Virgin Islands–Puerto Rico Friendship Day

Virgin Islands – Puerto Rico Friendship Day is a public holiday celebrated in the U.S. Virgin Islands on the second Monday in October.

Virgin Islands – Puerto Rico Friendship Day
VI-PR Friendship Seal 2006
Also called	Puerto Rico Friendship Day, VI-PR Friendship Day
Observed by	United States Virgin Islands
Date	Second Monday in October
2019 date	October 14  (2019-10-14)
2020 date	October 12  (2020-10-12)
2021 date	October 11  (2021-10-11)
2022 date	October 10  (2022-10-10)
Frequency	annual
Related to	Columbus Day

Established in 1964 by Governor Paiewonsky, it honors Puerto Ricans who reside in or who have made substantial contributions to the Virgin Islands.[1] The date was chosen to coincide with Columbus Day, as "an appropriate day for commemorating the solidarity of Americans in the Caribbean".[2]

Puerto Ricans in the U.S. Virgin Islands

The Puerto Rican mainland is about 40 miles from the U.S. Virgin Islands (with the Puerto Rican islands of Culebra and Vieques lying in between), and many Puerto Ricans have lived in the Virgin Islands since at least the turn of the 20th century.[1] As of 2010, about 10% of the population of the U.S. Virgin Islands (18% of Saint Croix, 3% of Saint Thomas) is Puerto Rican.[3]

Puerto Ricans in the U.S. Virgin Islands

• Juan Francisco Luis, third elected governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands[4]
• Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, historian who attended high school on Saint Thomas.[5]

Celebrations

Celebrations take place throughout the first half of October, including a sunset jazz concert, a family-fun day, dance and craft workshops, cock-fighting demonstrations, a paso fino horse presentation and a cultural exchange event.[6] Other events include a 5K race, sports tournaments, school presentations, a coronation, a parade, and a cultural village with food, arts and crafts, and bands.[7][8]

See also

• Public holidays in the United States Virgin Islands

References

1. "The New Generation Continuing the VI-PR Tradition". Virgin Islands This Week. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
2. "October 2015 Holidays / Celebrations in the United States Virgin Islands". VI Department of Education. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
3. Bureau, U.S. Census. "American FactFinder – Results". Archived from the original on February 14, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
4. Bauer, John (June 5, 2011). "Former Gov. Juan F. Luis Dies at 70". St. Croix Source. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
5. Robert Knight, "Arthur Alfonso 'Afroborinqueno' Schomburg" Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, History Notes, Global African Community. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
6. "Celebrate National Holidays with a Unique Virgin Islands Flare". VI Department of Tourism. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
7. "Virgin Islands & Puerto Rico over Half a Century of Friendship". Virgin Islands This Week. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
8. McKay, Elisa (September 30, 2019). "V.I. and Puerto Rico to Celebrate 55 Years of Unity, Culture, and Friendship". St Croix Source. Retrieved October 13, 2019.

External links

• October 2015 holidays in the USVI