FANTASIA CARIBEÑA

A LOOK BEHIND THE “SEAMS” AT THE TROUPE THAT TRAVELS TO NYC EACH YEAR TO REPRESENT VIEQUES.

PLACITA REYES/FRUIT & VEG RT 200 & 201

TUES & FRI 8-4

VIEQUES FRUIT

MARKET (MUNDO)

MON-SAT 8AM-6PM

MAMBOS (RT 997)

EVERYDAY 7AM-9PM

MI GENTE

MON-THURS 7AM-9PM

FRI-SUN 7AM-10PM

PHARMACY

PHARMACIA REY

52 C. BENITEZ GUZMAN

MON-SAT 8AM-7PM

SUN 10-6

FARMERS MARKETS

PLACITA REYES

TUES & FRI 8AM-5PM

CORNER OF 201 & 200

MERCADO AGROECOLÓGICO

SAMBUBIA

2ND AND 4TH FRIDAY OF THE

MONTH 11AM-2PM ISABEL II PLAZA

JAHFLOR FARM WWW.PATREON.COM/JOIN/JAH-

FLOR • FRESH PRODUCE WEEKLY

PICK UP MEMBERSHIP

FISH MARKETS

PESCADERIA ANGELYZ

MON-FRI 10:30AM-2PM

NEAR FERRY DOCK IN ISABEL II

GAS STATIONS

THALERIA GAS STATION ISABEL II

MON-FRI 7AM-9PM

SAT-SUN 7AM-10PM

MARISOL GAS STATION

MONTE SANTO EVERYDAY 6AM-8PM

MONTE SANTO

GAS STATION

EVERYDAY 6AM-9PM

WHERE TO RECYCLE

CORNER OF CALLE BALDORIOTY DE CASTRO AND BENITEZ GUZMAN IN ISABEL II, across from Boys and Girls Club

BUNKER 403 on the West Side of Vieques on 994 serves as the recycling center. Past the airport, Parque La Ceiba and Crab Island Rum Distillery, the left turn to the recycling center is aprox 1 mi. past distillery. Look for the painted pallet signs.) After the turn take the right when the road splits and go down a little hill. The recycling center is the third bunker on the left. Leave your bagged recycables on the loading dock or in bins located at the entrance. Make a day of it by visiting the Ceiba tree, Rompeolas pier, Crab Island Rum Distillery and then visit the bunkers stopping at Bunker 403 to recycle!

DRY CARDBOARD • WASHED PLASTIC • ALUMINUM CANS • Hector Melendez, Director of Recycling, 787-646-4180.

The NYC Puerto Rican Day Parade has become the largest demonstration of ethnic pride in the nation and honors the inhabitants of Puerto Rico as well as the nearly 4 million Puerto Ricans residing in the States. Seen by over 2 million people and covered by all the major networks, the parade will once again feature the non profit Fantasia Caribeña, whose members have performed in the parade for the last 14 years. Led by the vision and leadership of Marisa Santiago, the troupe conceptualizes and fabricates all of their own elaborate costumes right here on Vieques. With the help of welder José Rijos, a display of pageantry is created from wire frames, feathers, beads, rhinestones and material that rival the world’s finest carnival costumes. This year’s parade will be held June 11, 2023 at 11:00 AM. Raising the funds to participate in the parade is no easy task. This year Fantasia Caribeña needs to raise $16,500 to ship the costumes and travel to New York. Learn more about Fantasia Caribeña on their Facebook page or make a donation to Banco Popular account #112236472.

In Puerto Rico and Vieques, La Noche de San Juan is a summer family tradition thought to bring good luck to participants. Generations of families, friends and visitors flock to Sunbay or Esperanza beach at midnight between June 23 and 24th to partake in what has become a cultural ritual. At the stroke of midnight those by the shore turn themselves around and begin walking backwards into the water where they dunk themselves three times in quick succession. La Noche de San Juan is a Christian celebration of pagan origin. The act of walking into the water backwards and dunking three times is symbolic of the act of baptism preached and practiced by St. John. It’s believed that on the eve of this day the waters are blessed with the power to cure diseases, cleanse the soul, drive evil spirits away and bring good luck.

Patronales is an annual celebration dedicated to the patron saint of the municipality. Vieques’ Patron saint is the Immaculate Conception of Mary and her official feast day is December 8th

The celebration held in July in the town plaza is often referred to as Patronales but this is inaccurate.

The July celebration is the Fiestas del Pueblo and is dedicated to the Virgen del Carmen, Patron Saint of the Fishermen.