Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico Friendship Day

Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico Friendship Day is a public holiday in U.S. Virgin Islands, and it is observed on the second Monday in October each year. The holiday celebrates on the same day as Columbus Day to commemorate the friendship established between the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

The U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are both island countries in the northeast Caribbean sea, and the distance between is very close only about 40 miles. Both are unincorporated territories of the United States, which made it easier for people to travel from one place to another.

According to the census, about 10% of the population in the U.S. Virgin Islands are Puerto Ricans, and many residents can trace their family history to other Caribbean islands including Puerto Rico.

The Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico Friendship Day was established in 1964 by Governor Ralph Moses Paiewonsky in honor of the substantial contributions of the Puerto Ricans to the development of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The following is the list of Virgin Islands-Puerto Rico Friendship Day in the U.S. Virgin Islands from 2022 to 2026.