Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

 celebrates all the official holidays of the United States, and a large number of other which are official holidays established by the Commonwealth government.
Additionally, many municipalities bubbles celebrate their own Patron Saint Festivals (fiestas patronales in Spanish), as well as festivals honoring cultural icons like Bomba y plena, danza, salsa, hamacas (hammocks), and popular crops such as plantain

Plantain

Plantain is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa. The fruit they produce is generally used for cooking, in contrast to the soft, sweet banana...

s and coffee

Coffee

Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...

.

Official public holidays

Official public holidays are those which are recognized by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico government. All public offices are required to close. Many businesses also elect to close. These public holidays include both federal and commonwealth-established holidays, since Puerto Rico recognizes all U.S.federal holidays.

Date	English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...  name	Local name (in Spanish Spanish language Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the... )	Remarks
January 1	New Year's Day New Year's Day New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...	Día de Año Nuevo	As in most countries, this holiday is celebrated with gatherings and fireworks. Although illegal, celebratory gunfire has sometimes led to injuries and even deaths on certain occasions.
January 6	Three Kings Day/ Epiphany Epiphany (Christian) Epiphany, or Theophany, meaning "vision of God",...	Día de Reyes	This is a Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official holiday, as well as a religious holiday. It celebrates the Three Wise Men's visit to see the newborn Christ by exchanging gifts. Traditionally, children stack bundles of hay in boxes under their beds for each Wisemen's camel, to then find their boxes exchanged for gifts.
January 11	Birthday of Eugenio María de Hostos Eugenio María de Hostos Eugenio María de Hostos known as "El Ciudadano de América" , was a Puerto Rican educator, philosopher, intellectual, lawyer, sociologist and independence advocate....	Natalicio de Eugenio María de Hostos	This is a Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official holiday. In recent years it has been celebrated on the 2nd Monday of January. Eugenio María de Hostos (1839–1903) was a writer and statesman who struggled for Puerto Rican independence and the end to slavery in the late 19th century.
Third Monday in January	Martin Luther King, Jr. Day	Natalicio de Martin Luther King, Jr.	A federal and commonwealth official holiday.
Third Monday in February	Presidents' Day Presidents' Day Presidents Day may refer to:* Presidents' Day , a holiday in Botswana on July 19* Presidents Day , a federal holiday in the United States on the third Monday of February... , Washington's Birthday Washington's Birthday Washington's Birthday is a United States federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States. It is also commonly known as Presidents Day...	Día de los Presidentes Natalicio de Washington	A federal and commonwealth official holiday.
February 18	Birthday of Luis Muñoz Marín Luis Muñoz Marín Don José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist, and politician. Regarded as the "father of modern Puerto Rico," he was the first democratically elected Governor of Puerto Rico. Muñoz Marín was the son of Luis Muñoz Rivera, a renowned autonomist leader...	Natalicio de Luis Muñoz Marín	Luis Muñoz Marín (1898–1980), was the first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico. He founded the Partido Popular Democrático, and was instrumental in established the Commonwealth status in 1952. He was a noted journalist and poet, and served four terms as governor. His birthday is now celebrated concurrently with Washington and Lincoln.
March 22	Emancipation Day Emancipation Day Emancipation Day is celebrated in many former British colonies in the Caribbean and areas of the United States on various dates in observance of the emancipation of slaves of African origin. It is also observed in other areas in regard to the abolition of serfdom or other forms of...	Día de la Abolición de Esclavitud	A Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official holiday. Slavery was abolished in Puerto Rico in 1873 while the Island was still a colony of Spain.
Friday in late March or early April	Good Friday Good Friday Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...	Viernes Santo	An official public holiday and a religious holiday; see notes below in the religious holidays section.
April 16	Birthday of José de Diego José de Diego José de Diego y Martínez , known as "The Father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement", was a statesman, journalist, poet, lawyer, and advocate for Puerto Rico's independence from Spain and from the United States....	Natalicio de José de Diego	A Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (ELA) official holiday. José de Diego (1867–1918) was a much-loved poet and politician leader. In recent years the holiday has been celebrated on the third Monday of April.
Last Monday of May	Memorial Day Memorial Day Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...	Recordación de los Muertos de la Guerra	A federal and commonwealth official holiday.
July 4	Independence Day Independence Day (United States) Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...	Día de la Independencia de los Estados Unidos Día de la Independencia	A federal and commonwealth official holiday.
Third Monday of July	Birthday of Don Luis Muñoz Rivera Luis Muñoz Rivera Luis Muñoz Rivera was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist and politician. He was a major figure in the struggle for political autonomy of Puerto Rico....	Natalicio de Don Luis Muñoz Rivera	A Commonwealth of Puerto Rico holiday, celebrated in recent years on the 4th of July. Don Luis Muñoz Rivera (1859–1916) was a prominent journalist, poet, and politician who advocated independence from Spain and later, the United States. His son Luis Muñoz Marín was the first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico.
July 25	Commonwealth Constitution Day Constitution Day Constitution Day is a holiday to honor the constitution of a country. Constitution Day is often celebrated on the anniversary of the signing, promulgation or adoption of the constitution, or in some cases, to commemorate the change to constitutional monarchy:...	Constitución del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico	An official Commonwealth of Puerto Rico holiday. See also Constitution of Puerto Rico Constitution of Puerto Rico The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is the controlling government document of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is composed of nine articles detailing the structure of the government as well as the function of several of its institutions. The document also contains an extensive... . Formerly called Occupation Day, commemorating the anniversary of the landing of American troops at Guánica in 1898.
July 27	Birthday of Dr. José Celso Barbosa José Celso Barbosa Dr. José Celso Barbosa was a medical Physician, sociologist, and political leader of Puerto Rico.Known within Puerto Rico's New Progressive Party as "The father of the Statehood for Puerto Rico movement", Barbosa was also the first Puerto Rican to be awarded an American medical degree.-Early...	Natalicio de Dr. José Celso Barbosa	Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (ELA) holiday. Dr. José Celso Barbosa (1857–1921) was a medical doctor and an early advocate of statehood, founder of the Republican Party on the Island.
First Monday in September	Labor Day Labor Day Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...	Día del Trabajo	A federal and commonwealth official holiday.
Second Monday in October	Columbus Day Columbus Day Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas, which occurred on October 12, 1492, as an official holiday...	Día de la Raza Descubrimiento de América	A federal and commonwealth official holiday.
November 11	Veterans Day Veterans Day Veterans Day, formerly Armistice Day, is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. It is a federal holiday that is observed on November 11. It coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark...	Día del Veterano Día del Armisticio	A federal and commonwealth official holiday, usually observed at the Puerto Rico National Cemetery Puerto Rico National Cemetery Puerto Rico National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of Bayamón, in the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It encompasses of land, and as of the end of 2005, had 44,722 interments. It is the only National Cemetery in Puerto Rico, and the only one outside of the mainland... .
November 19	Discovery of Puerto Rico	Día del Descubrimiento de Puerto Rico	A Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official holiday. Christopher Columbus (Don Cristóbal Colón) landed on the northwest coast of Puerto Rico near Aguada on his second voyage to the New World in 1493.
Fourth Thursday in November	Thanksgiving Day Thanksgiving (United States) Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday,...	Acción de Gracias Día de Acción de Gracias	A federal and commonwealth official holiday. It marks the beginning of the Holiday(Christmas Christmas Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days... ) season.
December 24	Christmas Eve Christmas Eve Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...	Día de Noche Buena	A Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official holiday, sometimes only a half-day of work
December 25	Christmas Christmas Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...	Día de Navidad Navidad Nacimiento del niñito Jesús Día del niño Jesús	During Spanish colonial rule (1492 to 1898),"Navidad" (Christmas Christmas Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...  in English English language English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria... ), marked the Christian ecumenical celebration date of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Is not until the development of the commercialization of Christmas, product of the subsequent American colonial rule , that "Navidad" becomes the delivery day for Santa Claus Santa Claus Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus... . As in the United States, Santa Claus will leave the Christmas presents Gift A gift or a present is the transfer of something without the expectation of receiving something in return. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation of reciprocity, a gift is meant to be free. In many human societies, the act of mutually exchanging money, goods, etc. may contribute to...  under the "Arbolito" Christmas tree Christmas tree The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century... . This has replaced in large part, but not entirely, the gift giving custom of Puertoricans in Three Kings Day. No other country on the planet celebrates a holiday for so long; while many countries that celebrate Christmas may last a couple of days (four or five), in Puerto Rico they start after Thanksgiving, and end in the last day of St. Sebastian Street Festival in Old San Juan (third week of January).

Religious holidays

Date	English name	Local name (in Spanish)	Remarks
January 5	Eve of Epiphany	Víspera de los Tres Reyes Magos	Puerto Rican children leave a box with grass for the camel Camel A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,... s of the Three Wise Men and a glass of water for the magos themselves.
January 6	Three Kings Day Epiphany Twelfth Night	Día de los Tres Reyes Magos	Children find that the camels ate the grass and the Three Kings drank the water left for them the day before. Traditionally the Kings leave presents under the children's beds.
the week before Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter...	Carnival Carnival Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...	Carnaval	Like other Catholic cultures (Brazil, Trinidad, Louisiana), the solemn 40 days of Lent are preceded in Puerto Rico by a massive blow-out with elaborate costumes and parades. In the port city of Ponce, in particular, Carnival time means characters in the streets wearing incredible horned-devil masks, called vejigantes.
First day of Lent Lent In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...	Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter...	Miércoles de Ceniza	Devout Roman Catholics abstain from eating meat or poultry on this day. Many attend church services.
Sunday before Easter Sunday	Palm Sunday Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four Canonical Gospels. ....	Domingo de Ramas
Palm Sunday Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four Canonical Gospels. ....  through Easter Easter Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...	Holy Week Holy Week Holy Week in Christianity is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter...	Semana Santa	Most schools, colleges, and universities give the complete week as a recess to students.
Friday before Easter Easter Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...	Good Friday	Viernes Santo	This is the most solemn day of the whole year on the island. Every business will be closed.
Easter Easter Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...	Easter	Domingo de la Resurrección Domingo de Pascuas
June 24	Saint John's Day	Día de San Juan Bautista Fiestas de San Juan	Since John the Baptist is the patron saint of the Island and the namesake of the capital city (San Juan), his day is widely celebrated by big parties on the beaches on the Eve of St. John's Day St. John's Day St. John's Day may refer to:Feasts celebrating the Nativity of St. John the Baptist:* January 7, an Eastern Orthodox feast* June 24, Midsummer Day**an Eastern Orthodox feast celebrating his birth**a Roman Catholic feast celebrating his birth... (June 23). One tradition is to walk backward into the ocean and fall in 12 times at midnight on the beginning of the 24th.
December 24	Christmas Eve	Nochebuena Día de Nochebuena	Christmas traditions in Puerto Rico include a large supper with families and friends on Xmas Eve, and the Midnight Mass or misa de gallo. Anytime during las navidades neighbors and friends make a parranda or asalto, going from house to house singing Puerto Rican Christmas carols. Once everything has been eaten and drunk, the erstwhile 'host' joins the trulla and they all go to somebody else's house to eat and drink.
December 28	Day of the Innocents, Festival of the Masks	Día de los Innocentes Día de las Máscaras en Hatillo	A Christmas season tradition in the town on Hatillo on the north coast. Similar to Mardi Gras "crewes" in Louisiana, teams of friends totally cover cars, trucks, and floats with elaborate frilly decorations, and wearing head-to-toe costumes, they cruise the country roads, playing practical jokes along the way. There is a not-to-be missed half-day long parade, full of loud noise and brilliant colors. The tricksters commemorate Herod's soldiers and the slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem.

External links

• Official Government Holidays for 2010. Gobierno.pr (Spanish)