National Pina Colada Day falls on July 10, and celebrates the creation of the Pina Colada cocktail.
While the Pina Colada origin is debated by some, there is no dispute about enjoying National Pina Colada Day!
This sweet drink is the perfect way to relax and enjoy a hot summer day. Keep reading to find out more about the day.
What is National Pina Colada Day?
The Pina Colada is a tasty drink with a rich history that deserves to be celebrated. In addition to having its own national day, the Pina Colada became the official drink of Puerto Rico in 1978.
National Pina Colada Day is the day to celebrate the origins of the drink and find out what’s in a pina colada.
It is also a day to use the flavors of the drink in recipes and kick back with your friends, enjoying the perfect summer cocktail.
Fun facts about Pina Coladas
- Evidence of the earliest Pina Colada is linked to a pirate from Puerto Rico, who created a cocktail of coconut milk, pineapple and white rum to boost his crew’s morale.
- When the modern day Pina Colada was created, it was actually a non-alcoholic drink.
- The first (non-alcoholic) Pina Colada was served shaken over ice, instead of blended.
- There are many men who claim the Pina Colada was their invention, but bartender Ramon “Monchito” Marrero is widely credited as the creator of the Pina Colada.
- The Pina Colada was invented in Puerto Rico.
- In 1978 the Pina Colada was named the national drink of Puerto Rico.
- The Pina Colada Song (“Escape” by Rupert Holmes) was the last song to be a #1 hit on the US billboard charts in in the 70s (in 1979).
- National Pina Colada day falls on July 10, annually.
How to observe National Pina Colada Day
There are lots of obvious ways to celebrate National Pina Colada Day – just make yourself a Pina Colada, relax and enjoy! Here are a few other creative ideas to help honor this day.
- Watch this video which interviews bartenders who worked with Ramon “Monchito” Marrero, the creator of the Pina Colada. They discuss the drink’s evolution, and what Marrero was really like!
- Celebrate the Puerto Rican Pina Colada Origin by watching a film made in Puerto Rico.
- Make some Pina Coladas, put them in a cooler, and head to the beach to enjoy the fresh air, sand and sun (remember to drink responsibly and never drink and drive!).
- Listen to The Piña Colada Song. This song, titled “Escape” was originally recorded by Rupert Holmes and hit became a #1 hit on the US music charts in 1979.
- Plan a trip to Puerto Rico and order a Pina Colada in its place of origin, the Caribe Hilton.
- Do the word search puzzle for July to see if you can find Pina Colada Day in it.
- Throw a Pina Colada themed party! Make sure to get enough supplies to make plenty of Pina Coladas. They’re so delicious, everyone will want one!
- Add some pineapple themed decor to your home!
- Try one of the awesome Pina Colada inspired recipes listed below.
- Use the hashtag #NationalPinaColadaDay to spread the word about the day on social media. Here is a tweet to get you started:
Recipes to celebrate National Pina Colada Day
OK, so you’ve decided you want to celebrate National Pina Colada Day – let’s make the day festive by trying out one of these Pina Colada themed recipes.
While making a traditional Pina Colada is great (and I highly recommend you do so!), your Pina Colada day can also include other fun Pina Colada inspired recipes!
Let me know in the comments which one you try! I’d love to hear how you celebrate National Pina Colada Day. 
- Beat the heat by making these refreshing Pina Colada popsicles.
- Make these Pina Colada popsicles for a tasty Pina Colada inspired dessert.
- Feeling like having a Pina Colada inspired breakfast? Try these Pina Colada Pancakes.
- Three words. Pina Colada Cake.
- Struggling to decide between a Pina Colada cake and a Tres Leches cake? Look no further, here’s a recipe for a Pina Colada Tres Leches Cake.
- Following a keto diet, and looking for something with Pina Colada flavors? Try these Keto Pina Colada Cheesecake Cupcakes.
- Want to jazz up the classic Pina Colada recipe? Try sipping this Mango Sunrise Pina Colada.
- Are blueberries your jam? Check out another Pina Colada variation – this Blueberry Pina Colada.
- This Pina Colada Mule Cocktail is perfect if you’re stuck between the two classics.
- If you like a cocktail that’s sweet and tart, this Key Lime Colada is for you!
What is a national day?
National days, like National Pina Colada Day are a fun way to celebrate odd and unusual foods, animals and items. Be sure to check out my national day’s guide for more fun days to celebrate.
There are close to 2000 national days in the year and over 150 of them are celebrated in July. To see them all, have a look at this post to discover more about the national days in July.
Is food your thing? Each day of the month has a food or drink associated with it, too. You’ll find all the July food holidays here.
Be sure to also check out these other national days this month:
- National Mojito Day – For another rum based national day this month, check out the post on National Mojito Day, complete with an easy mojito recipe!
- National Bikini Day – What better outfit to wear when drinking a Pina Colada than a bikini? In addition to learning all about National Bikini Day, this page will also teach you about the controversial history of the bikini and early two piece swimsuits. It has lots of fun facts about the bikini and ways to celebrate the day!
- Be A Kid Again Day – Here you will find ways to celebrate Be A Kid Again Day, and a list of ways to channel your inner child.
- National Fortune Cookie Day – Celebrate the fortune cookie by learning to make your own no sew fortune cookies
- National Crème Brûlée Day – Check out these facts about crème brûlée to celebrate this national day.
For more drink inspired national days, be sure to check out National Cosmopolitan Day, National Martini Day and National Mint Julep Day. You’ll learn about the history of each of these popular drinks.
Pin this post for National Pina Colada Day for later
Would you like a reminder of this post for National Pina Colada Day? Just pin this image to one of your drinks boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.
About the author
Since graduating from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Jess has been living and working in Los Angeles, CA. She is a freelance writer, specializing in content related to fashion, food and drink and film industry topics. Find out more about Jess here.
The Caribe Hilton Piña Colada
This recipe is the official Piña Colada recipe of the Caribe Hilton (the birthplace of the Piña Colada). What better way to celebrate National Piña Colada Day, than with the original cocktail.
Ingredients
- 2 oz. rum
- 1 oz. coconut cream
- 1 oz. heavy cream
- 6 oz. fresh pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup crushed ice
Instructions
- Gather your ingredients and get ready to make the drink from the birthplace of the Pina Colada.
- To see the full recipe for this delicious Piña Colada, visit the Caribe Hilton's website.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1174Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 179mgCarbohydrates: 235gFiber: 20gSugar: 185gProtein: 9g
Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.