San Juan Festival Bathed in Tradition

Locals and visitors alike dive into the sea for luck in commemoration the birth of  John the Baptist, Puerto Rico’s patron saint.

By Rafael Carranza
Latino Reporter
Their backs to the ocean, thousands of people fell into the lukewarm waters of the Caribbean Sea Tuesday night in Puerto Rico, honoring the island’s patron saint in their traditional way.
“We rushed to the beach, took off our clothes and ran into the water,” said Alvand Abdolsalehi, a student journalist visiting Puerto Rico. “We heard people cheer, people tumble down.”
The sea plunge is part of a centuries old tradition that commemorates the birth of Saint John the Baptist, or San Juan Bautista, Puerto Rico’s patron saint. It takes place the night before June 24, San Juan Bautista’s birth date, and is celebrated at beaches all over Puerto Rico, especially in San Juan.
“By throwing themselves in the water at 12am, they will receive good luck and prosperity,” said Victor Rivera, Assistant Director of Culture and Tourism for the San Juan Municipality, who organizes the festival in the area.
This year, the city’s festival began on Saturday and ended Tuesday night with a large gathering at Ocean Park Beach in Condado, though Rivera added that celebrations happened throughout all of Puerto Rico, wherever there is a beach.
One such place was the Caribe Hilton, were the National Association of Hispanic Journalists held a welcome reception centered on la Noche de San Juan for arriving participants to its 2009 Convention.
“I hope that it will end up bringing you good luck,” NAHJ member Elizabeth Sanchez said. “Times are changing in the industry.”
Journalists could use some luck in the wake of the recession and cuts in jobs.
For others like Abdolsalehi, the real action was at the public beaches, like El Escambrón.
“I want to go where the Puerto Rican people are,” he said. “If it’s a yearly tradition, I want to spend it with national people who celebrate it every year.”
Abdolsalehi said he was confused about the number of times he was supposed to fall back in the water — he ended doing it three times – but for him it was still an enjoyable experience.
“It was fun going. We were in the water for an hour,” he said. “The party never ended. Even when we left, people were still in the water.”
Not everyone follows the tradition.
“I don’t like the crowding,” said Esther Figueroa of San Sebastian, Puerto Rico.
Instead, she opts to follow an alternate tradition. “[You] put three garlic cloves under your pillow, one peeled, another half peeled, and the other unpeeled,” she said. “It’s superstition to bring good luck.”

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