Festivals – Holidays

Costa Rica Celebrates Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women

In the year 2018, more than 400 Costa Rican women were forced to flee their homes due to abuse from their significant other. This year the challenges are greater due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation is being called the “Shadow Pandemic’’, a pandemic that accompanies the coronavirus and keeps abused women living with their abusers. November 25 has been dubbed by the United Nations as Intern...

Costa Rica Abolition Army Costa Rica Celebrates the Abolition of the Army With a Holiday Monday Nov 30th

For the first time, Costa Rica commemorates with a holiday the day of the Abolition of the Army which is officially December 1st but will be celebrated this year on Monday, November 30 due to the passing of a bill a few months back which moves the national holidays that fall on a weekend or mid-week to Monday with the purpose of having long weekends and promoting national tourism. President of ...

Ayahuasca, Tea, Costa Rica Ayahuasca Ceremonies and Tourism Return to Costa Rica

As of November 1st, residents of all American states will be permitted to enter Costa Rica if they have the appropriate paperwork and proof of a negative COVID-19 test; Canadians are already welcome with correct paperwork. The United States Embassy posted on Monday that those wanting to visit Costa Rica should reconsider given the strikes and traffic blockades, as well as the increase in COVID cas...

Costa Rica Tourism Industry Holidays That Fall on Weekends in Costa Rica Will be Moved to Mondays to Promote Tourism

This Thursday July 16th the President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, signed Law number 9875 to Transfer the Holidays (that fall on weekends) to Mondays with the purpose of promoting national tourism during the years 2020 through 2024. The purpose of the bill is to help reactive the tourism sector, one of the most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. “At this time, it is of utmost importance t...

abolition Army costa rica December 1 Now a Holiday in Costa Rica

President of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado, signed the Law that now declares December 1st as a National Holiday in commemoration of the Abolition of the Army in the country. This modifies Article 148 of the Labor Code, making December 1st an unpaid legal holiday, replacing October 12th (Columbus Day or Cultures’ Day). October 12 would only remain as an unpaid holiday for the central county of...

Ocaso Festival Costa Rica Enjoy the Ocaso Festival this Weekend in Tamarindo Costa Rica

The Ocaso Musical Festival comes back to Tamarindo, Guanacaste in its fourth edition this Thursday, January 9 and will extend through Monday, January 13th. The underground electronic music festival gathers, once again, great representatives of techno and house rythms, this year the lineup includes Doc Martin, Maceo Plex, Artbat, Magdalena, Shiba San, Justin Martin, Ame, Maetrix, Seth Troxler, D...

Costa Rica Indie Beer Fest Beer Indie Fest Costa Rica on January 19-20

Costa Rica will have the 7th edition of the Beer Indie Fest on January 19 and 20 at the Pedregal Events Center in San Antonio de Belén, Heredia. This is an event organized by the Association of Craft Brewers of Costa Rica (ACACR) with the objective of showing and sharing the variety of independent beers that are currently being produced in the country. In the event visitors will be able ...

Palmares 2019 Costa Rica The Festivities in Palmares Costa Rica Kick Off January 10

Palmares in Alajuela, prepares like every year for its traditional festivities, two whole weeks of music, parades, dancing, sporting events and plenty of other entertainment. Palmares “a town to make friends”, offers activities for the entire family, if you have been part of the end of the year events in Costa Rica, this is just a continuation of these. The activities this year kick off on ...

Ocaso Tamarindo 2019 Ocaso Underground Music Festival Kicks Off January 2 in Tamarindo Costa Rica

The third edition of the Ocaso Underground Music Festival will take on the beach town of Tamarindo as of this Wednesday, January 2, 2019 and will extend through January 7, to start off the New Year with plenty of rhythm. Ocaso brings together an impressive lineup of house and techno artists, an electric music festival with international and national talent for adults 18 and up. “Ocaso has qu...

Costa Rica End of the Year Horse Parade, Carnival and Zapote Fair, Enjoy the Remaining Days of 2018 in Costa Rica

The last few days of 2018 are here and Costa Rica begins the celebration with the famous horse parade “tope” this Wednesday, December 26. The tope takes the streets of downtown San José, so if you use the bus service take this into consideration as the bus stops change this day, and, if you don’t want to get stuck in traffic or rerouted avoid going to San José. The tope begins at noon, but the ...

Santa Cruz Parties Costa Rica Costa Rican Tourism Board Declares Santa Cruz’ Traditional Parties 2019 an Activity of “Public Interest”

The Costa Rican Tourism Board declared the Fiestas Típicas Nacionales de Santa Cruz 2019 (National Traditional Party of Santa Cruz), which will be celebrated January 14 through January 20, 2019, of “public interest”. This traditional activity carried out in the county of Santa Cruz, Guanacaste, has gained popularity in the country, in particular due to the Costa Rican style bullfighting. I...

Costa Rica Festival de la Luz 2018 Roads Closures in San Jose This Weekend for the Festival de la Luz Preparations

The already traditional Festival de la Luz or Festival of Light will take place this Satuday, December 15; for this reason the transit authorities and the Municipality have already started their work to set up all the infrastructure and will be closing some roads since the early hours of Saturday. The works to install the platforms and bleachers began the evening of this Wednesday in Paseo Colo...

Costa Rica Christmas San Jose Costa Rica Celebrates Holiday Season Festivities Starting Saturday, December 1

The mayor of San José, Johnny Araya, announced the beginning of the holiday celebrations in the capital city of Costa Rica, the same will take place as of this Saturday, December 1. “In a year in which Costa Rica has faced different challenges and social conflicts, we have come to realize that these activities are an adequate scenario to recover optimism, hope, our smile and hopefully so we can...

Romeria Costa Rica Thousands of Police Officers and Red Cross Personnel in Attendance During La Romeria Pilgrimage

Even though the official day to celebrate is August 2, many Costa Ricans have already started their walk to La Basilica de los Angeles church in Cartago to honor the country’s patron saint La Virgen de los Angeles. “La Romeria” pilgrimage as it is known, requires the attention and organization of police and health authorities in the country, since its and event that gathers hundreds of thousands ...

Annexation Nicoya Costa Rica Celebrating 194 Years of the Nicoya Annexation to Costa Rica

This Wednesday, July 25 is a holiday in Costa Rica due to the celebration of the 194 anniversary of the “Annexation of Nicoya” (Anexión de Nicoya) also referred to as the “Annexation of Guanacaste”. When we go back in time, we learn that initially what was known as the “Partido de Nicoya” (‘partido’ meaning administrative district) was an independent territory that included the lands located to...

Romeria Costa Rica Dogs La Romeria Pilgrimage is Not for Dogs – Says Animal Health Service in Costa Rica

Like every year hundreds of thousands of Costa Ricans are preparing for the annual pilgrimage to La Basilica de Los Angeles in Cartago to honor the country’s patron saint, La Virgen de los Angeles or “La Negrita” this August 2. “La Romeria” as it is known in Costa Rica, is an act of faith for Catholics, that make the long walk to honor a promise, ask for a miracle or a favor or give thanks for ...

US independence Day Costa Rica The US Embassy in Costa Rica Celebrated Independence Day With Members of Costa Rican Government

Photo Credit: US Embassy in Costa Rica The United States embassy in Costa Rica began the celebration of the 242 years of independence the evening of July 3rd with a formal gathering with personnel of the American Embassy and representatives of the Costa Rican government. “The United States was built in the principles of freedom, democracy and liberty and its these founding principles that stre...

Celebrate 4th of July in Costa Rica

The United States citizens celebrate this fourth of July 242 years of independent life, if you are in Costa Rica and you are looking for options on things to do this Independence Day, we offer you some alternatives: Backyard Bar: The Backyard Bar between Jaco and Hermosa in Puntarenas is hosting an "Old Fashioned Backyard Barbecue" starting at 4 p.m. with an open jackpot surf contest and live m...

May 1 Costa Rica May 1 Costa Rica: New Legislative Assembly Members Take Over, Labor Union Groups Protest Fiscal Plan

It’s Labor Day, and in Costa Rica like in many parts of the world this day usually involves parades usually raising awareness over particular issues concerning the general population, other times, like today in Costa Rica protesting against a particular political situation. Today, representatives of different workers’ union groups marched in the streets of downtown San Jose, expressing their op...

Costa Rica Gastronomy Events What to do Today in Costa Rica? Two Gastronomy Events Invite You To Try Delicious Food

Saturday is here and the weather is beautiful in Costa Rica, if you are looking for something to do to get you out of the house on this day there are two gastronomy festivals you’ll want to check out Taste: The Taste “pop-up” gastronomy festival combines food, drinks and music. The event will take place in the parking lot of the Real Intercontinental Hotel in Escazu today, Saturday, April 21, s...

Costa Rica April 11 April 11 in Costa Rica Commemorates 162 Years Since the Battle of Rivas

This Wednesday, April 11 is a holiday in Costa Rica, do you know why? The country commemorates 162 years of the Battle of Rivas also known as the day of the National Hero, Juan Santamaria. The Battle of Rivas took place in Rivas, Nicaragua between the filibuster army lead by William Walker and Costa Rica's army lead by President Juan Rafael Mora Porras, General José Joaquín Mora Porras and G...

Holy Week Religious Parades Costa Rica Holy Week Religious Parades – A Tradition in Costa Rica

Holy Week is here and in a country like Costa Rica where the majority of the population is Catholic, there are many religious traditions taking place all around the country. The “procesiones” ( processions or religious parades) began yesterday with the Virgen de la Dolorosa and continued this Palms Sunday with the reenactment of the entry of Jesus to Jerusalem. While some communities make th...

Schedules Costa Rica Holy Week Public Institutions and Banks’ Schedules for Holy Week in Costa Rica

Times have certainly changed, years back, even maybe 20 years ago Holy Week in Costa Rica meant no cars at all in the streets and very few services operating; today the traditions have changed to some extent, many businesses operate as usual, and others instead of closing the entire week just observe the mandatory holidays (Thursday and Friday). The majority of the public institutions in Costa...

Costa Rica Announces Dates and Lineup for International Festival of the Arts FIA 2018

Photo Credit: Esteban Chinchilla / FIA 2017 The XVI edition of the International Festival of the Arts (FIA) in Costa Rica will take place April 6 through April 15, and will include a total of 92 artistic groups, 18 participating countries and 162 presentations. Under the slogan “The window to discover art”, the FIA will bring together over 1100 professionals in 7 main sites that include, th...

Costa Rican Traditions Mule Festival Costa Rican Traditions: National Mules Festival

The rural areas of Costa Rica are full of traditions that many times go unnoticed and that perhaps do not receive the credit deserved for their cultural and historic value; one of this traditions is the National Mules Festival. Celebrated every year in February in the area of Parrita, Puntarenas, this tradition began in properties in Esterillos in 1989, it started as a form of entertainment, an...

Envision Festival Costa Rica VIDEO:The Envision Festival in Costa Rica is Back February 22-26

The 8th edition of the Envision Festival is happening February 22-26, 2018, as usual in the beautiful area of Uvita in Costa Rica’s South Pacific. This festival brings together art, spirituality, yoga, music, dance, live performances, education, and connection with nature. The Envision Festival offers in general experiences for those that envision a better world and celebrates the awakening ...

Puntarenas Carnivals Costa Rica Puntarenas Carnivals Kick Off February 8 in Costa Rica

After two years of not celebrating the carnivals due to different problems with permits, finally the traditional Puntarenas Carnivals are back and they kick off Thursday, February 8th and will continue with different activities through February 18. The Puntarenas Carnivals are a great way to immerse in the culture and life of this beach town. Among the activities that will take place, are, a...

Costa Rica Coffee Two Events For Coffee Lovers in Costa Rica

Some of the best coffee in the world is produced in Costa Rica, and certainly the culture of coffee in this Central American country has transcended through history and this beverage continues to be today one of the favorite of Ticos and people all over the world. Every year there are different events and festivals where coffee takes the center stage, February already has two lined up: Viva...

Gastronomy Festival Costa Rica La Luz Gastronomy Festival Will be Back February 18 in Escalante Costa Rica

La Luz Gastronomy Festival in Barrio Escalante will take place this year on February 18 starting at 11 a.m. and through 8 p.m. This year the Festival will have the participation of 15 restaurants and the usual food trucks and picnic area. According to Carolina Rojas, part of the organization of the event, this year the Festival will have just this one date, while in previous years the Festiva...

Things to do Jaco Beach Costa Rica Bamboo Bass Festival in Jaco Beach, Costa Rica this February

The Bamboo Bass Festival Costa Rica takes place from February 16 to February 18 at the popular Jaco beach; this is the third edition of this event that brings together music, art and entertainment. Bamboo Bass Festival is an international event that gathers bass music lovers from around the world. An exceptional roster of local and foreign talent will entertain hundreds of visitors in two li...

Palmares Costa Rica 2018 In Costa Rica The Party Continues in Palmares 2018

When you vacation or live in a foreign country part of the experience is about really immersing yourself in the cultural life and traditions of the same. If you are currently in Costa Rica you can enjoy an event that is highly anticipated by Costa Ricans, the “Fiestas de Palmares” or “Palmares Festivities”. Palmares is the name of a community in Alajuela, it is known by the slogan “un pueblo pa...

Costa Rica End of the Year Activities End of the Year Activities Begin Today in Costa Rica

As we begin the last week of 2017, traditional activities take place in Costa Rica for the entertainment of Tico families. Zapote: The popular Zapote festivities begin today and will extend through January 7th . The fair includes mechanical games for young children and adults, food stands, bars, and the center of all action of course, the Zapote redondel or bullring. There’s no bullfighting...

Costa Rica Banks Schedule Holidays Costa Rican Banks’ Holiday Season Schedule

It’s already December 23 and many begin their vacation period today, many businesses in Costa Rica also remain closed this last week of the year. Banks usually have special schedules during the holiday season, it is important that you take this into consideration if you have to make payments, deposits or any other diligence in a Costa Rican bank. The Costa Rican Banking Association released the...

Ocaso Underground Music Festival Tamarindo Start the New Year off in Costa Rica at the Ocaso Underground Music Festival Tamarindo

The Ocaso Underground Music Festival will take place in Tamarindo, Guanacaste from January 4th to the 7th in three different venues with an impressive lineup of house and techno artists. This is the second edition of this event, “Ocaso is a unique, fun and exciting concert, guaranteed to provide a safe respectful and beautiful experience for everyone. Our goal is to establish a cornerstone even...

Costa Rica Festival de la Luz Images From the Festival de la Luz 2017 in San Jose, Costa Rica

The streets of San Jose, Costa Rica glittered last night as 14 floats made the delight of thousands that gathered to witness the 22nd edition of the Festival de la Luz (Festival of Light). The winner float was the DEMASA float (company that produces corn based food products); the second place went to the Kolbi float and third place went to the float created by the INS Group (National Insurance ...

StarFest this Weekend at Avenida Escazu for all Star Wars Fans in Costa Rica

Star Wars fans in Costa Rica will be able to enjoy once again the Star Fest in Avenida Escazu this Saturday, December 16 and Sunday, December 17, starting at noon and through 7 p.m. “Star Fest is born in 2014 to begin a tradition in Costa Rica, is a special date for fans to share and celebrate as a family the passion for the Star Wars world”, explained Marco Morales, organizer of the event. ...

Festival de la Luz 2017 Costa Rica Partial Closure of Streets in San Jose, Costa Rica in Preparation for Festival de la Luz

As of 9 p.m. this Wednesday some of the streets in downtown San Jose will be closed partially in preparation for the traditional Festival de la Luz, (Festival of Light or Parade of Light). The partial closure will be on place from 9 p.m. on Wednesday, December 13 through 5 a.m. on Thursday, December 14 and again at 9 p.m. Thursday through 5 a.m. Friday. On Saturday, the area close to Paseo C...

Hanukkah Costa Rica Happy Hanukkah in Costa Rica

The first Jewish settlers arrived to Costa Rica shortly after Christopher Columbus (1502), there was also a number of members of this community that arrived at the end of the XIX century. The Jewsish settlers from Poland and some from Central Europe arrived during the first decades of the XX century. Today, the estimated Jewish population is of approximately 5,000 the majority live in Escazu, San ...

Street Food Festival Costa Rica Costa Rica’s Street Food Festival Will Be Back For a Second Edition in 2018

More than 11,000 people loved the concept of the Street Food Festival that took place in the Kölbi Center in Parque Viva, Costa Rica earlier this year, the success was such that the organizers decided to do a second edition the presence this 2018. The Street Food Festival this year had the participation of 25 food trucks and stands offering different gastronomy options, live music, kids zone,...

Holidays Costa Rica Style Enjoy the Holidays Celebrating in Costa Rica Tico Style

This holiday season, globetrotting families should consider exploring the cultural wonders that are waiting to be discovered in sunny Costa Rica. Celebrating the season with an unforgettable immersive experience is one way to ensure lasting memories that will be treasured long after the tan lines are gone. Experiential travel, which continues to rise in popularity for its transformative results...