Festival Puertorriqueño de njinc vineland

The Puerto Rican Festival is celebrating its 50 th Anniversary this year, 2017. In this period of time, the festival has offered continuing service to our community through good deeds and special activities with the unique goal of preserving the Puerto Rican values, culture and language Let’s celebrate the Puerto Rican week with pride in our hearts for our people those who celebrate with us.
Our yearly activities start with the first week in January at City Hall where we celebrate the three king’s day. On that day children receive gifts, enjoy music and refreshments sponsored in part by toys for tots as well as other key sponsors. The second week in May we take time to honor mothers that have been nominated for Exemplary mother of the year. June is the month where we hold a pageant which is truly a cultural event. It allows the young ladies to learn about their heritage representing different towns from the island. One of our very special events is the Annual Banquet where people from the community are recognized. During the last week of July in celebration of the Puerto Rican Constitution we raise our flag in 3 municipalities within our county. We start our week long festivities at Landis Park. Ecumenical Service takes place on the very first Monday of the Festival Week Celebration at 6:30 pm. We take special pride in recognizing our fellow central and South American brothers and Sisters in an activity at the Historic Landis Middle School at which time we raise the flags of each country. We culminate our celebration with Vineland’s traditional Puerto Rican Parade down Landis Ave. to Landis Park. Every year people from surrounding communities come to enjoy the parade as they wave their flags with pride.
History
The history of Puerto Ricans in Cumberland County began in the 1940’s. According to the registration records, this is when a peasant Puerto Rican family migrated to New York City. They later moved to Vineland, NJ in search of a better future and economic status
Despite the difficulties and adversities they faced, their determination and courage enabled them to succeed. This same spirit of determination inspired other Puerto Ricans to migrate to the U.S. to work in agriculture.
By the year 1950 the Puerto Rican migrant population had increased drastically. This increase not only took place in New Jersey but in Delaware and Pennsylvania. At this time, this courageous group decided to take their matters to the capital of the state, Trenton, NJ.
Before the celebration of the Puerto Rican Festival, two memorable meetings took place conducted by Committee of Puerto Rican Action. Geronimo García carried out the first meeting on June 7, 1962 with the Governor, Hon. Richard J. Hughes. The second meeting was held with Governor, Hon. Mayner. In both meetings the committee exposed the need of a day of acknowledgement once every year to celebrate the achievement of the Puerto Ricans.
Depending on the source, it would seem that the date of Vineland’s first Puerto Rican Festival has been lost in the fog of history.
Some document the date as July 25, 1968, while others cite 1967 as the initial year.
It is possible, however, that the origins date back even further, to the Puerto Rican Social Action Club that organized here in 1956.
Among its other activities, the group proposed a proclamation setting aside a date each July as Puerto Rican Day.
The group took its proclamation all the way to Trenton, meeting with Gov. Robert B. Meyner in the Statehouse.
Locally, it was signed by outgoing Vineland mayor Frank Testa prior to his leaving office in 1960.
As reported in the Vineland Times Journal on July 25, 1960, the ex-mayor spoke at an observance in the club building, referring to Puerto Rico as "the greatest island in the Caribbean."
The event at the North Third Street club, reportedly, was in commemoration of the Jones Act, which on July 2, 1917, gave United States citizenship to Puerto Ricans. It also coincided, however, with the eighth anniversary of the day Puerto Rico became a self-governing commonwealth July 25, 1952.
Then on July 23, 1967, Puerto Rico voted to retain commonwealth status. Little, if anything, was reported in the Vineland Times Journal on a local event in 1967.
However, one year later, the paper published a large front-page photo of a Puerto Rican flag being raised at City Hall on July 25, 1968.
This celebration also included an interfaith service at Sacred Heart Church, the first observance of its kind in Vineland.

In 1967, a group of Puerto Ricans, who were extremely proud of their heritage, began what is now known as the Puerto Rican Festival of Vineland, NJ. On behalf of the Committee of Puerto Rican Action, Mr. Juan Scharon, raised the Puerto Rican flag at City Hall in Vineland on July 25 of 1969. This was to commemorate the Island of Puerto Rico, which is considered a commonwealth state.
In 1978, under the presidency of Mr. Santos Rodriguez, the Board of Directors composed of Mrs. Carmen Gonzalez, Mr. Candido Rodriguez, and Mr. Juan Colón, incorporated the Puerto Rican Festival Organization. Charlie Quiñonez was the agent of incorporation.
In 1997 the Puerto Rican Festival received its 501(c) (4) status. Starting in the year 2000 the Cumberland County Heritage Commission and the South Jersey Tourism have recognized our organization which preserves it’s culture and throughout the years the Puerto Rican Festival has served to unite our diverse community. Year after year many Local county, state, and federal leaders have recognized the important work of this organization. During recent years our organization has been highly promoted in the media at national levels as well as social media. We have been very fortunate to have sponsors that have been of great help to our organization and the success of the activities would not be possible without them. If you would also like to be a sponsor you can contact us at our email address vldfestival@aol.com. Please Like us on Facebook…”Festival Puertorriqueño de NJ inc Vineland”
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