Saint sebastian festival puerto rico: The Party of the Year
How to Survive Puerto Rico’s San Sebastian Festival in One Piece
Dana Ehrmann /
Festivals, Party Abroad, Travel Abroad /
puerto rico, san sebastian festival, sanse / 2 Comments
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Looking South down San Justo at its intersection with San Sebastion. Via Wikimedia by Chad Fitz.
Every January, San Juan, Puerto Rico, opens up its historic streets to host one of the world’s largest and liveliest three-day festivals. Named after the Christian saint who was martyred due to his faith, the festival is a must for anyone visiting San Juan, and a destination for Puerto Ricans from all over the island. With street vendors peddling food and trinkets, magic shows and art displays, and several different kinds of music, there’s never a dull moment at SanSe.
Of course, with every humongous street festival comes significant challenges and concerns. Here’s a list of things you don’t want—but need—to hear to play it safe and cool at San Sebastian.
Dress appropriately… seriously
It may not sound hip, but this is one place you’ve got to wear tennis shoes. Wear flip flops all day, everywhere, until you get to SanSe, and then trade them in for those ugly New Balance sneakers you never wear. The festival takes place in the streets of Old San Juan. This part of town is world famous for its old and original blue cobblestone streets. And let me reiterate – old. It’s cool and all, but the streets are in terrible shape because of it, and to avoid a lot of pain when stepping on chunks of cobblestone and tripping on the uneven pavement, tennis shoes are best. Also, this is essentially a time for people to get way too drunk out in the streets, and that leaves for a million and one ways for them to get disgusting, fast. My friend lost her flip-flops in a crowd and had to go barefoot for the rest of the night, and I still shudder at the thought.
The busiest areas, like Calle San Sebastian and the Plaza Quinto Centenario, consist of shoulder-to-shoulder people. At times, when you’re stuck in the crowd trying to move, you are going to feel literally squeezed, and hopefully you’re not carrying the overflowing nachos and cheese you just bought while trying to make your way, like I was. This is a pickpocket’s paradise, and why I suggest that if you have to bring anything of value with you at all, you wear a drawstring backpack to keep it in. Purses and pockets are too easily tampered with, and at least a drawstring bag can’t be gotten into while it is on your back.
Participants in SanSe often come costumed. Photo via wandatorres.wordpress.com.
Don’t try to hide the tourist that you are
You are a tourist and everyone knows it, so just accept that, relax, and do your thing. Luckily, almost everyone speaks at least a little English, so you can be that obnoxious tourist who doesn’t know the native language and not feel totally bad about yourself.
That being said, it wouldn’t hurt you to employ the little Spanish everyone does know, because hola and gracias can go a long way at restaurants and stores.
Because of the sheer size of a festival like this, parking is a nightmare. The center of the city is completely off limits to parking, so you have to park very far away on sometimes less-than-desirable streets. Locals may want to charge you for a parking space, even if they have no right to do so or any claim to the spot, and it’s probably in your best interest to indulge them and fork over the funds to save yourself from getting into any unwanted trouble.
Back at the heart of the festival, though, when the crowds get to be too much and you need a break, duck down a side street that’s less busy. Then, head into one of the many great shops that San Juan has to offer and get all of those souvenirs that acquaintances made you promise to get them. The stores will be significantly less busy because most people are outside, and you can easily navigate all the Puerto Rican candies, jewelry, and small instruments.
It might even be cooler in there, because nighttime in January could be hot and sticky in the high 80s. Places to stay away from: bars. Get your drinks and get out. All the bars are blasting their music at full volume to be heard clearly by all out on the street. Bless those bartenders’ eardrums, because I don’t know how they do it.
A parade along San Sebastian Street. Photo via blog.edsantiago.com.
Pick a bench and pop a squat
Guillermo, the head chef at The Parrot Club in San Juan, told me that what makes this festival great is how it brings everyone from every class and every walk of life together, and it’s true. No “type” of person typically attends this festival, which means it is a prime people-watching opportunity. If you can seize an open bench and get comfortable, you can see some amazing sights. Puerto Ricans have a lot of pride, and it’s actually pretty moving to watch little groups start to congregate and sing songs together while waving the Puerto Rican flag.
Also, a significant number of people like to bring their pets. You’ll find a fair number of dogs, sure, but keep your eyes peeled for lizards, and for snakes casually wrapped around the shoulders of nonchalant patrons.
Puerto Rico is one of the friendliest places I’ve ever been, and anyone who sits down next to you will more than likely be friendly enough to have a lengthy conversation with you. During my two weeks there, I encountered at least three people from the American mainland who told me that they came to the island on vacation and loved it so much that they never returned home. And if you can make it through the San Sebastian Festival without incident, you might just find that you feel the same way.
About Dana Ehrmann
Dana Ehrmann is a Wisconsin-based writer. San Juan was her first major travel destination, and the trip has whetted her appetite for globetrotting. She looks to conquer other major world cities with her quips in the near future.
Puerto Rico’s Food, Traditions and More – 65.
SAN SEBASTIAN STREET FESTIVAL
Puerto Rico’s Food, Traditions and More
Short Story
Hi!!👋
Let me introduce myself a little, I was born and raised in the south part of my beautiful island Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 my town name is PONCE the second largest city and I’m here to invite you to come and experience with me what been a Puerto Ric…
#food
#historical
#traditional
#travel
by Taina9098
It goes without saying that the majority of Puerto Ricans are happy, affectionate, proud people and, above all we are LOUD!!
I'm not ashamed to admitted because we really are loud.
.😁
On my birthday last year my coworkers gave me a t-shirt that says.."I'M NOT LOUD I'M PUERTO RICAN!"
I laughed so hard.😅
Because the Doctor I work with is always telling me to lower my voice..I've been working with them for nine years.. they better get over it!! should be used by now... I won't change is something that is drill in my DNA..so NO!!😊
Before I continue I want to share this with you guys, while I was researching luckily found this and It got my complete attention because it describes us to the point..
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Continuing 😉
We love any kind of celebration (of course), in Puerto Rico there are different kinds of festivals, for example..Coffee, Flowers, Fruits, Music, our Taino, African Spanish heritage, etc, etc..
For this simple reason I have decided to write about some of those Festivals...
Here we go!!
San Sebastian Street Festival
"Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián"
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Puerto Rico's largest most concurred festival and the unofficial closing of the Puerto Rican Christmas Season.
With live music, food, drinks, artisan, dance, street circus performance is the most go festival to end Christmas with a BANG!!
The Festival takes place in Old San Juan (Puerto Rico's Capital), in honor of Saint Sebastian.
.😁
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Puerto Rican 🙂
This time we climbed high – up to the 14th floor (there are 20 in total). The condominium is very pleasant, there is even a library. And what a view from our windows!
Pure water, +27C daily and round day. The beach is not with white sand, as in Cancun, with the usual, but also very, very. Very spacious and comfortable to walk around. And sparsely populated, which in modern times is priceless 🙂
| under palm trees, A In general, in general, most of the beach is shaded |
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The apartments are the most basic, but spacious, and everything we need is available.
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| In fact, it is sea bass and very tender and tasty 🙂 For garnish – banana cakes and salad |
At home, I also like something simple, but with a local flavor. I bought a piece of avocado on guacamole:
Guacamole turned out to be a whole bowl 🙂 Kiwi lies next to it for comparison. These are powerful, juicy, fresh avocados here |
From our town to the capital of Puerto Rico San Juan – 30 minutes by car (rented).
Last week there was the Saint Sebastian Festival. In fact, we assumed that it would be another tourist hell, since the entry into the harbor of the maximum possible number of cruise liners is timed to coincide with this event. But on Thursday the weather turned out to be cloudy, and we decided to still try to join. We had breakfast and left. So we didn’t find a place to park, we couldn’t even drive into the old part of the city, where the action took place! Everything is blocked by the police, traffic jams are terrible! nine0003
| There were about five such monsters in the port, if not more! |
nine0003| Museum Small, but very worthy |
And some of the work I even liked.
| This one, for example. It is called “My Horizons” |
| Noticing that I was photographing this canvas, the museum worker mysteriously threw: “Since you liked the picture, don’t forget to flip the photo later” |
Turned over:
| What do you see? Interesting job, right? |
Having joined the beauty, we went to a restaurant and went home.
What else do we do? Basically active recreation. We plan to see all sorts of historical, architectural and natural beauties, which are in abundance in Puerto Rico, and what else! Not far from us, for example, is El Yunque Rainforest, a unique tropical rainforest. Many beautiful caves, waterfalls, coastal landforms, etc., etc. Ancient forts, colonial towns – there is where to roam. Again, we plan to visit San Juan and other centers of culture to increase spirituality 🙂
In the meantime, we can’t bring ourselves to leave the ocean. We swim for hours!
*******
Disclaimer:
I write posts like this just for myself and because I’m sure that my regular readers are curious to see how the “other life” flows. (I myself, in any case, enjoy reading about the lives of various people in various parts of the world.)
A to those who are annoyed by such stories , I can only say one thing: there is no need to envy, my husband and I have worked for these modest joys all our lives, and now we are just walking in the end :), being on our LEGAL AND DESERVED PENSION.
According to the new Russian laws, however, I personally would have to work for a couple more years for my future 11,250 scars and kopecks. But, this is “if only yes if only”, history, fortunately, does not know the subjunctive mood 🙂
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