San Sebastián Street Festival facts for kids
San Sebastián Street Festival, also known as “San Se”, is a super popular party in Old San Juan. It's a four-day event that kicks off on the third Thursday of January and lasts until Sunday. This fun festival honors Saint Sebastian. January 20th is the day the Catholic Church celebrates this Saint's life. More than 200,000 people join in, making it a world-famous event! Some Puerto Ricans have even started celebrating this festival in the United States.
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How the San Se Festival Started
Father Juan Manuel Madrazo, a priest at the San José Church in the 1950s, was the first person to organize this festival. He wanted to remember the life of Saint Sebastian and also raise money to fix the church. When the priest moved away from San Juan, the festival stopped for a while.
It wasn't until 1970 that a historian named Ricardo Alegría suggested bringing the tradition back. He talked to Rafaela Balladares de Brito, who lived on San Sebastian Street. With help from her neighbors, she started the festival again! They collected money for an elementary school run by the Sisters of Charity.
Early Celebrations
In the past, early on the first days, a group of musicians would walk through the streets playing music and announcing the festival. People dressed up as Spanish Kings, like Queen Isabel and King Fernando. They wore huge masks over their heads and were called “Cabezudos” (which means "Big Heads"). These "Cabezudos" also joined the parade!
During the parade, people carried a statue of Saint Sebastian from San Sebastian Street all the way to the San José Church. Neighbors decorated their home balconies and the streets. They also cooked traditional food, wore special dresses, and hosted music shows.
San Se Today
In Puerto Rico
Today, artists and craft makers are a very important part of the festival. Music and dancing fill the nights. Artists perform on different stages set up around Old San Juan. The “Cabezudos” now include characters from Puerto Rican folklore. They dance and sing through the streets, with the crowd following them!
The parade is much longer now, and the city of San Juan helps organize the whole festival. While some things change each year, the main activities are still the same as mentioned above.
In the United States
In recent years, several San Sebastian Festivals have been held in different parts of Florida and in DFW, Texas. This is because many Puerto Ricans have moved to the United States and want to keep their island traditions alive.
The festivals in Florida and Texas usually last one or two days, compared to the four-day event in Puerto Rico. These festivals also feature Puerto Rican food and drinks, “Cabezudos”, artisan markets, and music. In DFW, Texas, a group of Puerto Ricans called "Traigo esta Trulla" started organizing the first "Fiestas de la San Se-DFW" in January 2018. More than 6,000 people attended!
Images for kids
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San Sebastián Street Festival in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
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Dancers at the San Sebastián Festival in San Juan, in 2013
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Calle San Sebastian in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
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See also
In Spanish: Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián para niños
