Patron Saint Festivals in the Americas

In Latin America, the party doesn’t end between Christmas and Carnival; the first three months of the year are also dedicated to numerous fiestas patronales, or patron saint festivals. The celebrations reflect a common Catholic heritage, but also incorporate elements of the region’s African and Indigenous roots.

In Puerto Rico, the merriment kicks off after New Year’s, with 16 patron saint festivals between January and April, such as the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián, a street festival founded in 1954 that includes hundreds of artisans, live music and dance...

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