San Sebastian Festival

If you think you gone to a party, go to San Se it’s the party of all parties. Streets are packed from top to bottom. Music everywhere, good food and the best vibe ever. We happened to be there prior to a cruise. What a treat. The three days that we were there was a vacation in itself. Words can’t describe it you would have to had been there.

what an insane and awesome experience to have witnessed 2013. you must plan ahead if you want to stay at the place of your choosing. expect the rates to be slightly increased if you want to stay in the capitol, let along where the action is exactly at. marching along with the big bobble heads dancing along the street was some of the perks. at least a half a million people over the weekend in the capitol. so expect some traffic. if you stay outside the capitol you want to stay as close to walking distance as possible. the party usually started around 4/​5pm even though some schedules stated earlier. this maybe the case the first or second day but after that it blows with the wind. very festive time to be in pr… dont think twice about going! just go! i dont regret any moment in this paradise i call my second home :)

Touted as THE LARGEST festival in the Caribbean, the annual San Sebastián (SanSe) Festival (aka Fiestas de San Sebastián) is best described as a cross between Mardi Gras & Carnaval, and draws nearly half a million people into Old (Viejo) San Juan!
We were visiting Puerto Rico at just the right time to experience the weekend long festivities. Parades. Live music (reggaton, salsa, bachata, meringue, etc) with different stages setup around the city. Plenty of spontaneous dancing in the streets. Food vendors. Parties on every corner… and i mean EVERY corner… there was even a DJ spinning at a local gas station — that’s right, a gas station party… in a way, though, it went with the overall vibe & exuberance you felt at this fiesta! As in, party don’t stop til 6 in the morning type of deal… Boricuas really know how to live it up!!!
On our journey to the SanSe Festival (which felt more like a pilgrimage as we walked the 3+ mile trek to get there) we passed serene beaches, palms set against a setting sun, historic monuments, pimped out cars with stereos on blast, ice cream peddlers, buses crammed with people (as in up against the glass packed to capacity type of thing), and cars triple parked along the sidewalks.
One thing that really struck me about our SanSe experience, was all the positive energy from everyone in attendance. There was no fighting, rudeness, or any negativity in the air. Young & Old. Resident & Tourist. Wealthy & Poor. Everyone was out with the soul purpose to have a good time.
The San Sebastián Festival was def an experience to be cherished! :)
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A C O U P L E O F S I D E N O T E S O N T H E F E S T I V A L :
1. Wear comfortable shoes; you’ll be doing A LOT of walking… trust me!
2. Go early! It’s less crowded, you’ll see more, and you might be able to snag a taxi.
3. Stay late! That’s when the fun begins :)
4. My suggestion, rent a hotel in Old San Juan. That way you can enjoy all the festivities without waiting hours in traffic.
5. Speaking of public transportation, forget it! You’d be lucky if you can get thru traffic in under 3hrs. Plan B, walk to the festival from a nearby hotel or as far as the taxi can get — that’s what we did.
6. Streets in Old San Juan will be closed to motorists.
7. If you’re renting a car, you won’t have a place to park. See #5 & #6 above.
8. Historic sites (like El Morro & San Cristobal) will shutdown early.
9. Police are on patrol EVERYWHERE — on foot, segways, motorcycles, etc… that’s part of the reason the festival is such a peaceful organized chaotic success, lol.
10. The San Sebastián Festival is free & takes place every year in mid-​January.
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