San Sebastián Street Festival: The Party of the Year

No official dates will be set until about November, but I am guessing the festival for 2021 will be Jan 14-17. I am pretty sure but this is just my guess….don’t make huge plans around that and blame me if the dates are wrong! Article will be updated when official dates are announced.

It is no secret that people in Puerto Rico know how to party, especially around the Christmas holidays. Announce that there will be a parade, music, dancing, libations, food — then add in local artisan crafts for sale — and it all adds up to one crazy celebration!

That is the San Sebastián Street Festival (Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián) in a nutshell. It has been an annual event on Calle San Sebastián in Old San Juan since 1970, and what started as community fund-raiser has become THE festival to go to. Loads of locals and tourists attend this multi-day event.

Early Festivals

San Sebastian Festival

San Sebastián (Saint Sebastian) was a Christian who was martyred for his faith. There is a street on the north side of Old San Juan named in his honor.

The original "festival" (in the 1950’s) was organized by a priest at the San Jose Church, which is located on San Sebastián Street, to celebrate the feast day of San Sabastián. The annual feast-day festival lasted only a few years.

In 1970, the festival was restarted and it has been held annually ever since. It always occurs around San Sebastián’s feast day, which is January 20th. The festival is typically held on the third weekend of January, and usually runs from Thursday to Sunday (but it has been running from Wed-Sun the last few years). Double check exact dates before making vacation plans around these dates as things have been known to change from year to year.

San Se Today

San Sebastian Festival

The San Se Festival has evolved over time, though it still is full of tradition and Puerto Rican cultural heritage. Mostly, it is a great big party, with people enjoying every aspect of it. It is attended by hundreds of thousands of people, who are very much part of the entertainment scene. Folks lucky enough to have a birds-eye view line the colorful balconies along Calle San Sebastián, and on the rest of the parade route, watching and shouting to the throngs of people in the streets below. Everyone else hits the streets. It’s basically the Puerto Rican version of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, without the beads and breasts.

For 2020, the festival will be held from ~~Wednesday, January 15~~ Thursday, January 16 through Sunday, January 19.

San Sebastian Festival

There are lots of live music shows, both traditional and contemporary. The musicians perform on stages around the Old City , but the main stage is at the Plaza del Quinto Centenario. But also expect music/dance to happen randomly & spontaneously throughout the streets, where people join in the song and dance. There are plenty of dance performances, both folkloric and modern, by professionals and party-goers alike. And all along the parade routes you will find food, drink, and more than 500 artisans displaying/selling their works.

There will be some artisans along Calle San Sebastián, but the main artisan areas are Cuartel de Ballajá. You will find other artisan set-ups throughout the rest of Old San Juan, too.

Things are generally calm, and you will see lots of families, during the day. As the day turns into night, you will see more young people (and fewer families) who are enjoying the lifting of the ban on public drinking in the streets around the Calle San Sebastián area. The police do set up barricades at the limits to contain the on-street drinking. Bars close at 12mn on Thursday- Saturday and 10pm on Sunday.

On Thursday and Friday, the parades and music festivities start at about 5pm. But it starts much earlier on Saturday and Sunday. Music and shows stop at 11pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and at 9pm on Sunday. There is a curfew enforced so that the people that live there can get some sleep.

Expect to see extra security around Old San Juan. Security cameras and Police dogs will be all over. You are not allowed to bring in weapons, drugs, liquids in bottles, noisemakers, coolers. Note- NO WHISTLES OR NOISEMAKERS ALLOWED ! Everyone must have a picture ID on them at all times. Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult at all times and after 6:00 pm that “adult” accompanying the minors must be over 21 years old.

Itinerary for 2020 Festival

Thursday, January 16, 2020

around 4:30-5pm … Opening ceremony and dedication of the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián. Parade of Cabezudos starts from the Lincoln School on the far end of Calle San Sebastian at 5pm.

4pm to 10pm … Over 350 artisans will be displaying works at the Cuartel de Ballajá and and various Plazas and along Calle San Sebastian and at the Baston

•Entertainment Plaza del Quinto Centenario

5:30 p.m. – Comparsa del Municipio de San Juan

6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. – Junte Lloiceno

7:45 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. – Yolandita Monge

9:15 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. – Milly Quezada

•Entertainment Plaza de Armas

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. – DJ AL

8:30-9:30p Kristian Bob

10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – King Arthur

• Entertainment Plaza de La Barandilla

4:30pm Taller Tamboricua

5:30 pm Los Pleneros del Mas Alla

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. –Misa E’ Gallo

8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. – Plena Libre

10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Natalia Lugo

•Entertainment in Plaza Colón

5:30 p.m. – Atabal

6:30pm RosAmalia

Grupo Mambo

9:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. – Puerto Rican Power

•Entertainment in Plaza de la Comunidad La Perla

7:30 p.m. –Epilogo

9:30 p.m. – Sebastian Otero u la Ponina

Friday, January 17, 2020

4pm to 10pm … Over 350 artisans will be displaying works at the Cuartel de Ballajá and and various Plazas and along Calle San Sebastian and at the Baston

• Entertainment Plaza del Quinto Centenario

2:30pm- Cases de Salsa
3:00pm – Conjunto Bomba u Plena de Inter
4:30 pm Jose Feliciano
6:00p.m Ile
7:30 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. – Olga Tanon
9:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. –Ednita Nazario

• Entertainment Plaza de Armas

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – DJ Metro,
6:45 p.m. – 8:45 p.m. – DJ Match James + XTASSY
9:00 p.m.- 9:45 p.m. – Alhanna
10:00pm – 11:00 pm Los Rivera Destino

• Entertainment Plaza de La Barandilla

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Marileyda
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Viento de Agua
8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. –Daniel Diaz – Tripandero
10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Oscarito

• Entertainment in Plaza Colón

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. – Orquesta de Guiros, Penuelas
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. – Boricubason- Tribute al Buena Vista Social Club
8:30p – 9:30pm- Tributo a Juan Luis Guerra
10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Grupo Karis

•PLAZA DE LA COMUNIDAD LA PERLA

6:00pm – Joe Louis
8:00 p.m. – Trending Tropics
9:45 p.m. – Buscabulla

Saturday, January 18, 2020

9am to 9pm … Over 350 artisans will be displaying works at the Cuartel de Ballajá and and various Plazas

• Entertainment in Plaza del Quinto Centenario

11:00am Clases de Salsa
12:30pm – Limi-T 21
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. – Pirulo y su Tribu
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – La India
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Manny Manuel ,
7:30 p.m. – 7:45 p.m. – Ganador OPen Mic/Tercera Entrada
Lucecita Benitez
9:45 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Kany Garcia

• Entertainment in Plaza de Armas

1:00pm – 1:30pm Montalvo (Banda)
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – DJ Match- Triumvi
4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. – DJ Velcro
6pm- 8pm- DJ Joaquin Opio
8:30-9:30pm … Banda Alagrete
10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – PJ Sin Suela

• Entertainment in Plaza de La Barandilla

12:00pm – Coro Ninos, San Juan
1:00pm – Grupo Buya, Chicago
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Parranderos de Loiza,
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Orq. Galdy Santuago & Fabian Torres
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Lissette
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. – Tuna los Segreles
9:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Albita Rodriguez

• Entertainment in Plaza Colón

9am – Classes de Rumba
12:30 pm Plena Nativa
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Herminio de Jesus
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Hermanos Sanz
5:30 p.m.- 7:00 p.m. – Julito Alvarado, Tributo a Cheo Feliciano y Hector Lavoe
7:30 p.m. . –Melina Leon
9:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. – Grupo Macabeo

•PLAZA DE LA COMUNIDAD LA PERLA

6:00 p.m. –Pleneros de le Cresta
8:00 p.m. – Internacional Dog Ambassadors
9:45 p.m. – Mima

Sunday, January 19, 2020

9am to 9pm … Over 350 artisans will be displaying works at the Cuartel de Ballajá and and various Plazas

• Entertainment in Plaza del Quinto Centenario

1:00pm Clases de Salsa Flor Botta
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. -La Tribu de Abrante
3:30pm – Iris Chacon
4:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. – Alana Gomez
5:00 p.m. – – Johnny Venture
7:00 p.m. Gente de Zona
9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. -La Gran Combo

• Entertainment in Plaza de Armas

1:00pm – Banda Puertorriquena
2:00 p.m.- DJ Gulembo
4:30pm – Mayha u su Tribu
5:30 p.m. . –Emil Cedeno
9:00 p.m. Gomba Jahbari

• Entertainment in Plaza de La Barandilla

1:00 p.m. Fernandito Ferrer
2:30pm Salsa Metro
4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. – Tribu a Abba
5:30pm – Choco Orta
7:30 p.m. Glenn Moroig
9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Victoria Sanabria

• Entertainment in Plaza Colón

1:00pm – VF7
1:45pm – Ganadora Open Mic lana Gomez
2:20 p.m.- Tambores Calientes
3:40- 4:40 p.m. D’Latinos
5:00pm- Orquestra la Oferta
6:30 p.m. – Innovacion Boricua – Trovadors
7:30pm – Roy Brown
9:00p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – Vico C

• Entertainment Teatro Tapia

1pm – Finalista Ganador open Mic
2:00 p.m. – Antonio Caban Vale “el Tope” “En voz de mujer june al Tope”
4:00 p.m. – Ismael Miranda y Chucho Avellanet

*Itinerary/schedule from Fiestas de la calle san sebastian FB page

Restrictions During the Festival

Noise-makers – Vuvuzelas and whistles are not permitted. They will fine people using noise makers.

Drones are not permitted.Bringing in your coolers with alcoholic beverages is also not permitted.

The grounds around the forts will be closed to the public from 7pm-5am the evenings of the festival in order to prevent damage to the site, according to federal law (36 CFR 1.5) which will be strictly enforced..

Public Transportation To/From Old San Juan (will be updated for 2020 when info available)

2018: The Department of Transportation is expecting more than half a million people to attend the festivities in Old San Juan over the four days. It is highly recommended that you use public transportation versus trying to drive into Old San Juan.

The AMA buses and other Buses and Guaguas (multi person vans) will operate from the Sagrado Corazón station and Hiram Birthorn Stadium into Old San Juan starting at 3pm – 12 mn Thursday, and 3pm – 1am Friday, from 10am – 1am on Saturday and 10am – 12 mn on Sunday. The AMA buses and guaguas will operate leaving from Old San Juan to the Sagrado Corazón station and Birthorn until 2am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 12mn on Sunday. Any other transportation and guaguas will operate similar hours.

At both Sagrado Corazon and Bithorn Stadium there will be parking $5 . The bus transportation will cost $2 RT Taxis will also be there taking people for $5 pp, they will be located at the Hacienda building.

The Tren Urbano will operate from 5:30am all days until 1am Thurs, 2am Fri and Sat, and 12 mn on Sunday.

There will be taxi service at the Convention Center for $5 pp. Fee for parking.

NOTE- ALL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES (taxis, buses, guaguas) WILL DROP YOU OFF ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE CAPITOL BUILDING> YOU HAVE TO WALK FROM THERE. For the way home- ALL TRANSPORT LEAVES FROM CONSTITUTION AVENUE, ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CAPITOL BUILDING.

The ferry (Acuaexpreso) will operate from Cataño to Old San Juan (fee 50¢) from 5:45am on weekdays and 7:30am weekends until 10pm Wednesday and Sunday, 12 midnight other nights. They will also have parking and buses coming and going to OSJ.

We’ve gone to the festival a couple times

Right off the bat, I will say that we hate crowds. So for us, it was just too many people to be the least bit enjoyable. But people who enjoy mingling with 100,000 of their closest friends will have a great time. It is a bright, colorful, and loud festival!

The first time we went, we got there mid-afternoon on Saturday or Sunday. Big mistake. It was wall-to-wall people. We couldn’t move, let alone see anything. We made a quick exit.

Years ago, we went early on Thursday, the first day of the festival. We drove into Old San Juan at about 2-3pm and found parking in our usual parking deck without incident. We had a couple hours before the parade started, so we had plenty of time (and space) to go up and down Calle San Sebastian to check things out. Then we enjoyed the parade, and got out of Old San Juan before 8pm (and before it got too crazy). It worked out great for us!

My favorite parts of the parade are the vejigantes (masked, clown-like characters), the gigantes (stilt walkers), and the cabezudos (huge, paper mâché heads).

The cabezudos are comical representations of people who are important to Puerto Rican history or heritage. You might see cabezudos of Juan Bobo and his pig (children’s story characters), Maximina la Loca (a wacky dancing girl), La Jíbara (a country woman), famous people like Diplo (a local musician), Ramon Rivero (a local comedian), Maso Rivera (a cuatro player), Toribio (a Güiro player), and Dona Fela (first female mayor of San Juan).

What to Expect at SanSe or Elsewhere in Old San Juan

Traffic is a nightmare, so don’t even try to drive into Old San Juan. Seriously. You will spend hours in traffic and have a huge problem finding parking. We know, because we’ve done it. If you do give it a try- get there early. Vehicular traffic into Old San Juan will be stopped at the bridge before getting to OSJ around 5:00 PM Wednesday,Thursday and Friday and around 10 am Saturday and Sunday. The only exceptions will be tour buses, taxis, emergency vehicles, and Old San Juan residents. The schedule of public transportation will be for Wed 2p-1am, Thursday and Friday from 2:00 pm to 2:00 am , Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 am and Sunday from 9:00 am to 12:00 am and the cost will be the regular rate in the Tren Urbano and $ 1.50 for the round trip bus route. For $5, you can buy a bracelet that will give you access to “express lines” on the public transportation system.

If you want to attend the festival, your best bet would be to find lodging in Old San Juan. The next best thing is to stay or park in Condado, Isla Verde, Santurce, Hato Rey, or Catano, and take a bus or ferry into Old San Juan. They will be running extra buses for the festival.

On Calle San Sebastián, there will be a sea of people. So many people that you can hardly walk. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes- or do your own thing- be casual, sexy, or freaky- pretty much anything goes! You wont be the only wacky one!

People will be drinking. A lot. So, occasionally, there are some "issues" between the revelers. But that’s part of the excitement, right?

They do bring in portable restrooms for the festival, and you can expect them to be well-used (to put it politely).

It will be HOT, day or night. So drink plenty of water (between those other drinks) to stay hydrated.

For Cruise Ship People — It will take an extra long time to travel between your ship and the airport, or from the festivities in Old San Juan to the Pam Am Pier. Plan accordingly so you don’t miss your ship. The usual 15-minute drive can take hours.

For more info, call the San Juan Tourism office(787-721-0169), or the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (787-722-1709).

We are in the process of updating the maps we use on our web site. While we're working on that, you can click on the GPS coordinates below to view the location on Google Maps ...

PuertoRicoDayTrips.com assumes no responsibility regarding your safety when participating in the activities described in this article. Please use common sense! If your mother or that little voice in your head tells you that you are about to do something stupid … then don't do it!

Printed on 29 Oct 2020 fromPuertoRicoDayTrips.com