Discovery of Puerto Rico Day

Enjoy some fun and festivities in honor of this cool island in the Caribbean by celebrating Discovery of Puerto Rico Day. Learn some history, schedule a visit, or just have some fun in honor of this territory that is part of the US but has its own unique culture and history! 

History of Discovery of Puerto Rico Day

On this date in 1493, Christopher Columbus and his ships made their landing in the territory that is now known as Puerto Rico. The name Puerto Rico translates to “rich port” due to the fact that parts of the island were filled with gold mines, and the Spanish were excited to settle this area because of its perceived wealth. Although this was the first time Europeans accessed the islands, there were tens of thousands of indigenous peoples, called Tainos.

Ruled by Spain for a few centuries, Puerto Rico eventually became a territory of the United States in 1898, following the Spanish-American War. Today, Puerto Rico’s residents are US citizens and the government continues to function with a Commonwealth constitution.

Now, more than 500 years after its discovery by Europeans, towns and cities all throughout the western coast of this Caribbean island continue to make a big celebration out of Discovery of Puerto Rico Day. In fact, this is marked as an official public holiday in Puerto Rico, which means many schools and offices are closed in honor of the day.

On this day, communities host festivities that might include parades, gatherings, speeches, floats and much more. In addition, children love to get involved with this day by dressing up in costumes as natives and acting out plays related to the Columbus landing.

And because no one is quite sure which was the location in Puerto Rico where Columbus first landed, several different communities host festivals and enjoy celebrating this important event that has had such an impact on the modern world!

How to Celebrate Discovery of Puerto Rico Day

With festivals, parades, carnivals and more taking place in Puerto Rico, there’s certainly plenty to do in honor of this event. Get involved with Discovery of Puerto Rico Day with some of these fun ideas:

Visit Puerto Rico

Join in on the fun by hopping on a plane and heading down to the Caribbean islands for a first-hand look at what Discovery of Puerto Rico Day is like. Most of the festivities take place on the western part of the island and, even though it’s only 100 miles long, it sure packs a cultural punch for visitors. And US citizens don’t need a passport for their trip.

San Juan is the largest city on the island, so that might be a great place to fly into, and Old San Juan should be offering some festivities of its own. With cool 16th century Spanish forts that overlook the sea, there’s plenty to do in this cool city. Then rent a car and drive to some of the other hot spots where Discovery Day festivities occur.

Host a Discovery of Puerto Rico Day Event

Those who have Puerto Rican heritage, or simply want to show appreciation for this territory, might consider hosting a small party or large gathering in honor of Discovery of Puerto Rico Day!

School teachers and parents can use this opportunity to teach children some history and culture of this island. Allow children to dress up in costumes, teach them about the history of the area, encourage them to write a poem, or perhaps allow them to create some art about the original natives who were inhabitants of this island before the Europeans came to town.