A festival that was originally intended to honor St. Sebastián a Christian saint and martyr who died defending the beliefs of Christianity, has become one of the largest celebrations in Puerto Rico. The Sebastián Street Festival (Festival de la Calle Sebastián) is a way that the residents of San Juan honor the history, culture, music, food, and art of this beautiful island.
The event spans the course of four days every year starting on January 19th until January 22nd. Each day, the festivities begin at noon during the duration of the days and continue well into the late hours of the night. Wanna know the best part? Everything is free!
These festivities include live performances from local musicians playing pleneros, and dancers filling the streets of the Plaza de Armas, Plaza Del Quinto Centenario, Plaza Colon, and Plaza De La Barandilla).
If you would like to view the itinerary for the festival click here.
Due to the COVID pandemic, the festival had to be canceled for the last two years. 2023 is the first time since the pandemic that residents of San Juan can enjoy this festival once again. The estimated attendance is close to 200,000 people. I am very envious of anyone who is attending this festival. It looks like a non-stop party from beginning to end.
