Discovery Day is a public holiday in Puerto Rico, observed on November 19 each year. The holiday commemorates when Christopher Columbus arrived on the island on November 19, 1493. The island was inhabited by the Taino Indians when Columbus arrived, and Columbus named the island San Juan Bautista in honor of St. John the Baptist.
In 1508, Juan Ponce de León, one Spanish explorer under Columbus, founded the first Spanish settlement and later served as the first governor of Puerto Rico. In the early 16th century, the Spanish people began to colonize the island. Some Taino Indians were forced to work, and the Indian population suffered high fatalities because of infectious diseases.
The following is the list of Discovery Day in Puerto Rico from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery Day | Nov 19, 2022 | Saturday |
| Discovery Day | Nov 19, 2023 | Sunday |
| Discovery Day | Nov 19, 2024 | Tuesday |
| Discovery Day | Nov 19, 2025 | Wednesday |
| Discovery Day | Nov 19, 2026 | Thursday |
Please check more public holidays in Puerto Rico: