Puerto Rico celebrates hard, and there's something going on at almost any time of year. The most rooted tradition is the fiestas patronales — every municipality honors its patron saint with several days of music, food, carnival rides, religious processions, and dancing, typically held in or around the town plaza. There are 78 municipalities, so these happen throughout the year.
January: San Sebastián Street Festival Old San Juan's biggest party, held over four days in mid-January. The streets fill with artisans, food stalls, live music, and colorful vejigante masks. One of the best street festivals in the Caribbean — book accommodation in advance.
January 6: Three Kings Day (Día de Reyes) The traditional gift-giving day in Puerto Rico, celebrated with parades and festivities in towns across the island. For many Puerto Rican families this is a bigger occasion than Christmas Day.
February: Carnival Ponceño Ponce's pre-Lenten carnival is a week of costumes, masked vejigantes, music, and parades. The city transforms, and the energy is infectious.
February/March: Casals Festival A prestigious classical music festival in San Juan honoring cellist Pablo Casals, who founded the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra. Performances take place at the Centro de Bellas Artes.
June 23: Noche de San Juan On the eve of St. John's day, thousands head to the beaches at midnight and walk backward into the sea — seven times, for good luck. It's one of those traditions that sounds strange until you're standing on Condado beach at midnight with half the city around you.
July: Fiestas de Santiago Apóstol (Loíza) Loíza's patron saint festival is Puerto Rico's most Afro-Caribbean celebration — vivid costumes, bomba drumming and dancing, and traditional masks worn to ward off evil. Usually held in late July, lasting several days.