National Piña Colada Day ✨

Overview

National Piña Colada Day is celebrated annually on July 10th, honoring the tropical, rum-based cocktail known for its sweet and creamy flavor. This day encourages enthusiasts to enjoy the refreshing blend of pineapple juice, coconut cream, and rum, often garnished with a pineapple wedge and a cherry, perfect for a summer celebration.

Origin and story

The Piña Colada originated in Puerto Rico, with its creation commonly attributed to bartender Ramon 'Monchito' Marrero at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan in 1954.

In 1978, the Piña Colada was officially declared the national drink of Puerto Rico.

Quick facts

• DateJuly 10
• TypeCultural / community observance
• Great forFriends, Families, Classrooms, Teams

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Ways to celebrate

The piña colada has an official birthplace and inventor on record — plus at least two rival bartenders who insist otherwise.

Meet the bartender behind it

Ramón "Monchito" Marrero spent three months perfecting the recipe as a bartender at San Juan's Caribe Hilton before serving his creation for the first time in 1954, a version he kept pouring for the next 35 years.

Know the ingredient breakthrough that made it possible

That same year, University of Puerto Rico professor Ramón López Irizarry patented a new method for extracting coconut cream, creating Coco López — the sweetened coconut cream that became essential to the original recipe.

Read the fuller history

Helpful resources:

• Piña Colada Day: Explore the History of the Cocktail (CNN)

Did you know?

Marrero's claim isn't uncontested — a San Juan restaurant credits a different bartender in 1963, and another Caribe Hilton bartender says the drink actually debuted a year earlier, in 1953.

Fun facts

• The Piña Colada originated in Puerto Rico, with its creation commonly attributed to bartender Ramon 'Monchito' Marrero at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan in 1954.
• In 1978, the Piña Colada was officially declared the national drink of Puerto Rico.
• The name 'Piña Colada' literally translates from Spanish to 'strained pineapple,' referring to the fresh pineapple juice used in the original recipe.

Sources and attribution

Piña Colada Day: Explore the History of the Cocktail (CNN)

External links may lead to third-party websites.

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FAQ

When is National Piña Colada Day?

It is observed on July 10 each year.

What is National Piña Colada Day?

National Piña Colada Day is celebrated annually on July 10th, honoring the tropical, rum-based cocktail known for its sweet and creamy flavor. This day encourages enthusiasts to enjoy the refreshing blend of pineapple juice, coconut cream, and rum, often garnished with a pineapple wedge and a cherry, perfect for a summer celebration.

How do people celebrate National Piña Colada Day?

Mix a piña colada and toast Ramón 'Monchito' Marrero, the San Juan bartender who spent three months perfecting the recipe at the Caribe Hilton before serving it for the first time in 1954.

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