mountain landscapes

This festival in Puerto Rico celebrates the Island’s Indigenous roots and the influence of Taíno culture and traditions. The town of Jayuya was named after one of the big caciques, or chiefs, that lived on the Island when the Spanish arrived in the 1500s and where Taíno hieroglyphs were found carved into a giant boulder. The Taínos were almost eradicated by the Spanish but their influence is still present in Puerto Rican culture. Jayuya also contains the highest peak in Puerto Rico, some of the best coffee plantations on the Island, a moonshine distillery, and a hot air balloon. This balloon is tethered to the ground and ascends up to 500 feet, offering a 360-degree panoramic view of Jayuya and its surrounding areas. Passengers can enjoy views of the nearby mountains, and on clear days, even catch a glimpse of the Caribbean Sea in the distance.

Tip: Do not miss the Piedra Escrita (‘written stone’ in Spanish), a rock art site containing pictographs associated with the Taino culture

Festival de las Máscaras de Hatillo

Date: December 28

Celebrated in: Hatillo

Fun things to do:

• Indulge in local delicacies served by street vendors
• Enjoy local parades showcasing colorful costumes and masks
• Learn about the Canary Islands’ town heritage

This particular Puerto Rican celebration commemorates the Día de los Santos Inocentes when, according to the Bible, day infant boys under the age of three were ordered to be killed by King Herod, who was looking for Baby Jesus. In the town of Hatillo, this is called the Festival of Masks and features people dressing up in colorful and elaborate costumes for a parade with equally outlandish floats crossing through the town.

Tip: Arrive early to get a good spot along the parade route

Nochebuena

Date: December 24

Celebrated in: All over the Island

Fun things to do:

• Drink coquito, a traditional Puerto Rican Christmas drink
• See the parrandas, the Puerto Rican version of a Christmas carol
• Enjoy a traditional Puerto Rican holiday feast

During Christmas Eve, known as Nochebuena, people gather with their families and friends to eat lechón and arroz con gandules (roast pork and rice with pigeon peas), drink coquito (like eggnog but coconut-based), and sing trullas (Christmas songs usually accompanied by drums, maracas, and güiros). If you're a visitor to the Island, most tourism services will be operating on the 24th, and in the evening many hotels and restaurants offer special Christmas dinners.

Tip: Most restaurants will close early so employees can gather with their families for dinner. Hotel restaurants usually offer a Christmas Eve holiday feast for visitors

Read more about Holiday traditions in Puerto Rico

New Year's Eve

Date: December 31

Celebrated in: All over the Island

Fun things to do:

• Attend one of the New Year’s Eve parties held in hotels or discos on the Island’s main cities
• Do not miss the fireworks announcing the arrival of the new year
• Escape the parties and retreat to the countryside or welcome the new year by the beach

Enjoy the end of the year celebration at one of San Juan's gorgeous hotels, dinner overlooking the ocean followed by an open bar, and fireworks at midnight. Many restaurants also offer special menus for that night and drink specials.

Tip: Book your hotel room in advance as Christmas is a very busy season in Puerto Rico

How to celebrate New Year's Eve in Puerto Rico