The 2025 edition of Puerto Rico's Day at the Ballpark concluded its season, marking another successful year for the cultural celebration series that honors Puerto Rico's 127-year baseball legacy. Produced by 21 Events in collaboration with Discover Puerto Rico, the series has grown into a marquee cultural activation since its 2023 debut, showcasing Puerto Rico's rich heritage through baseball, music, art, and community engagement. This year's events spanned from July 22 to September 6 across five professional baseball stadiums: Citi Field (New York Mets), Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia Phillies), Truist Park (Atlanta Braves), Rate Field (Chicago White Sox), and PNC Park (Pittsburgh Pirates).
The series honored notable Puerto Rican players including Edwin Díaz, Francisco Lindor, Carlos Baerga, JC Romero, Joe Jiménez, Félix Millán, José Valentín, and John Candelaria through on-field tributes. In Pittsburgh, actor Luis Guzmán delivered a memorable ceremonial first pitch before Candelaria received his honors. Fans experienced comprehensive cultural activations at each stadium, including scoreboard videos, stadium-wide takeovers featuring Puerto Rican music, announcer tributes, interactive kiosks with giveaways, and internal stadium TV spots. Attendees received commemorative shirts and participated in curated experiences designed to immerse them in Puerto Rico's vibrant culture.
Each honored player received an official framed print of "Ritmo y Sazón," an adaptation of a mural by acclaimed Puerto Rican artist Juan Salgado originally commissioned by Discover Puerto Rico for the Wynwood Mural Festival at Art Basel. Glorianna Yamin, VP of Marketing at Discover Puerto Rico, emphasized that "Baseball isn't just a sport in Puerto Rico, it is part of our DNA and deeply tied to our cultural identity. The Puerto Rico Day at the Ballpark series honors that legacy, celebrating the contributions of our players while inviting fans everywhere to connect with the warmth and vibrancy of our island." Over the past three years, the series has grown into one of the most visible cultural celebrations in sports, reaching more than 128 million people nationwide—nearly one-third of the U.S. population.
The series has drawn over half a million total attendees, with each event averaging 30,000 fans per game, creating vibrant showcases of Puerto Rican pride across major stadiums. Strategic partners included LatinoBaseball.com, Joseph Paniagua Productions, Skip Font, HypeSmack, and the participating MLB teams. Ralph Paniagua, Managing Director of 21 Events, noted that "Puerto Rico loves baseball and baseball loves Puerto Rico. This series continues to spotlight the tremendous contributions of Puerto Rican players past and present, while also celebrating the culture and energy of Puerto Rico in front of fans across the game." The cultural celebration has established itself as a significant platform for highlighting Puerto Rico's enduring connection to America's pastime while fostering cultural appreciation among diverse fan bases.
