The San Sebastián Festival How to summarize a unique experience in a few words? If you don’t know them, perhaps you are missing out on one of the biggest events in Puerto Rico, the festivals are basically a celebration that takes place every year in the city of San Juan. The celebrations are held especially on San Sebastián Street, here we will find the largest concentration of people, the residents of this street decorate the facades and put up lights, the celebration is very familiar during the day, with food, music and games, since late at night it has a slightly more adult tone.
How did the tradition start?
Well we have to think about the 19th century, at that time the city was hit by a pandemic, cholera ran through the streets infecting all the good inhabitants of San Juan, and as in all difficult times the people of San Juan They turned to religion and began to ask the angels and saints for help, especially Saint John and Saint Sebastian who are protectors or patrons of the city.
If you plan to visit Puerto Rico, perhaps the best recommendation is to do it during the third weekend of January, this is when the San Sebastian festivities begin, if what you are looking for is to experience more of a party, San Juan gives it to you, food, music all types and attractions for all ages and the only thing you can find when you arrive in San Juan, but if you are looking for something more native, I would recommend the San Sebastian procession, many people carry the image of the Saint throughout the city, praying and singing , this is where you see the promises, the promises are when a person makes a request to Saint Sebastian, a kind of self-inflicted challenges in which if you overcome them, Saint Sebastian performs a miracle for you.
Personally, I have gone to the San Sebastián festivities many times, all of them were with my family and when I think about the celebrations, only two memories come to mind, the first I was maybe 8 years old, my mother took us to the procession and, From the point of view of a child who does not have the worldview that means belief or religion, you see something magical, many people gathered with candles, singing, or praying, asking or crying, but all you feel in the environment is something, warm, familiar, many people connected by the same thing.
My next memory is older, with my cousins walking the streets, the music is incredible and the food is pretty good, eating until you burst, dancing with strangers in the middle of the street, it’s something that everyone should try if they attend the parties. Plus you find people from all over the world.
Something that they won’t tell you much about the San Sebastián festivities is the art exhibitions, if you go to the central square you can find a huge gallery of religious, contemporary and modern art from Puerto Rico, many are obviously inspired by San Sebastián but others They portray the reality of the island.
And we cannot forget the parades, the parades are a great attraction with the floats that throw candy to the public, and the flowers that decorate them and here comes one of the best attractions that the celebration has, the troupe of the big heads.
The Cabezudos troupes are people dressed up with giant heads doing some comical representation, sometimes it is about something current, but at the end of the parade they always portray historical moments in the history of Puerto Rico, frankly the parade is very fun for both boys as well as adults.
After the parades we are going to find one of the most anticipated moments for any music fan, the concerts, a huge number of concerts are planned and promoted throughout San Juan, special for any type of genre you prefer, my recommendation It means knowing very well which concert you are going to attend or you end up listening to some rock and salsa fusion mixes, which frankly weren’t bad at all.
But music is an important part of the San Sebastián festivities, at the beginning of the festivities you will find a group of musicians who go around the city singing and that marks the beginning of the celebration.
Near the food stalls you will find crafts, although in the latest celebrations several artisan stalls are already set up, among the best crafts you will find jewelry and (decorative) machetes. If what you are interested in is taking a souvenir, and of course don’t leave without trying the food, the menus range from typical food to traditional fast food, but the restaurants offer you some fusion dishes that you need to try.
And you can’t leave San Juan without trying the bomb, it is a Puerto Rican musical genre, it has its own dance form, a mix between Spanish rhythms and African drums, to the inexperienced ear it will sound like salsa, but they have almost nothing in common .
Don’t wait any longer and immerse yourself in the festivities of San Sebastián, the emotion, the music, the tradition and the people, it is not a party, it is the life of an island.
This article is featured in our Winter 2023 printed magazine. Available here: https://issuu.com/larevistabinacional/docs/individuals_sd_winter_2023_lrb-compressed
