Highlights:
- The Puerto Rico Salsa Congress is the biggest salsa event in the world, and takes place from July 25-August 1.
- One of the the largest artisan fairs on the island comes to Barranquitas from July 14-16.
- The La Parguera Film Festival, featuring Italian and Puerto Rican cinema, takes place in Lajas from July 24-August 2.
Events Calendar:
- July 1: The town of Lajas celebrates its founding on July 1, 1883.
- July 3-5: A typically Caribbean event, the town of San Sebastián throws its annual Hammock Festival.
- July 3-7: The town of Lajas has its Feria Agrícola de la Reserva del Valle, an agricultural festival with plant and animal exhibits, live music, food, a rodeo, and a paso fino horse competition.
- July 4-5: If you needed another reason to visit the beautiful El Yunque rainforest, there's the Carnaval Ciudad de El Yunque taking place in Río Grande. The carnival will include a parade, live music and food kiosks.
- July 6-15: Barceloneta follows suit with a weeklong festival for its patron saint, the Virgen del Carmen, the patroness of fishermen.
- July 11-14: Cidra has its town festival, with five days of music, food, and its highly anticipated crowning of the festival's queen.
- July 11-20: Cataño goes all out for its patron saint, the Virgen del Carmen, with nine days of festivities.
- July 13-15: La Virgen del Carmen gets more love from Arroyo.
- July 14-16: Barranquitas is the place to be for arts and crafts. The Feria Nacional de Artesanías is one of the biggest annual artisan fairs in Puerto Rico, bringing together more than 200 artists.
- July 15-19: Vieques throws its Fiestas de Pueblo, or town festival, with 5 days of festivities including music, contests and food.
- July 18-23: The Adjuntas patron saint festival honors San Joaquín.
- July 18-27: Fajardo isn't done celebrating, and hosts another festival for its patron saint, Santiago Apóstol.
- July 18-27: The Fiesta del Pueblo de Guánica, in Guánica, of course, is a very popular regional festival in Puerto Rico's Southeast.
- July 22-27: The town of Aibonito honors its patron saint, Santiago Apóstol.
- July 22-27: Loíza has an interesting and symbolic festival, known as the Fiestas Tradicionales de Santiago Apóstol, which celebrates the African heritage of the town and the island. You can catch folk and religious ceremonies, including costumes, masks and bomba dancers.
- July 24-26: San Germán's patron saint festival commemorates San Germán.
- July 24-August 2: Lajas kicks off the La Parguera Film Festival, featuring indie and foreign movies celebrating Italian and Puerto Rican Film. For more information, check out their blog.
- July 25-August 1: Isla Verde brings salseros from around the world for the annual Puerto Rico Salsa Congress. Now in its 12th anniversary, the congress features exhibitions by professional and international dancers, nightly dances, workshops, and some of the best salsa bands on Earth.
- July 28: The Carnaval de Fajardo in Fajardo is a combination artisan fair and carnival.
