Every year, the town of Aibonito hosts the largest flower show on the island. It features flower and plant displays, entertainment, music, food — and the thing most people go for — the plant sales! There are rows and rows of booths selling all kinds of plants — orchids, fruit trees, vegetable plants, heliconias, gingers, hibiscus … just to name a few.

The Aibonto Flower Festival (Festival de Flores de Aibonito) will be held this year from June 26 through July 5, 2009.

If you happen to be on the island during that time, make a day of it and take a drive to Aibonito. Most of the music and "official" activities occur in the Festival Area, behind the Colliseo los Polluelos de Aibonito, but all along the roads leading to the park there will be small vendors set up selling everything from plants to perfume, flowers to food.

Just keep in mind, if you’re in Puerto Rico on vacation from the States, the USDA does conduct mandatory luggage inspection at the airport. So if you plan on buying plants to take back the the States, you might want to review the USDA Preflight Inspection Notice: For Travelers From Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands to the U.S. Mainland (PDF file) regarding what plants you are allowed to take home with you.

Entertainment for the Whole Family

In addition to plant sales and displays, there will be live entertainment for the entire family. Though they don’t post an entertainment schedule with showtimes, they do give the days different performers will be there. Most performances start in the afternoon.

• June 26: Orquesta son Caribeño | Abraham
• June 27: Grupo Renacer Borincano | Show de Elvis Crespo
• June 28: Trio los Rosarios | Grupo Armoní Cultural & Show de Trovadores | Show de Manny Manuel
• June 29: Gilberto y su Sonida
• June 30: Grupo Renacer Borincano
• July 1: Conjunto Variedad | Grupo Peor es Na
• July 2: Trio Voces del Centro | Mickey Cora & La Orquesta Cábala
• July 3 (morning – for kids): Show de Remi | Barney, Dora, Elmo, Sponge Bob, Diego and more
• July 3 (afternoon): Conjunto Variedad | Juan Castillo y su perico Ripiao,/li>
• July 4: Grupo son Caribeño | Flor de Tabaco | Millie Quezada y su Orquesta
• July 5: Trío ls Jilguero | Grupo ls Zonic | Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz

Entrance fee to the festival is $6 per person. Parking is free

In 2009, the festival starts on June 26 and ends on July 5

Including driving time from San Juan, plan on spending most of a day.

From San Juan, take Route 52 South to exit 39 (it’s the second exit for the town of Cayey). Turn left onto Route 1 south. Follow Route 1, past Route 206, until you get to Route 7722. Turn right onto Route 7722. Follow Route 7722 until you get to Route 722. Turn right onto Route 722. The festival is on 722, on your right at KM 6.7.

The drive from San Juan will take about 2 hours

You can locate the Aibonito Flower Festival on our Interactive Island Map