List of festivals in Costa Rica
Encyclopedia
Festivals celebrated in Costa Rica
:
. Concerts with music, rodeos and firework displays are held. There is also a fairground and sporting competition
. Mule races are held on the beach, with bullfights, music and a crafts fair.
performances.
on the coast, with parades and street fairs.
when the theatres are jam packed with people watching live theatre, music and dance performances.
and Cahuita
with calypso
and reggae
performances.
week and is considered the most important holiday celebration of the year with processions all across Costa Rica and reenactments of the Crucifixion of Christ.
with marching bands and a beauty pageant to celebrate Juan Santamaría
, a national hero who died fighting William Walker
in the 1856 war.
, and is the largest cattle fair.
, usually with a pilgrimage from Paraiso
to Ujarras with games and celebrations to honor a miricale that supposedly was performed by the Holy Virgin to protect the town from pirates in 1666.
with open air arts shows, sporting events, and concerts.
Corpus Christi
This is held on May 29 in Pacayas and Cartago
with religious parades and church services.
and honors Carmen
, Virgin of the Sea, with religious processions, fireworks and a boating regatta.
by Costa Rica in 1824 with the usual festivities.
to celebrate Chorotega
culture with culinary and educational activities.
to honor the patron saint, La Negrita. The basilica of Cartago is an important gathering place.
music, topes, and local cuisine servings are part of the festivities.
to celebrate Afro-Costa Rican culture with art shows and musical performances.
from town to town, arriving in Cartago
at 6 pm, when the Costa Rican national anthem is sung.
's discovery of America. The activity is centered in Puerto Limon.
to the Caribbean Sea
and is considered one of the world's most challenging mountain bike races.
with log-felling contests, tractor tours, horseback rides and an orchid display.
and include film screenings, filmmaker discussions, live music, art, and plenty of outdoor activities and late night parties. visit http://costaricafilmfest.com
. A Chorotega legend is recalled and villagers carry an image of La Virgen de Guadalupe in procession. The festival is a mixture of native Indian and Roman Catholicism.
, 26 December, in San José
when the most talented horsemen in Costa Rica perform a display along the Paseo Colon with more than 3,000 horses.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
:
Fiestas de Palmares
This is celebrated in the first two weeks of January in Palmares de AlajuelaPalmares de Alajuela
Palmares is the capital city of the canton of Palmares in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is also the name of the distrito that includes the city...
. Concerts with music, rodeos and firework displays are held. There is also a fairground and sporting competition
Fiesta Patronal de Santo Cristo
This is held in mid January in Santa Cruz, Costa Rica. Rodeos, folk dancing and street festivities are held for two days to honor Santo Cristo de Esquipulas. A parade of ox-carts is also part of the festival.Festival de las Mulas
This is held in late January at Playas Esterillos, near JacóJaco
Jaco may refer to:*Jaco , island of East Timor*Jacó, Costa Rica, a town in Western Costa RicaJaco parrots:* Jaco, local name for the Domincan endemic Red-necked Amazon parrot* Usual name for African Grey Parrot in a number of languages...
. Mule races are held on the beach, with bullfights, music and a crafts fair.
Expo Pérez Zeledón
This is held in early February. Cattle and horse displays, rodeos, orchid and agricultural displays and beauty contests are held.Good Neighbors Jazz Festival
This is held in mid February in Manual Antonio, notably with jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
performances.
Carnaval de Puntarenas
This is held in the last week of February in PuntarenasPuntarenas
Puntarenas is the capital and largest city in the province Puntarenas, Costa Rica, at the Pacific coast. The eponymous and oddly shaped province has its largest section in the South, far from the capital.Some 100,000 live in the city and close towns...
on the coast, with parades and street fairs.
Día del Boyero
This is held on the second Sunday in Escazú with parades of colorfully decorated ox-carts.International Festival of the Arts
This is held on the second Sunday in San JoséSan José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
when the theatres are jam packed with people watching live theatre, music and dance performances.
Southern Caribbean Music Festival
This is held in Puerto Viejo de TalamancaPuerto Viejo de Talamanca
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a coastal town in the Talamanca Canton in Limón Province. The town is located in southeastern Costa Rica. Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is known simply as Puerto Viejo to locals. A town in northeastern Costa Rica is also commonly known as Puerto Viejo; this fact can confuse...
and Cahuita
Cahuita
Cahuita is a small city located on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Cahuita is located in the Talamanca Canton of Limón Province. Cahuita is the capital of the Cahuita District. Due to its proximity to the Caribbean shoreline, Cahuita is renowned for Afro-Caribbean influence on dining and local...
with calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
and reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
performances.
Semana Santa
This is held during EasterEaster
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
week and is considered the most important holiday celebration of the year with processions all across Costa Rica and reenactments of the Crucifixion of Christ.
Día de Juan Santamaría
This is held on April 11 in AlajuelaAlajuela
Alajuela is the second largest city in Costa Rica after the capital, San José. It is also the capital of the namesake province. Because of its location in the Costa Rican Central Valley, Alajuela is nowadays englobed in the conurbation of Great Metropolitan Area...
with marching bands and a beauty pageant to celebrate Juan Santamaría
Juan Santamaría
Juan Santamaría , is officially recognized as the national hero of the Republic of Costa Rica. A national holiday in Costa Rica, Juan Santamaría Day, is held every April 11 to commemorate his death....
, a national hero who died fighting William Walker
William Walker
William Walker may refer to:* William Walker , sometime chief of the Wyandot Nation in Ohio and Kansas* William Walker * William Walker , an early governor of British Guiana...
in the 1856 war.
Feria del Ganado
This is held in mid April in Ciudad QuesadaCiudad Quesada
Ciudad Quesada is a city in the district of Quesada in the cantón of San Carlos in the province of Alajuela in Costa Rica. It is the capital city of the cantón...
, and is the largest cattle fair.
Romería Virgen de la Candaleria
This is held on the third Sunday in UjarrásUjarrás
Ujarrás is a village and historical site in the Orosí Valley of Cartago Province in central Costa Rica, southeast of the provincial capital of Cartago. It lies near the northeastern bank of the man-made Lake Cachí, created by the damming of the Reventazon River. The dam lies adjacent to the village...
, usually with a pilgrimage from Paraiso
Paraíso
Paraíso, the Spanish and Portuguese word for paradise, or paraiso, the Tagalog equivalent, may refer to:-Places:Belize*Paraiso, Belize; see Districts of BelizeBrazil*Paraíso, Santa Catarina*Paraíso, São PauloCosta Rica*Paraíso, Costa Rica...
to Ujarras with games and celebrations to honor a miricale that supposedly was performed by the Holy Virgin to protect the town from pirates in 1666.
Semana Universitaria
Commonly named Semana U, the event is held on the last week of April in San José at the Ciudad Unversitaria Rodrigo Facio, main campus of the University of Costa RicaUniversity of Costa Rica
The University of Costa Rica is a public university in the Republic of Costa Rica, in Central America. Its main campus, Ciudad Universitaria Rodrigo Facio, is located in San Pedro, in the province of San José. It is the oldest, largest, and most prestigious institution of higher learning in...
with open air arts shows, sporting events, and concerts.
Día de los Trabajadores
This is held on May 1 when trade unions organise marches to honor workers on Labor Day.Fiesta Cívica
This is held in early May in Cañas with cowboy traditions such as bullfights and horse displays (topes) and street fairs.Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi (feast)Corpus Christi is a Latin Rite solemnity, now designated the solemnity of The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ . It is also celebrated in some Anglican, Lutheran and Old Catholic Churches. Like Trinity Sunday and the Solemnity of Christ the King, it does not commemorate a particular event in...
This is held on May 29 in Pacayas and CartagoCartago
Cartago is the name of at least three different places:* Cartago Province, Costa Rica* Cartago, Costa Rica, capital of the province of Cartago* Cartago, Valle del Cauca, Colombia* Cartago, California, United States-See also:*Special:Allpages/Cartago...
with religious parades and church services.
Monteverde Ecotouristic Fair
This is held in mid June with educational and cultural activities and live music and theatre.Día de San Pedro y San Pablo
This is held on June 29 in San José to honor St. Peter and St. Paul.Compañía de Lírica Nacional
This is held from mid June to mid August by the National Lyric Opera Company in the Melico Salazar Theatre.Festival de la Virgen del Mar
This is held in mid-July ans is also known as the "Sea Festival". It is held in PuntarenasPuntarenas
Puntarenas is the capital and largest city in the province Puntarenas, Costa Rica, at the Pacific coast. The eponymous and oddly shaped province has its largest section in the South, far from the capital.Some 100,000 live in the city and close towns...
and honors Carmen
Carmen
Carmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
, Virgin of the Sea, with religious processions, fireworks and a boating regatta.
Día de la Anexión de Guanacaste
This is held on July 25 to celebrate to annexation of GuanacasteGuanacaste Province
Guanacaste is a province of Costa Rica located in the northwestern part of the country, along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. To the north it borders Nicaragua. To the east is the Alajuela Province, and to the southeast is the Puntarenas Province. It is the most sparsely populated of all the...
by Costa Rica in 1824 with the usual festivities.
Chorotega Tourist Fair
This is held in late July in NicoyaNicoya
Nicoya is a town in Costa Rica's Guanacaste province, and one of its most important tourist zones. It serves as a transport hub to Guanacaste's beaches and national parks. According to the 2000 census, the city's population was 13,334—second only to Liberia in the province...
to celebrate Chorotega
Chorotega
Chorotega, also known as Mangue, was a language indigenous people of Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The ethnic population number around 10,000. The Chorotega language, which was a member of the Manguean branch of the Oto-Manguean language family, is now extinct...
culture with culinary and educational activities.
International Festival of Music
This is held from July to August when international musicians perform classical music across the country.Día de Nuestra Señora de la Virgen de los Ángeles
This is celebrated on Ausgust 2 in CartagoCartago
Cartago is the name of at least three different places:* Cartago Province, Costa Rica* Cartago, Costa Rica, capital of the province of Cartago* Cartago, Valle del Cauca, Colombia* Cartago, California, United States-See also:*Special:Allpages/Cartago...
to honor the patron saint, La Negrita. The basilica of Cartago is an important gathering place.
Liberia Blanca Culture Week
This takes places in early August when cowboys come to town and citizens honor the local traditions.National Adventure Tourism Festival
This is held in late August with whitewater rafting and kayaking and mountain biking.Día de San Ramón
This is held on August 31 in San Ramón de Alajuela. The patron saint is carried in procession and marimbaMarimba
The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...
music, topes, and local cuisine servings are part of the festivities.
Semana Afro-Costarricense
This is held in August or September in Puerto Limón and San JoséSan José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
to celebrate Afro-Costa Rican culture with art shows and musical performances.
Correo de la Candela de Independencia
On September 14, a procession of runners carry a Freedom Torch from GuatemalaGuatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
from town to town, arriving in Cartago
Cartago
Cartago is the name of at least three different places:* Cartago Province, Costa Rica* Cartago, Costa Rica, capital of the province of Cartago* Cartago, Valle del Cauca, Colombia* Cartago, California, United States-See also:*Special:Allpages/Cartago...
at 6 pm, when the Costa Rican national anthem is sung.
Día de la Independencia
This is held on September 15 to commemorate independence from Spain in 1821.Orosi Colonial Tourist Fair
This is held in mid-September with cultural events and exhibits to celebrate the colonial heritage.Carnaval
This is held on the second week in Puerto Limon. A Caribbean Mardi Gras type parade is held with floats, street fairs and live reggae and calypso music.Día de Las Culturas
This is held on October 12 to celebrate Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
's discovery of America. The activity is centered in Puerto Limon.
Fiesta del Maíz
The Corn Festival is held in mid-October to celebrate corn production. Clothes are made out of corn husks and corn-based foods are made.Día del Sabanero
Cowboy Day is held on October 18, notably in the town of Liberia and in the Parque Nacional Santa Rosa.Días de Los Santos
On November 2, The Saint's Day is celebrated across the nation with church processions.La Ruta de los Conquistadores
This week-long festival is held in mid-November in Atenas, near Alajuela to celebrate the route that the Conquistadores took. It is a mountain bike race from coast to coast. Following the route taken by the Spanish Conquistadors led by Juan De Cavallón, it crosses the country from the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
to the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
and is considered one of the world's most challenging mountain bike races.
Feria Agroecoturística
This is held in mid-November in Atenas to celebrate agriculture in Costa RicaAgriculture in Costa Rica
Costa Rican Agriculture plays a profound part in country’s GDP. It makes up about 6.5% of Costa Rica’s GDP, and 14% or the labor force. Depending on location and altitude, many regions differ in agricultural crops and techniques. The main exports from the country include: bananas, pineapples,...
with log-felling contests, tractor tours, horseback rides and an orchid display.
Fiesta de las Carretas
This is held in late November in San Jose when oxcarts are paraded through the streets from Parque Sabana along Paseo Colón.Costa Rica International Film Festival
The CRIFF is held annually in November and in early december, showcasing the best independent films in the world. Events are held in MontezumaMontezuma, Costa Rica
Montezuma is a town in Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica which began as a remote fishing village and has gained popularity since the 1980s among tourists on a budget....
and include film screenings, filmmaker discussions, live music, art, and plenty of outdoor activities and late night parties. visit http://costaricafilmfest.com
Fiesta de los Negritos
This is a Boruca festival held on December 8th. The indigenous Boruca peoples celebrate traditions with traditional dress, dancing, and music with flutes and drums.Fiesta de la Yegüita
This is held on December 12 by the NicoyaNicoya
Nicoya is a town in Costa Rica's Guanacaste province, and one of its most important tourist zones. It serves as a transport hub to Guanacaste's beaches and national parks. According to the 2000 census, the city's population was 13,334—second only to Liberia in the province...
. A Chorotega legend is recalled and villagers carry an image of La Virgen de Guadalupe in procession. The festival is a mixture of native Indian and Roman Catholicism.
Los Posados
This is held on December 15 as part of the Christmas season when carolers visit houses and receive refreshments.Tope Nacional de Caballos
This is held on Boxing DayBoxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
, 26 December, in San José
San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
when the most talented horsemen in Costa Rica perform a display along the Paseo Colon with more than 3,000 horses.