Puerto Rico’s Christmas season is getting under way with the traditional Christmas lightings held in towns across the island over the coming weeks, offering music, performances, food and family activities for residents and visitors. In one town, Mayor Jesús Resto Rivera announced a 2026 Christmas lighting that preserves local customs and traditions in the public square, starting November 13 with stage performances and food.
A Christmas lighting will be held November 27 in that city’s urban center across three stages at the Paseo de las Artes, Plaza Santiago R. Palmer and Paseo Gautier, with invited artists Willie González, Andrés Jiménez, La Sonora Ponceña, Elvis Crespo, René González, Danny Rivera, Sergio Vargas, Maelo Ruiz, Hermes Croatto and Giselle. From November 28 through December, a Christmas Train will run at Plaza Santiago R. Palmer on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Plaza Las Delicias lights up November 19 with El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Alejandro Croatto and Harold Pratts and his Jíbara Banda, plus free rides for children, food and local artisans.
The Cabo Rojo municipal government holds its lighting November 7 at Plaza Pública Dr. Ramón Emeterio Betances y Alacán, billed as the Southwest’s first, with live music, artisans and school performances. Another town lights up November 28 at Plaza Almirante Cristóbal Colón and the town hall with José Nogueras, Víctor Manuelle and Milly Quezada, and a November 28 public-square celebration features Gilberto Santa Rosa, Plena Libre and el Junte Juanadino.