The El Morro Artisan Fair starts at 10am each day, and visitors to the fair can experience a wide variety of local handicrafts including sculptures, paintings, wood carvings and more. Being a fair here in Puerto Rico there will also be the chance to sample local Puerto Rican food as well as enjoying traditional Puerto Rican music.

Last year the artisan fair was set up in tents at the beginning of the walkway to El Morro and I expect it to be located in a similar area this year. If you plan on driving, you can park in the underground car park opposite El Morro, or use one of the car parks close to the cruise ship piers and then either walk up to El Morro or take the Free Old San Juan Trolley to El Morro.

What: El Morro Artisan Fair
Where: Grounds in front of El Morro Fort, Old San Juan
When: Jul 31 – Aug 1, 2010

Currently the Olympic Torch is traveling the island, making its way to Mayaguez for the Opening Ceremony on Saturday July 17. The Olympic Flame will then leave the island on August 1 during the closing ceremony of the 2010 Central American & Caribbean Games.

Countries and Events

Athletes from 31 countries in the Caribbean and Central American region will participate in 32 sporting events during the games with the majority of the events taking place at venues in and around Mayaguez as well as 16 municipalities in the west, south west and north west regions of Puerto Rico. There will also be some events taking place outside of Puerto Rico in Columbia, Guyana and Guatemala.

Here in Puerto Rico the events scheduled to take place include; Archery, Artistic Gymnastics, Athletics (Track and Field including the marathon), Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Bowling, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Diving, Equestrian, Field Hockey, Football (the World Cup kind), Handball, Judo, Karate, Racquetball, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Roller Skating, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Softball, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball, Water Polo, Weightlifting, and Wrestling.

Body Building, Fencing, Modern Pentathlon, Rugby, Squash, Trampoline and Water Skiing are the events taking place outside of Puerto Rico.

You can find a full list of events and locations at the mayaguez2010 site

Ticket Purchase

There will be 2 ticket options available during the 2010 Central American & Caribbean Games depending on the sporting event taking place. Events marked as Verde (Green) are FREE and include Archery, Badminton, Baseball, Bowling, Canoeing, Cycling, Equestrians, Fencing, Hand Ball, Hockey, Judo, Karate, Racket Ball, Rowing, Sailing, Shooting, Skating, Taekwondo, Table Tennis, Triathlon, Weight Lifting and Wrestling. If you are interested in seeing any of the FREE events, tickets will be made available on the day of the event at the venue 2 hours before the start of event and will be a first come first served basis.

For all the other events marked as Amarilla (yellow), there will be a charge of $4 (plus tax and service fee) with a limit of 4 tickets per person per event, up to a maximum of 8 tickets. Tickets are available online at Ticket Center and at Ticket Center locations around the island. The Amarilla events include Basketball, Baseball Finals, Beach Volleyball, Boxing, Gymnastics, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Track & Field, Tennis, Volleyball and Water Polo.

If you do plan on attending the 2010 Central American & Caribbean Games make sure you allow for ample time to reach the venue and for finding parking space as traffic at the various venues is expected to be heavy.

What: 2010 Central American & Caribbean Games
Where: Mayaguez and various venues around Puerto Rico
When: July 17 – August 1, 2010
Cost: Free (Verde / Green) events, $4 plus tax (Amarilla / Yellow) events

More info at Mayaguez2010

Image resources: Mayaguez2010

The evenings celebrations begin with gatherings at local beaches where family and friends enjoy food music and dancing. Then on the stroke of midnight, those gathered at the beach will walk backwards into the sea and fall backwards to immerse themselves in the water. They do this 3 times as traditions says that you will have ‘good luck’ for the rest of the year.

The larger gatherings will take at the beaches around San Juan, but you will find celebrations taking place at most beaches around the island and even in swimming pools.

If you plan on joining in with this annual tradition then make sure you head to your chosen beach early as finding a parking spot and a place on the beach can be difficult due to the large number of people that gather.

For the San Juan area you should consider the beaches along Condado, Isla Verde, Ocean Park, , Carolina, as well as Escambron Beach. Outside of San Juan, check with where you are staying for the nearest beach celebration; there is sure to be one nearby.

If you would like to take part in La Noche de San Juan, find a beach, get there early, be prepared to get wet and have a great time doing so.

What: La Noche de San Juan, Puerto Rico
When: Evening of June 23 with the traditional walking backwards into the sea at Midnight
Where: All around the island.
Cost: Getting Wet

The celebration of La Noche de San Juan is not unique to Puerto Rico as it is also celebrated in other countries around the world. In Ireland as well as celebrating with water, bonfires are lit and the ashes are used to spread on the land. In Scandinavia people gather to jump over bonfires as a sign of courage. Fires are also lit in Brazil as people celebrate the birthday of St John the Baptist.

Have you taken part in La Noche de San Juan celebrations here in Puerto Rico or in other parts of the world? Would love to hear about them in the comments below.

Resources: NAHJVideos

The 2 day event will showcase traditional BBQ cooking methods along with the Puerto Rican Lechon Asado cooking method of roasting whole pigs on a spit over open coals. So if you have always wanted to see how lechon is traditionally made and have never been able to make it to Guavate, then the Cattlemen’s BBQ competition is a great opportunity to see local teams cooking up this traditional Puerto Rican food.

Saturday July 3 is Lechon Day
Teams will be cooking whole pigs weighing in at around 50-60 pounds using the traditional spit and open coals method of cooking

Sunday July 4 is Tradional BBQ Day
Teams will be cooking various joints of meet using slow smoking and grilling in the traditional American BBQ Style. Categories include: Pork Rib, Beef, BBQ Sauce, Anything Goes, Poultry and Dessert

Along with the 2 day team BBQ competitions there will also be a Chef’s Grilling Challenge on Saturday. This competition will see 8 talented local chefs competing against each other to see how reigns supreme on the BBQ grill.

During the day, 2 chefs will compete against each other in a grill off using a box of secret ingredients, fresh local produce and 1 hour to create something special. The winners of each round will then compete until only ONE chef remains. The winning chef will be crowned ‘The Top Grilling Chef in Puerto Rico’

Finally there will also be the ‘Showmanship Prize’ that will be given to the BBQ team that has entertained the public the most. So look out for colorful decorated booths, traditional music and more from the various competing teams.

If all this BBQ talk is making you hungry, don’t worry; FREE SAMPLES will be provided by the various teams throughout the two day event.

What: 2010 Cattlemen’s BBQ Competition
Where: Puerto Rico Convention Center, San Juan
When: July 3 – 4, 2010
More info: here

You can find the Puerto Rico Convention Center on our interactive map here

Ok, so you have just read the ‘First Time to Puerto Rico: 5 Essential Day Trips’ article and you are thinking to yourself. ‘We’ve done all those’ or ‘We’re looking for something a bit less touristy’.

What options do you have?

Answer: PLENTY

For anyone that has already been to Puerto Rico and explored the first time day trip destinations, or for those of you who would like to explore ‘off the beaten track’ locations, Puerto Rico has plenty to offer.

Here are 4 alternative day trip ideas to get you started.

Lago Dos Bocas

Lago Dos Bocas is a man-made lake located in the Utuado area of Puerto Rico, approximately 90 minutes west of San Juan. Don’t let the ‘man-made’ put you off, trust me, the location is great, the lake is impressive and as an added bonus it has 4 great lakeside restaurants.

The best times to go are on weekends and local holidays (if you want to enjoy the restaurants) and it is best to plan on arriving at the lake around midday or early afternoon. From the lakeside car park you will have the choice of four restaurants all serving traditional Puerto Rican dishes, with all four restaurants located on the same stretch of lakeshore. Just pick a restaurant, jump on board their boat and enjoy the 10+ minute boat ride to the restaurant.

If you don’t plan on eating, you can still enjoy a ride on one of the boast run by Department of Transport, which offer tours of the lake

Additional ideas for the area include; the Arecibo Observatory, Arecibo Lighthouse Park , the Caguana Ceremonial Park and the Cueva Ventana.. If you start your day early enough, you could easily fit one or more of these into your day trip.

Guavate

If it’s a must stop for the Travel Channels Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern when they visit Puerto Rico, then for those of you looking for an ‘off the beaten path’ day trip location; Guavate is the place. And what was it that Bourdain and Zimmern were enjoying in Guavate; Traditional Puerto Rican Lechon. Guavate is the mecca for roasted pig on the island and recommended for anyone looking to taste this traditional Puerto Rican food.

Located south of San Juan, the drive can take around 1 hour or more depending on traffic. The best time to go is on a weekend or local holiday (though some of the Lechoneras are open every day), but be warned, you could be stuck in traffic for a while, as Guavate is extremely popular with local Puerto Rican Families.

What can you expect in Guavate: A choice of Lechoneras (family style restaurants) roasting up whole pigs and serving the moist tender pork with traditional Puerto Rican sides such as: rice and beans, mofongo, morcillas, tostones etc. As well as the great food you will also be able to enjoy traditional Puerto Rican music and dancing. It really is a place where families go to enjoy good food, music and conversation.

Drive the East Coast

Spend the day on a leisurely drive down the east coast of Puerto Rico enjoying towns, beaches and great ocean and mountain views. From Fajardo (about 1 hour east of San Juan), head south on the single lane Route 3 and enjoy the scenery. Sections of the road are not very well sign posted so make sure have a map or a gps or do what we do and use google maps if you have an iPhone / smartphone.

Route 3 meanders down the east coast giving you spectacular ocean views and views of the south side of El Yunque. As you drive south keep your eyes open for beach signs ‘Playa’ and take these detours to check out some small beaches along the way.

Route 3 will take you through Cieba, Puerto deNaguabo, Playa de Humacoa, Punta Santiago, Humacoa, Yabucoa. The 1.5 mile stretch of road from Puerto de Naguabo to Playa de Humacoa runs just feet from the ocean with several areas where you can pull over to park and just enjoy the ocean views.

From Yabucoa you can either return north though you should check out Playa Lucia on Road 901 first or continue south on Road 901 for more spectacular views (and a very winding road) to Maunabo, where you will find beaches and the Punta Tuna Lighthouse.

If you decide to head to Manuabo, you can continue along Highway 53 passing through Guayama and Patillas and then head north on Highway 52 back to San Juan

Make sure you stop at one of the many roadside food stalls, to pick up some local snack foods along the way.

Visit the West Coast

Let me start by saying that if you can afford the time then allow yourself a couple of days to see the west coast of Puerto Rico. Having said that if you only have one day and are OK with spending a lot of time in the car, then go for it, just make sure you set out really early and plan on arriving back late in the evening,

You can head west using Highway 22 and Highway 2 which will take you along the north coast or head south from San Juan on Highway 52 and then Highway 2 (southern section) west. The route will depend on which areas in the west you want to see. Google maps indicate a trip time of around 2 hours to Mayaguez from San Juan, but you should realistically allow 2.5 – 3 hours driving time.

Areas that you should consider include:

Guanica for its beaches, the dry forest and Gilligans Island

Cabo Rojo for beaches, the salt flats, Isla de Ratones and the Cabo Rojo Lighthouse

Rincon for beaches (surfing), Desecheo Island and the Rincon Lighthouse (which makes for a good whale spotting location Feb-Apr)

You probably won’t be able to see all of these but make sure you stay to see the great sunsets (weather permitting)

They you go, just a few ideas for day trips that are a little different to the regular tourist places and will allow you to see and experience more of what Puerto Rico has to offer.

If you have any other suggestions for alternative day trips, add them to the comments below.

Photo resources using Creative Commons license: scaredy kat (Guavate) and Oquendo (Cabo Rojo)

If you are like me, you like to plan ahead, especially if you’re a visiting a place for the very first time. Here in Puerto Rico there are a lot of things to see and do especially if you are willing to explore beyond the San Juan metro area, and for those visiting the island for the first time, deciding what are the ‘must sees’ can be a little overwhelming.

To help you in your decision making progress here are my 5 Essential Day Trips for first time visitors to Puerto Rico. Obviously, unless you are here for a week or more, you won’t be able to fit all of these in to your trip, but you should definitely make plans to visit a few of them; you can always see the rest on your next trip.

Old San Juan

Old San Juan is my NUMBER 1 MUST SEE for any one visiting Puerto Rico for the first time. The city dominated by its two forts and city walls dates back to the early 15th century and has been classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. You can easily spend a day walking around the narrow cobbled streets exploring:

El Morro Fort located at the entrance to San Juan Bay. This is my ‘go to’ fort when I visit Old San Juan. I love the location, the views of the bay and it makes for great kite flying.

San Juan Cemetery located next to El Morro Fort where will find the resting place for several famous Puerto Ricans.

San Cristobal Fort is the largest Spanish fortification in the New World and like El Morro it offers some great views of Old San Juan and the surrounding areas.

Numerous museums including; African Heritage Museum. Galeria Nacional and Museo Casa Blanca to name a few

Take a break at one of the many picturesque plazas located around Old San Juan. Here you can people watch, grab a refreshment and recharge your batteries for further exploration of the city.

Stroll along Paseo de La Princesa, a promenade that follows beside the city walls towards the San Juan gate. On weekends you will find local artisan stalls and musicians along the promenade.

Stroll along Paseo El Morro for more views of the entrance to San Juan Bay and the imposing El Morro Fort above. The walk is currently a dead end but there are plans to extend it along the north side of El Morro with the possibility of a new entrance being added to the fort. So at the moment you have to retrace your steps back to the San Juan Gate, but it is well worth the walk.

Numerous restaurants and bars to satisfy all tastes and price ranges, including excellent street food from roadside vendors.

Other ways to see the city include the FREE Old San Juan trolley, Horse and Carriage rides or try the Old San Juan Segway tour.

El Yunque Rain Forest

Located 45 minutes east of San Juan on Route 3, El Yunque Rain Forest is an easy drive if you have a rental car or check with your hotel for local tour operators.

El Yunque is the ONLY rainforest that comes under the United States Forest Services and is located on slopes of the Sierra de Luquillo Mountains. El Toro is the highest mountain peak in the forest at 3,537ft (1065 meters) above sea level.

Within El Yunque there are several well marked trails for all levels of fitness as well as a visitor’s center ‘El Portal Rain Forest Center’ that provides information and displays about El Yunque. One of the many highlights of the forest are the waterfalls that can be found along some of the trails that make for a great photo opportunity and also the chance to cool off.

The main trails in El Yunque include: Big Tree Trail, La Mina Trail, Caimitilla Trail, Bano de Oro Trail, El Yunque Trail and Mt. Britton Trail. For the more adventurous out there, you might want to check out the trails south side of El Yunque with a tour guide.

If you have a rental car then consider making a stop at the Luquillo Kiosks just a few miles past the El Yunque turn off on Route 3. Here you will find small kiosks serving a variety of local Puerto Rican food and various international themed kiosks too. You could also spend some time relaxing at Luquillo beach.

Bioluminescent Bays

Puerto Rico is fortunate to have 3 Bioluminescent Bays accessible to visitors to the island; Laguna Grande near Fajardo, Mosquito Bay on Vieques and La Parguera on the south west coast. If the moon phase is right for your visit to Puerto Rico then a Bio-Bay tour SHOULD be on your ‘to-do’ list. The bays are illuminated by the tiny single-celled bioluminescent dinoflagellates emit a bluish light when agitated.

The ONLY way to see the bio-bays is with an organized tour. There are many bio-bay tour operators in Puerto Rico who offer tours in kayaks or electric boats depending on how you want to see the bays, with some of the operators will also offer transport as part of the package.

One thing to take into consideration when choosing a tour is the fact that currently swimming is ONLY allowed in Mosquito Bay over on Vieques (which can be done as an evening boat trip from Fajardo). For the Laguna Grande and La Parguera bays you will have to enjoy just placing your hands in the bay. For a list of tour operators see here

Ponce

Ponce located on the south side (Caribbean side) of the island is Puerto Rico’s second largest city. From San Juan it is a straightforward 1 -1.5 hour drive south along Highway 52 with spectacular mountain and sea views. Highlights for a visit to Ponce include:

Ponce Cathedral.

Parque de Bombas is one of the most photographed buildings in Ponce. The old fire house is now a museum.

Plaza Las Delicias is the main city square.

Casa Alcaldía, Ponce City Hall.

Museo de Arte de Ponce is a great place to visit unfortunately as of writing this article the museum is closed for renovations.

Castillo Serralles is a 1930’s mansion that sits above the north of the city. The mansion highlights the history sugar cane and rum industries of the area

Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes. The ceremonial grounds that were first discovered in 1975 is is the oldest Antillean Indian ceremonial and sporting complex discovered in Puerto Rico

Hacienda Buena Vista a renovated coffee plantation.

Paseo Tablado La Guancha close to the marina that features food kiosks and is a popular spot with locals on weekend.

Culebra

Culebra is the day trip destination if you are looking for a day at one of the world’s top beaches. There are many small beaches on Culebra where you can spend the day, but Flamenco Beach is the one that gets talked about the most. Set within a protective cove that provides calm waters that are great for snorkeling or just enjoying the sea and san, the 1.5 mile Blue Flag beach is a must stop on a visit to Culebra

There are two choices for getting to Culebra: You can either fly (from San Juan or Ceiba) or take the Culebra ferry from Fajardo. If you have a car and want to save money then the 1.5 hour ferry trip would be your best option, with boats leaving Fajardo at 9am and returning from Culebra at 5pm.

Once on Culebra you will find local publicos (taxis) that will take you to Flamenco Beach and various spots around the island and then just arrange to have them pick you up later in the day. There are also local car rental companies if you would prefer to explore the island and scuba and snorkel tour operators, if you would prefer exploring the ocean.

These are just 5 potential days trips that I feel are ‘must sees’ for first time visitors to Puerto Rico. They are all easily accessible from San Juan and reasonably accessible from other areas of the island (though the Culebra trip would be pushing it a bit from the west coast).

Hopefully you will have the chance to experience a few of them while you are here and then catch the rest on your next trip.

Do you have any other suggestions? What are your must sees for FIRST TIME Visitors? Add them to the comments below.

Photo resource using creative commons: wiki (El Yunque), Adigupta (laguna grande), Chispy2 (Ponce) and blucolt (Flamenco Beach)

The first game will be played at LA Galaxy between July 27-29 with the return leg here in Puerto Rico at the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium, Bayamon, the following week. The winners of the tie will advance into Group D along with Olimpia (Honduras), either Santos or Toluca (Mexican Clausura champion) and the winner of Central America 11 versus Xelaju.

The Puerto Rico Islanders have not made the best of starts to their 2010-2011 NASL Conference campaign having won 2 and lost 3. Manager Colin Clarke has brought in a few new players this season, but will be counting on the fans favorite Bill Gaudette in goal to be on top form to try to keep a clean sheet in both games.

This will be the second time that the LA Galaxy has visited Puerto Rico, they were here two seasons ago for a pre-season friendly and even though they will be without David Beckham the team should feature USA World Cup team members Landon Donovan and Edson Buddle. Having struggled with form last season, LA Galaxy have started the 2010 -2011 MLS season on a mission having played 10 games, winning 8 and drawing 2. If they keep that form up, the Puerto Rico Islanders will find it tough to progress to the group stages of the CONCACAF Champions League. Having said that, in cup games anything can happen and hopefully the Islanders can bring about a cup upset.

What: Puerto Rico Islanders v LA Galaxy in the CONCACAF Champions League (prelim round)
Where: Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium, Bayamon
When: First week in August (date to be announced)
More info here (and schedule for regular Puerto Rico Islander’s games)

You can find the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium on our interactive map here

Photo resources: oquendo and wjarrettc both using the Creative Commons license 2.0

SKIP THE FAST FOOD AND TRY THE STREET FOOD.

Yes you will find, Burger King, McDonalds, Pizza Hut etc. here in Puerto Rico, but you will also find: food stalls in Old San Juan, food kiosks at Luquillo, Lechoneras in Guavate and roadside food vendors all over the island, serving great inexpensive foods that you probably won’t find back home. I know which ones I would prefer to try…

Here in Puerto Rico there is an abundance of roadside stalls, carts and vans serving traditional Puerto Rican snack foods that are not only very tasty but also perfect for those on a budget. Whether you are sightseeing around Old San Juan, trekking through El Yunque Rainforest or discovering the island by car, you will find roadside vendors serving up mouth watering snack foods such as: empanadillas, alcapurrias, bacalaitos relleno de papa con carne, as well as more hearty dishes such as; lechon, arroz y habichuelas, mofongo, tostones, the list goes on.

You don’t have to just take my word for it, as Budget Travel just named Puerto Rico as the 5th best destination for street food in the world, citing Pinones as one of the best places on the island for frituras (fried snacks)

The roadside is not only place to find great reasonably priced foods, just head to one of the many Panadaria’s (bakery) for tasty sandwiches, snacks, pastries and Puerto Rican coffee. There are also plenty of locally run restaurants that are also reasonably priced serving traditional Puerto Rican dishes. Just ask at your hotel, check out our restaurant page, check salpr (a local restaurant listing website with reviews) or visit TripAdvisor for user recommendations

So remember, if you are on a budget here in Puerto Rico (and even if you are not), you know what to do; skip the fast foods and try the local foods, you won’t be disappointed

Here are just a few places we’ve found great cheap snacks around the island:

Old San Juan, vans and stalls selling traditional snack foods and local drinks such as; mavi, pina coladas and piraguas (flavored shaved ice)
Pinones, numerous roadside stalls and restaurants
Rd. 681 close to Arecibo Lighthouse Park, selling snack foods
Guavate, for Lechonera’s (local restaurants serving roast pig and traditional side dishes)
El Yunque, Isama Bakery
Luquillo kiosks, numerous small kiosks where you can grab a snack or a sit down meal
Rd. 901 near Yabucoa, road side stalls selling snack foods, fruits and drinks
Rd. 10 heading to Lago Dos Bocas and Utuado, road side stalls selling snack foods, fruits and drinks

You get the picture. Wherever you decide to explore you will find someone serving up great local foods.

Do you have favorite Puerto Rican street food (and location)? Share them in the comments below.

If you are here in Puerto Rico and love jazz; then this festival is a must see. Individual nightly tickets are available for $30-45 (depending on the night) or you can but a JazzPass for $120 which gives you access to the entire festival plus the added bonus of access to the Express Line that allows you to enter 15 mins before the official doors open (note, once the doors are open, even with a JazzPass you will have to enter through the regular lines)

This year’s Heineken JazzFest lineup includes:

Thursday, June 3rd
8:00 PM – Humberto Ramírez’ Jazz Project
9:30 PM – Paquito D’Rivera Septet

Friday, June 4th
8:00 PM – William Cepeda’s Ethno-Jazz Project
9:30 PM – George Wein & The Newport All-Stars
11:00 PM – Michel Camilo Trio

Saturday, June 5th
8:00 PM – Giovanni Tommaso APOGEO
9:30 PM – Miguel Zenón
11:00 PM – Chick Corea Trío

Sunday June 6th
5:00 PM – Berklee in Puerto Rico Student Band.
6:30 PM – Puerto Rico Heineken JazzFest Big Band, with special guests Eddie Gómez, David Valentín. Paquito D’Rivera, Michel Camilo, Alex Acuña, Eddie Palmieri , Chick Corea, Andy González, Giovanni Hidalgo and Gato Barbieri

For the past 20 plus years Puerto Rico has celebrated and honored jazz musicians and this year’s 20th anniversary will be a celebration of 20 years of jazz in Puerto Rico.

Past musicians honored at the Puerto Rico Heineken JazzFest:

1987: Juancito Torres at Plaza San Jose
1988: Eddie Gómez at Pkng Hospital Rodriguez
1989: Hilton Ruiz at Plaza Dársenas
1990: David Valentín at Plaza Dársenas

1991: Paquito D’Rivera at Plaza Dársenas
1992: Michel Camilo at the Antifeatro Luiz Muñez Marín
1993: Mongo Santamaría at the Antifeatro LMM
1994: Alex Acuña at the Antifeatro LMM

1995: Tito Puente at the Antifeatro LMM
1996: López Cachao at the Antifeatro LMM
1997: Ray Barretto at the Parque Sixto Escobar
1998: Eddie Palmieri at the Parque Sixto Escobar

1999: Chucho Valdés at the Parque Sixto Escobar
2000: Was the 10th anniversary of the Heineken JazzFest at the Parque Sixto Escobar
2001: Chucho Valdés at the Tito Puente Antifeatro ( formely known as the Antifeatro LMM)
2002: Patato Valdés at the Tito Puente Antifeatro

2003: Chick Corea at the Tito Puente Antifeatro
2004: Gato Barbieri at the Tito Puente Antifeatro
2005: Gal Costa at the Tito Puente Antifeatro
2006: Poncho Sánchez at the Tito Puente Antifeatro

2007: Arturo Sandoval at the Tito Puente Antifeatro
2008: Both Jerry and Andy González at the Tito Puente Antifeatro
2009: Giovanni Hidalgo at the Tito Puente Antifeatro
2010: This year is the 20th Anniversary of the Puerto Rico Heineken JazzFest at the Tito Puente Antifeatro and will celebrate 20 years of great jazz music here in Puerto Rico

What: 2010 Puerto Rico Heineken JazzFest
When: Thursday June 3 – Sunday June 6, 2010
Where: Tito Puente Antifeatro, San Juan
Cost: Thurs $30, Fri & Sat $35, Sun $45 or JazzPass for $120 available at TicketPop
More info: here

Article resource: Puerto Rico Heineken JazzFest

The USCGC Eagle will be open to the public on:

Friday, May 7 from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 8 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 9 from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Quick Facts:

• Built in 1936 by the Blohm and Voss Shipyard in Hamburg and named Horst Wessel
• Originally operated by Nazi Germany to train cadets for the German Navy
• United States took possession after World War II and gave it the name Eagle
• Used by United States Coast Guard Academy and candidates from the Officer Candidate School
• Typically has 12 officers, 68 crew, and up to 150 cadets
• Under full sail can reach speeds of 17 knots
• Length 295ft, 6 miles of running rigging and approximately 22,300square feet of sail
• 1,000 horsepower diesel engine with a range of 5,450nautical miles under diesel power

If you cannot get to see the the Eagle here in San Juan, it then check out its route for the next few months:

May 19 Cartagena, Colombia
May 29 La Guaira, Venezuela
June 11 Cozumel, Mexico
June 23 Veracruz, Mexico
July 2 Corpus Christi, TX
July 10 Tampa, FL
July 23 Miami, FL
July 30 Savannah, GA
Aug 6 Wilmington, NC
Aug 13 Arrive New London, CT

What: United States Coast Guard Cutter Eagle
Where: Pier 1, Old San Juan
When: May 7 – 9, 2010 (Fri 3pm-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm and Sun 10am-7pm)

Resources: USCGA, wiki