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Nightlife in Ponce, Puerto Rico

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Party in Plaza Las Delicias.

Nightlife in Ponce, Puerto Rico includes government and regulatory aspects, societal and cultural attitudes, and age- and gender-centric issues relative to adult and family life after dark in the city of Ponce. It focuses on all entertainment that is available and generally more popular from the late evening into the early hours of the morning. It includes activities like parties, bands and live music, concerts, and stand-up comedies, and venues such as pubs, bars, cabarets, nightclubs, cinemas and theaters. These venues and activities are often accompanied by the serving and drinking of alcoholic beverages in addition to non-alcoholic drinks for the family. Nightlife venues often require a cover charge for admission.

Ponce is better known for its cultural, artistic and educational heritage and attributes than for its commerce and heavy industry.[1] "Its urban center has transformed from one with numerous daytime commercial premises to an area of nighttime activity and restaurants with varied musical, gastronomical and cultural offerings."[2] As such, Ponce's nightlife also offers many venues and events oriented towards families and children in addition to adult-only and the night owl entertainment.[3] Its two major areas of nightlife activity are the historic downtown zone and the sea-front La Guancha complex.

Social and regulatory aspects

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Fuente de los leones at Plaza Degetau, a popular nighttime gathering spot[4]

Adult nightlife establishments in Ponce, like pubs, bars and nightclubs, function as third places.[5] Vibrant Ponce nightlife scenes contribute to the development of a local culture.[6] Some nightlife establishments in the city require adherence to a dress code. Though mostly true of nightclubs, one notable case is Proscenium, a café theater in Barrio Tercero, at the corner of Calle Marina and Calle Isabel, across from Plaza Muñoz Rivera in the downtown district.

Until 17 October 2005, there was no national or municipality-mandated last call for purchase of alcoholic beverages in the city of Ponce. There were also no mandated hours of operation for liquor stores. On 17 October, however, Municipal Law #24 went into effect establishing a 3:00AM (Monday through Wednesday) and a 3:30AM (Thursday through Sunday) last calls. Drinking on the street is legal, except in the Downtown historic district and the La Guancha sea-front recreational area.[7] In any event, regardless of the 17 October 2005 ordinance, sales are prohibited on Election Day and during hurricane emergencies.[8] Beer, wine and spirits are available for sale at Ponce supermarkets, convenience stores and drug stores as well as liquor stores. The minimum age for purchasing alcohol is 18 years; this is also the minimum drinking age.[9] Nightlife venues must be licensed to serve alcohol.[10]

Prostitution was legalized in Ponce in 1894 and was permitted until the late 1910s. In 1894, Mayor Nouvilas de Vilar issued an anti-prostitution edict, the Reglamento de Higiene de la Prostitución (Prostitution Higiene Decree), intended to "correct immorality in Ponce".[11] Prostitutes had to register with the municipal government to operate, and had to pay a hygiene tax. This gave them the right to regular medical exams and access to a personal passbook certifying they had received a clean bill of health. Exercising prostitution without registering was charged as "trafficking in sex" without registration.[12]

Venues and events

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Main articles: La Guancha Boardwalk and Ponce Historic Zone
Carnaval de Ponce 2011

Ponce nightlife venues include places to go dancing, socialize over drinks, or watch a show or concert. Some nightlife venues, like those for theatrical arts at Teatro La Perla, are wholly indoors, while others, like those at La Guancha, are wholly or mostly outdoors. Still others, located mostly in the historic downtown area, are indoor venues that spill out onto the sidewalk, like CheCheColé on Calle Unión at Plaza Degetau. This "spilling over" onto the sidewalk is allowed, by permit, under city ordinance with certain conditions and restrictions.[13]

Among the better known nighttime events are the week-long events of Las Justas, which attract some 200,000 to 300,000 visitors,[14] Carnaval de Ponce, attracting some 100,000 attendees,[15][16][17] and Fiestas Patronales. All three occur at nighttime, with the first two also having some daytime components. Most bars, lounges, and rooftops in the downtown area open late. Some, like Vistas (C. Marina and C. Cristina), also have good views of the city. For a more casual night on the town, tourists and locals alike often head to La Guancha, where multiple bars line facing the Caribbean Sea. As a college town,[18] most of Ponce's nightlife comes alive on the weekends.[19] Ponce nightlife also "boasts a younger crowd and more affordable drinks than the San Juan metro area."[20] Some point to La Guancha as the spot with the best bars and restaurants in Ponce, along the sea front.[21]

Casinos, bars, pubs, and nightclubs

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Two crowded second-floor downtown bars across Plaza Muñoz Rivera
External videos
video icon See people partying at Ponce's Linux Nightclub, here
video icon See a band at Ponce's 30,000-spectator La Guancha amphitheater, here
video icon See young people drinking and dancing during Ponce's Las Justas, here
video icon See young people clubbing during Ponce's Justas event, here
video icon See Ponce's Carnaval de Ponce, here

Ponce casinos are open 24/7[21] and include those at the Ponce Holiday Inn and Casino, the Ponce Hilton, and the Ponce Plaza Hotel & Casino. Of these three, only the Ponce Plaza Hotel & Casino is located in the historic district.[22]

A variety of bars, pubs, and night clubs fill different tastes. Some of the more popular bars include local joints, but several chain restaurants also provide bar areas. Among bars are: La Musa Bar & Tapas (Callejón Amor), Baleares at Hotel Meliá (C. Cristina), Perla del Sur Bar and Grill (across Teatro La Perla), and Eleven Pub (C. Isabel). La Chucha Sports Bar is a sports bar with a unique offering (C. Isabel, between C. Leon y C. Mayor). There is also a bar with a dance floor at La Pulga (C. Virgilio Biaggi) and one at Linux nightclub (C. Unión). Also, while there is no designated LGBT nightlife scene, at least one LGBT organization had, in 2017, recognized the city's LGBT inclusiveness.[23]

College spring break

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Main article: Las Justas
Las Justas 2018 at Plaza Las Delicias
Rooftop 'Vistas' cocktail lounge, from where a view of Ponce's nightlife can be appreciated, rises above Plaza Muñoz Rivera

Las Justas are an intercollegiate group of events that bring thousands of college-aged students to the downtown area at nighttime after full daytime sports competitions in Ponce area sports venues. Las Justas lasts one week and take place during the month of April.

With over 200,000[24] college students attending Las Justas every year, security has been a major concern.[25] In 2010, for example, 13 people were arrested for drug activities during the events.[26] Las Justas, it is said, has evolved into a Puerto Rican-style Spring Break.[27] Close to 1,500 security personnel patrol the event for security.[24] A number of items are not permitted in the areas where activities of Las Justas are celebrated, including both sporting events and associated musical celebrations. Coolers, liquids not in their original containers, glass bottles, umbrellas, baseball bats, canes, and fire arms are some of the items that are excluded.[28] In 2012, Enrique Arrarás Mir, the Commissioner of the event, said that “the safest place in all of Puerto Rico during the celebration of Las Justas will be the city of Ponce”.[29] In 2011, in Mayaguez, there were also arrests for drunkenness and drug trafficking.[30] In 2014, electronic scanners were implemented at checkpoints, doing away with the former and slower manual frisk system.[31]

Family-oriented events

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See also: List of events in Ponce, Puerto Rico and Teatro La Perla

La Guancha is a venue for socializing, informal outdoor dancing, listening to live bands and even kareoking on the seafront. Concha Acústica de Ponce is an open-air amphitheater that has hosted from the classical music of Banda Municipal de Ponce to the swift rhythms of Ponce Jazz Festival groups. Teatro La Perla is a historic indoors venue known for its live shows as well as its classical music performances and stand-up comedies.

Las Mañanitas is a family oriented event that takes place every year on December 12 in the wee hours of the morning. Fiestas patronales take place during the second week of December at the downtown Plaza Las Delicias. Carnaval Ponceño has evening and late night events with live music during the week of lent, either in February or March.[32] The Ponce Jazz Festival is another event that has taken place the last few years with live performances at Concha Acústica de Ponce.

Noches de Placita (transl. Nights of Placita) held its seventh event in July 2018[33] and celebrated its one-year anniversary on 29 November 2019.[34] The event takes place at Plaza 65 de Infantería in Barrio Playa on the last Friday of every month.[35][36]

[edit]
  • Casino and bar at the Ponce Plaza Hotel & Casino
    Casino and bar at the Ponce Plaza Hotel & Casino
  • Casino at Ponce Plaza Hotel on Calle Unión and Plaza Las Delicias
    Casino at Ponce Plaza Hotel on Calle Unión and Plaza Las Delicias
  • Nighttime in the city
    Nighttime in the city
  • Sports bar on Calle Isabel
    Sports bar on Calle Isabel
  • Cinema houses near Plaza del Caribe mall
    Cinema houses near Plaza del Caribe mall
  • A nightlife scene in Ponce during a week night
    A nightlife scene in Ponce during a week night
  • A bouncer stands guard outside a downtown Ponce lounge
    A bouncer stands guard outside a downtown Ponce lounge
  • Feria de Artesanías de Ponce 2018, Plaza Las Delicias
    Feria de Artesanías de Ponce 2018, Plaza Las Delicias
  • Baleares bar at Hotel Meliá
    Baleares bar at Hotel Meliá
  • La Musa Bar and Grill at Callejón Amor
    La Musa Bar and Grill at Callejón Amor
  • Bar and grill
    Bar and grill
  • Linux Night Club on Calle Unión
    Linux Night Club on Calle Unión
  • Tropical Casino
    Tropical Casino
  • Ponce Hilton Casino
    Ponce Hilton Casino
  • Casino at the Ponce Plaza Hotel
    Casino at the Ponce Plaza Hotel

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ponce: The sparkling, proud Perla del Sur of Puerto Rico. VisitTheUSA.com: the official travel guide to the USA. Accessed 28 November 2019. Archived.
  2. ^ Emigra el consumidor del sur? Sandra Caquías Cruz. Periódico Es Noticia. 17 to 30 November 2023. Page 4. Archived.
  3. ^ Stefan Klein. Time: A User's Guide. London: Penguin Books. 2008. p. 20. ISBN 9780141034638.
  4. ^ Things to Do in Ponce: Plaza Las Delicias. Discover Puerto Rico. 2019. Accessed 28 November 2019. Archived.
  5. ^ Ray Oldenburg. Project for Public Spaces. 31 December 2008. Accessed 7 November 2019. Archived.
  6. ^ David Grazian. Urban Nightlife, Social Capital, and the Public Life of Cities. "Sociological Forum." Vol. 24. No. 4. 2009. pp. 908–917.
  7. ^ Ponce Municipal Government. Municipal Legislature. Proyecto de Administración: Para implantar un Código de Orden Publico en el Centro Urbano de Ponce y en el Sector La Guancha de Ponce, y para Otros Fines. Municipal Ordinance 24. Series 2005-2006. Article 2. 17 October 2005.
  8. ^ “Código Electoral de Puerto Rico para el Siglo XXI”: Ley Núm. 78 de 1 de Junio de 2011, según enmendada. CAPÍTULO IX. — PROCEDIMIENTOS ANTERIORES A LA ELECCIÓN; VOTACIÓN: Artículo 12.021. — Operación de Establecimientos que Expendan Bebidas Alcohólicas. — (16 L.P.R.A. § 4251) Gobierno de Puerto Rico. San Juan, Puerto Rico. p. 100 of 104. Accessed 8 November 2019.Archived.
  9. ^ Gobierno Municipal de Ponce. Legislatura Municipal. Código de Orden Publico. Ordenanza Municipal Numero 24. Articulo Siete. 17 October 2005.
  10. ^ Puerto Rico Laws governing the sale and purchase of alcohol: Title 24. Health and Sanitation. Part V: Control Substances. Government of Puerto Rico. Accessed 7 November 2019. Archived.
  11. ^ Socorro Girón. Ponce, el teatro La Perla y La Campana de la Almudaina. Gobierno Municipal de Ponce. 3rd Edición. 1992. p.284, and 290-302.
  12. ^ Eileen J. Suarez Findlay. Imposing Decency: The Politics of Sexuality and Race in Puerto Rico, 1897-1920. Duke University Press. 1999. pp. 77, 89. ISBN 0822323966
  13. ^ Ponce Municipal Government. Ponce Municipal Assembly. "Ordenanza Numero 18: para facultar al Director de la Oficina de Permisos a autorizar el uso de los espacios determinados en las aceras, para la ubicación de cafes al aire libre y reglamentar su establecimiento y operación, y para otros fines." Municipal Ordinance #18. Section 2 and Article 6-D. 2011-2012 Series. 19 October 2008.
  14. ^ JUSTAS 2019: Aportación y asistencia al festival. EsNoticia. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 22 April 2019. Accessed 24 November 2019.
  15. ^ Carnaval Ponceño y escultura de arena por Travel Channel. Ponce, Puerto Rico: El Sur a la Vista. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  16. ^ Carnaval Ponceño y escultura de arena se verán por Travel Channel. Primera Hora. 5 August 2010. Archived.
  17. ^ Carnival Traditions in Puerto Rico: Carnival Masks. "Carnaval Traditions of Puerto Rico." Flavors of San Juan. Accessed 24 November 2019. Archived.
  18. ^ Nightlife. Discover Puerto Rico. 2019. Accessed 7 November 2019. Archived.
  19. ^ Ponce nightlife. TravelPonce.com Accessed 7 November 2019. Archived.
  20. ^ Nightlife. Discover Puerto Rico. 2019. Accessed 7 November 2019. Archived.
  21. ^ a b Nightlife in Ponce. Caribya.com IIWINC. 2019. Accessed 7 November 2019. Archived.
  22. ^ Ponce Casinos. World Casino Directory. 2003. Accessed 21 November 2019. Archived.
  23. ^ Ponce. Travel Impressions: LGBT Travel. Accessed 28 November 2019. Archived.
  24. ^ a b Alcaldesa de Ponce presenta plan de seguridad para las Justas. Emanuel Antonio Vera. Primera Hora. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 9 April 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  25. ^ Justas: otro año sin incidentes graves. Omar Alfonso. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  26. ^ Arrestan a 13 por drogas en las actividades de las Justas. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 18 April 2010.
  27. ^ Justas: Is it a track meet or an excuse to party?. Gabrielle Paese. Puerto Rico Herald. 22 April 2005. Retrieved 27 November 2012. Archived.
  28. ^ Raúl Camilo Torres. Se apercibe Ponce para las Justas. El Vocero. San Juan, Puerto Rico. 18 April 2012.
  29. ^ Ponce se duplicará durante las Justas. Jason Rodríguez Grafal. Ponce, Puerto Rico: La Perla del Sur. Year 30. Issue 1480. Page 4. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  30. ^ Rival en el horizonte: Quieren repetir Justas alcaldes del Oeste. Luis Penchi. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  31. ^ No habrá cacheo en las Justas de Ponce. (Title printed version: Comisionado: No habrá cateo en las Justas de Ponce.) Jason Rodríguez Grafal. La Perla del Sur. Year 32. Issue 1583. Page 6. 2 April 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  32. ^ Tradiciones de la Perla del Sur: Fiestas del Carnaval de Ponce. Archived 20 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  33. ^ Berly, Glorimar Muñoz (31 July 2019). "Imparable el entusiasmo por las Noches de Placita en Ponce [Unstoppable the enthusiasm for Noches de Placita in Ponce]". La Perla del Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  34. ^ "Noches de Placita cumple primer aniversario en Ponce [Nights of Placita celebrates its first anniversary in Ponce]". Voces del Sur (in Spanish). 23 November 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  35. ^ Noches De Placita En Ponce Una Nueva Oferta Gastronómica Y Social En El Sur. Manuel Santiago. IslaNewsPR.com. Accessed 29 November 2019. Archived.
  36. ^ Llega a Ponce "Noches de Placita". Periódico El Sol. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 26 November 2018. Accessed 30 November 2019. Archived.

Further reading

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  • Patrick Urbain. Ponce nocturno: 44 dibujos que retratan la vida nocturna de Ponce. 2016. ISBN 1523994843
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Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Ponce.
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