Cultural Events and Holidays

Januar

New Year’s Day
January 1. Especially in the district of Zapote in San José, there is a large fairground with traditional bull riding, food booths, a lot of fireworks, and music.

Copa del Café
Mid-January. International tennis tournament at the Costa Rica Country Club.

Palmares Fiestas
Mid-January. The most visited fair after Zapote. Fairground with bull riding, carnival, music, and dance.

Alajuelita Fiestas
Mid-January. Oxcart parade as well as pilgrimage to the iron cross.

Santa Cruz Fiestas
Mid-January. Dance, Marimba, and bull riding.

February

San Isidro de El General Fiestas
In the first week of February. Livestock shows, agriculture and industry fairs, bull riding, and flower shows.

Fiesta de los Diablitos
It takes place in the last week of February in the south of San Isidro del General in the indigenous village of Boruca de Rey Curré. It represents the fight between the Indians (disguised as little devils) and the Spanish (bulls) with colourful garments, masks, dance, and fireworks.

Puntarenas Carnival
This event takes places in the last week of February, with many parades and festivities.
 
Liberia Fiestas
This festival takes place in the end of February in the capital of Guanacaste with a lot of music, concerts, and especially a lot of folklore and traditions.

March

Oxcart Day
This traditional parade takes place the second Sunday in March in Escazú and over 150 oxcarts participate.

San José Day
March 19. Religious celebration in honour of Saint Joseph, patron saint of Costa Rica and the capital’s archbishopric.

Ujarrás
A religious procession from Cartago to Ujarrás to the ruins of Costa Rica’s first church takes place in mid-March.

April

Easter week
For the catholic Costa Ricans, Easter is the most important church holiday. On Holy Thursday the processions that partly re-enact the suffering, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth begin. As school holidays are at the same time, many families spend these days on the beaches.

Juan Santamaría Day
April 11. Day of death of the national hero Juan Santamaría. He died during the battle over the Mesón of Rivas in Nicaragua in 1856 against the filibusters under the command of William Walker. There are events on this topic in the hero’s hometown in Alajuela, especially on Juan Santamaría square.

University week (Semana U)
In the last week of April there are exhibits, live music, and parades at the University of Costa Rica.

May

Labour Day
May 1. There are parades and the president gives his traditional speech where he informs about the state of the nation.

Limón Fiestas
May 1. The fiestas in Limón offer cricket matches, domino competitions, dance, games, and family picnics.

San Isidro Labrador Day
May 15. There are fairs in all towns named after the patron saint of farmers and cultivators, San Isidro. Animals and crops are blessed, and parades and fiestas take place.

San Juan Day
May 17. This day is celebrated with a half-marathon from Cartago to San José.

Corpus Christi
May 29. Religious celebration.

June

San Pedro y San Pablo
June 29. Religious celebration in honour of Saint Peter and Paul.

July

Virgin of the Sea
Mid-July in Puntarenas. The celebration consists of a colourfully decorated boat parade off the coast of Puntarenas. One of the boats has the effigy of the patron saint of Puntarenas, the virgin of Monte Carmelo.

Annexation of Guanacaste
July 25. In 1824 the province of Guanacaste decided to annex Costa Rica. The main celebration takes place in Liberia, capital of Guanacaste, with rodeo, parades, and typical food.

August

 
Virgin of the Angels Day (Día de la Vírgen de los Ángeles)
August 2. Celebration of the patron saint of Costa Rica, also called La Negrita. Pilgrims from across the country and even from the neighbouring countries walk, sometimes for days, to the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels in Cartago to honour the Virgin Mary. After the legend, she appeared to a young peasant girl in the form of a small stone statue on August 2, 1635.

Mother’s Day
August 15. Costa Ricans celebrate Mother’s Day. Official holiday in Costa Rica.

San Ramón’s Day
August 30. These festivals take place in San Ramón and include parades, dances, and music. 30 patron saints come from the neighbouring villages to honour the patron saint of San Ramón.

Black and Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day
In November 2021, a new holiday was added to the National Calendar on August 31st, “Día de la Cultura Negra y Afrocostarricense” (Day of Black and Afro-Costa Rican Culture). This holiday has been celebrated throughout the country, especially in the province of Limón. This celebration aims to recognise the great contribution of Afro-Costa Rican culture to the country in equal terms with contributions of other Costa Rican folk. In order to save the values and cultural elements of black culture, this day has been celebrated since the 1980s at the initiative of the Comité Ciudadano por la Cultura del Pueblo Negro (Citizens’ Committee for the Culture of the Black People).

September

Independence Day
September 15. The Independence Torch is brought by relay runners over a distance of 1'350 kilometres (840 mi), from Guatemala via Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua to the border of Costa Rica where it arrives on September 13 at 11:00 am. On September 14 it is carried to Cartago (the former colonial capital) by Costa Rican runners and at 6:00 pm the national anthem is sung. After a lantern parade and speeches by the president and his ministers, the torch will be officially received at 8:00 pm. September 15 is an official holiday. Banks and state institutions are closed.

October

San Isidro Day
October 9. A celebration to commemorate the establishment of this important agricultural town.

Virgin of Pilar Day
October 12. Celebration to honour the virgin of Pilar, patron saint of Tres Ríos.

Corn Fiesta
October 12 in Upala. A parade with costumes made of corn as well as the coronation of the corn queen are part of this traditional celebration.

November

All Souls’ Day
November 2. Families visit their deceased relatives at the cemetery and bring flowers.

Oxcart Parade
Last Sunday in November in San José. This parade takes place in San José and honours Costa Rica’s oxcart tradition. It starts in the morning in Paseo Colón and ends at the Central Park.

December

Army Abolition Day
December 1. On 1 December 1948, the Government Junta under Don José Figueres Ferrer decided to eliminate the army and, in a gesture of symbolic value, converted the former Bellavista Military Barracks into the National Museum.

Advent
Although many Costa Ricans start decorating their houses already in the course of November, the Christmas spirit doesn’t begin until December. The Tamales (a typical dish made of cornmeal, meat, and different types of vegetables wrapped in banana leaves) are prepared according to old family recipes. The Christmas tree is put up, and the house decorated with holiday lights. Snowmen and Santa Clauses made of plastic often adorn the roofs. The nativity, usually lavishly and creatively decorated, must not be missed in any house. The baby Jesus is laid in the manger on December 24.

Los Negritos
December 8 in the indigenous village of Boruca. A combination of traditional indigenous festivities and catholic rites. This day honours the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception.

Immaculate Conception
December 8. This day is celebrated with a lot of fireworks.

Festival de la Luz/Lights Festival
2nd Sunday in December. The town centre is decorated with many lights. In the evening, floats and marching bands parade through the Paseo Colón and the Avenida 2. There is also a competition of the marching bands. In order to have a good view of the parade, you should start looking for a place on the side walk already at noontime.

Fiesta de la Yegüita
December 12 in Liberia. The main event of this day is a parade in honour of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Of course, the festival would not be complete without the traditional music, dance, and firework.

Christmas Eve/Christmas
December 24/25. Traditionally, the arrival of the Christ Child is celebrated on the 24th at midnight. There are midnight feasts, and midnight masses are said in order to welcome baby Jesus. Christmas gifts are distributed. Only December 25 is a holiday.

Tope
December 26 in San José. A well-known horse parade that leads through the centre of San José. Proud riders present their well-trained horses that perform amazing footwork.

Carnival
December 27 in San José. The colourful parade with its themed floats and a lot of music leads through the centre of San José.

Zapote Fiestas
December 25-31. The marketplace of San José’s district Zapote transforms into a setting of one of the most popular fairgrounds. Rodeo, mobile disco bars, food booths, and other fairground activities are offered. It is best to go there by taxi.