| |
Major Holidays and Celebrations of Spanish-Speaking Countries
This list is designed to reflect the major holidays and celebrations of the
Spanish-speaking countries. The celebrations of holidays are rich with meaning
and diversity. Latin American countries which have been significantly influenced
by Catholicism have many holidays to celebrate their patron saints and virgins
to venerate Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Scroll down to see the complete list or select the month you want to see:
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October,
November, December.
JANUARY
- Jan 1 Año Nuevo, New Year’s Day
- Jan 6 Día de los Reyes Magos or Día de los Santos Reyes; Epiphany. In
many Catholic countries, this is the time for Christmas fun. Traditionally
the children receive gifts on this day rather than on Christmas. Since the
Three Kings brought gifts, people exchange presents and children put out
their shoes for the magi to leave the presents inside.
- Jan 10 Birthday of Eugenio Maria de Hostos (Puerto Rico), an educator
and writer who fought Spanish colonial rule and helped abolish slavery in
Cuba and Puerto Rico.
- Jan 21 Feast of Nuestra Sra. De Altagracia, or Our Lady of Highest
Grace, the patron virgin of the Dominican Republic.
- Jan 26 Juan Pablo Duarte Day (Dominican Republic). Commemorates the hero
of Dominican independence from Haiti.
- Jan 28 Birth of José Martí (Cuba). A political activist, independence
hero and poet who led the fight for Cuba’s independence from Spain.
|
|
|
FEBRUARY
- Feb 2 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (Mexico). This treaty, which marked
the end of the Mexican War, established U.S. sovereignty over 1,193,061
square miles of formerly disputed or Mexican territory, including the
present states of Texas, Arizona, California and Utah, and parts of New
Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming.
- Feb 5 Constitution Day (Día de la Constitución), Mexico.
- Feb 24 Flag Day (Mexico).
- Feb 27 Dominican Republic Independence Day and beginning of Dominican
Carnival. The pre-Lenten celebration coincides with the anniversary of the
Dominican Republic’s Independence from Haiti.
|
MARCH
- March 5 Carnaval, an official Mexican holiday that kicks off a five-day
celebration of the libido before the Catholic Lent. Beginning the weekend
before Lent, Carnaval is celebrated exuberantly with parades, floats and
dancing in the streets.
March 9 Baron Bliss Day (Belize). Honors the Englishman Sir Henry Edward
Ernest Victor Bliss, who left his entire fortune to the city of Belize.
- March 21 Birth of Benito Juarez (Mexico). One of the national heroes of
Mexico, Juarez served his country as president during the turbulent period
from 1855 until his death, and instituted a number of civil reforms. He led
the military resistance to the French emperor’s attempt to impose Maximilian
of Austria as emperor of Mexico.
- March 22 Emancipation Day (Puerto Rico). Slaves in Puerto Rico were
freed on this date in 1873.
- March 31 Cesar Chavez holiday (California, Arizona and Texas). This
holiday honors the Mexican-American labor and civil rights activist who
gained attention in the 1960s as the leader of the United Farm Workers. His
non-violent advocacy approach earned him worldwide respect. California,
Arizona and Texas have made the day a state holiday; other states are
considering doing so.
|
|
|
MAY
- May 1 Primero de Mayo or Día del Trabajo or Día del Trabajador; a
national holiday celebrated in most Spanish-speaking countries, equivalent
to the U.S. Labor Day.
- May 5 Cinco de Mayo (Mexico). Commemorates de victory of Mexican forces
over the French army at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It is primarily
a regional holiday celebrated in the Mexican state capital city of Puebla,
and in other parts of Mexico. It is also celebrated in U.S. cities with a
significant Mexican population. It is not, as many people think, Mexico’s
Independece Day, which is actually September 16.
- May 10 Dia de las Madres, or Day of the Mothers, observed on this date
in Mexico and other Latin-American countries.
- May 15 Independence Day for Paraguay.
- May 18 Battle of Las Piedras (Paraguay). Anniversary of the end of the
conflict between Uruguay and Brazil in 1828.
- May 20 Cuba’s birth as an independent republic in 1902.
- May 25 Día de la Patria (Argentina). It commemorates the establishment
of an autonomous government resulting from the revolution on this day in
1810. Known in Argentina as Revolución de Mayo.
|
|
JUNE
- June 19 Artigas Day (Uruguay). Celebrates the birthday of General José
Gervasio Artigas, forefather of Uruguay.
- June 24 Feast of San Juan Bautista, or St. John the Baptist, patron
saint of Puerto Rico’s capital, San Juan. Other Latinos celebrate the day as
el Día de San Pedro.
- June 29 Saint Peter and St. Paul, known as San Pedro y San Pablo.
Celebrated in Spain and many Latin-American countries.
|
|
|
|
JULY
- July 5 Independence Day for Venezuela.
- July 6-14 Los Sanfermines, or the San Fermin Festival or the Running of
the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain.
- July 9 Independence Day for Argentina.
- July 19 Revolution Day (Nicaragua). Anniversary of the day the National
Liberation army declared victory over the Somoza dictatorship.
- July 20 Independence Day for Colombia.
- July 24 Birth of Simon Bolivar (Colombia, Venezuela, Panama). Known as
The Liberator, El Libertador, he led the rebellion against Spanish rule that
established the independence of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and
Bolivia.
- July 25 Constitution Day in Puerto Rico.
- James or Santiago Apostol (Spain). Celebrates the patron saint of Spain.
- July 26 Revolution Day, Cuba.
- July 28 Independence Day for Peru.
|
AUGUST
- Aug 1-6 Feast of the Savior of the World or El Salvador del Mundo,
patron saint of El Salvador. San Salvadorians celebrate with street fairs
and a “bajada”, a procession honoring the saint.
- Aug 6 Independence Day for Bolivia.
- Aug 7 Battle of Boyacá (Colombia): A public holiday celebrating the
anniversary of the defeat of the Spanish in 1819 in the province of Boyacá.
- Aug 10 Independence Day for Ecuador.
- Aug 15 Feast of the Assumption, celebrated in by Catholics in
Spanish-speaking countries. It celebrates the belief in Mary’s ascending to
heaven.
- Aug 17 San Martín Day. Anniversary of the death of General José
Francisco de San Martín, liberator of Argentina.
- Aug 25 Independence Day for Uruguay.
|
SEPTEMBER
- Sept. 8 Feast of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre, patron of Cuba.
- Sept. 10 St. George’s Cay Day (Belize). The Battle of St. George’s Cay
in 1798 was won by a handful of locals over a superior Spanish force.
- Sep 15 Independence Day for Central American nations (El Salvador, Costa
Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua). Commemorates the declaration of
independence from Spain in 1821.
- Sep 16 Mexican Independence Day or 16 de septiembre, celebrates the day
that Miguel Hidalgo delivered El Grito de Dolores, and announced the Mexican
revolt against Spanish rule.
- Sep 18 Independence Day for Chile. Also known as Fiestas Patrias and El
Dieciocho.
- Sep 21 Independence Day for Belize. Belize was known as British Honduras
prior to their independence from the United Kingdom on September 21, 1981.
- Sep 23 Grito de Lares. Anniversary of the uprising that initiated the
movement for Puerto Rican independence from Spain.
|
|
|
|
OCTOBER
- Oct 10 Grito de Yara (Cuba). The revolt of Yara begun Cuba’s struggle
for independence from Spain on this day.
- Oct 12 Spanish National Day, also known as Día de la Hispanidad (Spain).
In most of the Spanish-speaking countries celebrated as Dia de la Raza,
Columbus Day, or Panamerican Day. This holiday commemorates the arrival of
Christopher Columbus in America. A holiday with complex and changing
meanings. Hispanics in the U.S. are split on their political feelings about
the holiday.
- Oct 18 Señor de los Milagros or Our Lord of Miracles (Peru). Also called
the holiday of the Purple Christ. The holiday stems from the 1700s when a
huge earthquake destroyed Lima, but a painting of the Purple Christ was not
affected.
|
NOVEMBER
- Nov 1 & 2 Día de los Muertos or Day of the Dead (Mexico, Central
America). Traditionally, it is a day to celebrate and honor one’s ancestors.
It’s based on the belief that there is interaction between the living world
and the world of spirits. On the Día de los Muertos, the almas, or the
spirits of the dead, are said to come back for family reunions. Many
celebrate setting up ofrendas (altars) in their homes to honor the memory of
deceased loved ones and to welcome their visiting souls. Others visit their
loved one’s cemetery plot and decorate it with flowers, candles and food.
The holiday is celebrated with family and community gatherings, music, and
feasting, and the festivity of its observance acknowledges death as an
integral part or life.
- Nov 2 All Souls’ Day. Día de Todos los Santos. This Christian holiday
celebrates the memory of all early martyrs and saints.
- Nov 3 Independence Day for Panama.
- Nov 5 First Call for Independence (El Salvador): Commemorates the first
battle for independence in 1811, led by Padre José Matías Delgado.
- Nov. 11 Cartagena Independence Day (Colombia). Commemorates the city of Cartagena’s declaration of independence made in 1811.
- Nov 19 Feast of Nuestra Señora de la Divina Providencia or Our Lady of
Divine Providence, Puerto Rico’s patron virgin.
- Nov 20 Mexican Revolution Day. Anniversary of the Mexican Revolution of
1910 against dictator Porfirio Diaz.
|
|
DECEMBER
- Dec 6 Day of the Constitution, Spain.
- Dec 8 Immaculate Conception, celebrated in many Spanish-speaking
countries.
- Dec 12 Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe or the Feast Day of our Lady of
Guadalupe, patron saint of Mexico. The Virgin Mary is said to have appeared
to an Indian, Juan Diego on this date in 1531.
- Dec 16-24 Las Posadas (Mexico, Guatemala and other Central American
countries). Las Posadas commemorate the journey of Mary and Joseph to
Bethlehem and their search for a place to stay. Family and friends visit one
another in their homes and enjoy conversations and traditional foods, and
visitors sing carols.
- Colombians celebrate a similar holiday called “La Novena”, and for nine
days, families pray and sing traditional carols.
- Dec 24 & 25 La Nochebuena y la Navidad, Christmas Eve and Christmas. In
many Catholic countries, people attend midnight mass on Christmas Eve.
Preparing traditional foods is also an integral part of the holiday.
Mexicans get together for a “tamalada” or a tamal-making session. A tamal is
usually made of shredded pork and corn meal called masa, and tucked into a
corn shuck or leaf. Puerto Ricans prepare pasteles puertorriqueños which are
encased in plantain leaves and stuffed with black beans, pork, raisins, and
other ingredients. Cubans often have a lechón asado, a roasted pork dish. In
Peru, they celebrate with hot chocolate and panettone, and Italian
sweetbread.
- Dec 31 New Year’s Eve. In Latin America, Catholic families celebrate New
Years’ Eve by attending mass and having a special meal together. Quite
often, there are fireworks and celebrations. In Spain and some other
countries, twelve grapes are eaten in the seconds before the stroke of
midnight; the grapes symbolize the 12 months in the old year, and the year
to come. It is
|
|
| |
|