Official Public Holidays
Official public holidays are those recognized by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico government. All public offices must 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 name | Local name (in Spanish) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day | 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 |
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 | 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, Washington's Birthday | Día de los Presidentes Natalicio de Washington |
A federal and commonwealth official holiday. |
| February 18 | Birthday of Luis Muñoz Marín | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | Recordación de los Muertos de la Guerra | A federal and commonwealth official holiday. |
| July 4 | Independence Day | 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 | 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 | Constitution of Puerto Rico Day | Constitución de Puerto Rico | An official Commonwealth of Puerto Rico holiday. See also Constitution of Puerto Rico. 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 | 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 | Día del Trabajo | A federal and commonwealth official holiday. |
| Second Monday in October | Columbus Day | Día de la Raza Descubrimiento de América |
A federal and commonwealth official holiday. |
| November 11 | Veterans Day | Día del Veterano Día del Armisticio |
A federal and commonwealth official holiday, usually observed at the Puerto Rico National Cemetery. |
| 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 | Acción de Gracias Día de Acción de Gracias |
A federal and commonwealth official holiday. It marks the beginning of the Holiday(Christmas) season. |
| December 24 | Christmas Eve | Día de Noche Buena | A Commonwealth of Puerto Rico official holiday, sometimes only a half-day of work |
| December 25 | Christmas | Día de Navidad Navidad |
During Spanish colonial rule (1492 to 1898),"Navidad" (Christmas in English), 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. As in the United States, Santa Claus leaves Christmas presents under the "Arbolito" Christmas tree. This has replaced in large part, but not entirely, the gift giving custom of Puerto Ricans in Three Kings Day. No other country celebrates a holiday for so long. Many countries celebrate Christmas for a couple of days, or as long as four or five. In Puerto Rico, however, the celebration starts after Thanksgiving and ends in the third week of January, on the last day of the St. Sebastian Street Festival in Old San Juan. |
Read more about this topic: Public Holidays In Puerto Rico
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