04/19/2026
Honor a el gran Ricardo Alegría quien revivió las Fiestas de la calle Sanse Bastian en el 1970.
Dr. Ricardo Alegría (1921–2011) was a pioneering archaeologist and anthropologist known as the "Father of Modern Puerto Rican Archaeology". He was the first director of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture and is credited with rescuing the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián from obscurity in the 1970s.
Wikipedia
Wikipedia
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The Revival of the Festival
"La SanSe," short for Las Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián, is Puerto Rico's largest street festival, held annually in January in Old San Juan.
thespoonexperience.com
thespoonexperience.com
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Origins: The festival began in the 1950s as a religious procession and fundraiser organized by Father Juan Manuel Madrazo of San José Church.
Hiatus and Rescue: After Madrazo left the church, the event was discontinued. In 1970, Ricardo Alegría proposed reviving the tradition to community leader Rafaela Balladares de Brito.
Modern Purpose: Alegría’s goal was to create an event that celebrated Puerto Rican culture while raising funds for the Colegio de Párvulos, a local elementary school.
thespoonexperience.com
thespoonexperience.com
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Cultural Legacy
Alegría dedicated his life to preserving Puerto Rico's heritage, including its indigenous Taíno roots and African legacy. He believed that cultural knowledge builds self-confidence and happiness. Under his influence, the festival evolved from a small parish event into a massive cultural celebration featuring:
Los Afro-Latinos
Los Afro-Latinos
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Cabezudo Parades: Costume parades with participants wearing enormous oversized heads.
Artisans: Displays of traditional crafts by hundreds of local artisans.
Music and Dance: Performances of bomba, plena, and other traditional genres across various plazas in Old San Juan.
https://www.facebook.com/share/1LvPGb3Fky/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Hoy celebramos el natalicio de Don Ricardo Alegría Gallardo, visionario que sembró las bases de nuestra identidad cultural y fundador del Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña.
Nacido un 14 de abril de 1921 en San Juan, Alegría dedicó su vida a descubrir, preservar y contar la historia de Puerto Rico. Desde sus primeras excavaciones en Monserrate, Luquillo, hasta investigaciones en Cueva María de la Cruz, Hacienda Grande y el Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Caguana, su trabajo permitió reconstruir las raíces de nuestros pueblos originarios y entender quiénes somos.
Antropólogo, arqueólogo e historiador, su legado trasciende la academia. Fue el primer Director Ejecutivo del ICP, donde impulsó museos, festivales, centros culturales y programas que aún hoy fortalecen nuestras tradiciones, nuestra artesanía y nuestro sentido de pertenencia.
Gracias a su visión, Puerto Rico no solo conserva su patrimonio… lo celebra. 🇵🇷
Hoy, en el ICP, honramos su vida y su legado, reafirmando nuestro compromiso de proteger, estudiar y compartir la riqueza cultural que nos define como pueblo.
