SanSe festival sets all‑time attendance record, topping 1 million visitors

San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo announced that an estimated 1,083,881 people visited Old San Juan over the San Sebastián Street Festival’s four‑day run. According to municipal monitoring platforms, 367,387 attendees were recorded on Sunday night alone at around 11 p.m.

By THE STAR STAFF

San Juan Municipal Police Commissioner Juan Jackson said Monday that the 2026 San Sebastián Street Festival drew historic attendance levels, surpassing previous years and setting a new record for one of Puerto Rico’s most celebrated cultural events.

San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo announced that an estimated 1,083,881 people visited Old San Juan over the festival’s four‑day run. According to municipal monitoring platforms, 367,387 attendees were recorded on Sunday night alone at around 11 p.m.

“Beyond any number or record, what mattered most to us was ensuring these Fiestas unfolded in an organized and safe way, where everyone felt they could enjoy an event planned for months,” Romero said. “We wanted our culture to flourish and for San Juan to once again serve as Puerto Rico’s showcase to the island and the world -- and we achieved that.”

Romero emphasized that the administration’s priority was not to compete with last year’s attendance but to guarantee a well‑coordinated experience for residents and visitors. The city deployed a broad operational plan that integrated security, emergency response, transportation, logistics and municipal services.

“This year we saw our diaspora return home to relive what the San Sebastián Street Festival means, and thousands of tourists experienced what it’s like to have the longest holiday season in the world,” the mayor added. “With this celebration, our Christmas season officially concludes -- with a united country celebrating its culture in its capital.”

Romero noted that while isolated incidents can occur at events of this scale, the festival demonstrated that municipal teams were fully prepared.

“Given the massive number of attendees, our response was immediate, responsible, and rooted in transparency,” he said.

Municipal officials also praised the overwhelmingly positive behavior of revelers and the coordinated work of city departments, security agencies, health personnel and support crews -- efforts they say ensured that the 2026 edition remained a historic, safe and successful celebration.

“These Fiestas confirm that San Juan knows how to organize, how to welcome, and how to celebrate in a big way -- but most importantly, how to take care of its people,” the mayor said. “That is the real achievement behind this record.”