Festivals and Celebrations
Below are listings of festivals and celebrations that take place regularly in Costa Rica:
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
January
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Full Moon PartyCall for dates and times |
Típico food, crafts, sea sports, cultural activities.
Where: Cocalito Beach, Osa Peninsula
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New Year's DayJanuary 1st |
National Holiday
Where:
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Palmares FiestasFirst two weeks of January |
Food, carnival, rides, bingo, topes, concerts, more. Where:
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Alajuelita FiestasWeek of January 15 |
Honor Black Christ of Esquipulas, Alajuelita's Patron Saint; oxcart parade, pilgrimage to huge iron cross on mountain.
Where:
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Santa Cruz FiestasWeek of January 15 |
Honor Black Christ of Esquipulas; folk dancing, marimbas and more. Where: Guanacaste
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Copa del Caféweek-long |
Week-long international youth tennis tournament at Costa Rica Community Club - participants under 18.
Where: Escazú
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View Brochure 
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Cattle ExhibitFirst week of Feburary |
Livestock shows, agriculture/industrial fairs, bullfights, more.
Where: San Isidro de El General
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Expo-Feria Pérez Zeledón
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Cattle show and sale, cowboy demonstrations, rides, food, concerts.
Where:
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CENAC Summer FestivalFebruary 13-16 |
Dance, concerts theater shows, storytellers, movie shows for free at National Cultural Center.
Where: San José
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Sun FestivalLast week of February |
Annual gathering to promote use of solar energy, exhibit solar energy devices, food cooked in solar ovens; fire ceremony to celebrate Maya New Year, February 25.
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Puntarenas CarnivalLast week of February |
Week-long fun in the sun.
Where: Puntarenas
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Monteverde Music FestivalFebruary-March |
Best Costa Rican musicians and artists perform in this remote cloud forest town.
Where: Monteverde
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Liberia FiestasLast week of Feburary |
Best Guancaste folklore, rides, concerts and much more.
Phone:
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March
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Día del Boyero (Oxcart Driver's Day)Second Sunday of March |
Colorful Oxcart Parade, local priests bless animals and crops.
Where: San Antonio de Escazú
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Annual International Food FairThird weekend of March |
Proceeds are for social benefits.
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Caribbean Music FestivalMarch-April |
Music.
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Fruit FestivalMarch 16-26 |
Exhibit/sale of fruits, vegetables, lectures, rides, concerts, food.
Where: Orotina
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National Orchid Show
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Over 1,500 local and foreign species, hybrids, on display.
Where: San José
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Pilgrimage to UjarrásMid-March |
Religious procession from Cartago to ruins of first church in Costa Rica.
Where: Ujarrás
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St. Joseph's DayMarch 19 |
Namesake neighborhoods celebrate with fairs, special masses.
Where: St. Joseph
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April
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Holy WeekMarch or April |
Dramatic street processions depicting crucifixion. San José virtually shuts down Thursday-Sunday. City Ticos head to the beach.
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International Arts FestivalApril 5-21 |
International theater, dance, concerts, exhibits.
Where: San José
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Juan Santamaría DayApril 11 |
Commemorates Costa Rica's national hero, barefoot soldier who died in battle against William Walker's troops in 1856. Week-long celebrations, parades, concerts, dances.
Where: concentrated in Alajuela
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University WeekLast week of April |
Concerts, exhibits, parades, craziness.
Where: University of Costa Rica
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Artisan's FairLast week of April, first week of May |
Huge craft fair.
Where: San José
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May
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Labor DayMay 1 |
Marches, President gives annual "State of the Nation" address, Congress elects new leaders; picnics, dances, dominoes.
Where: Limón
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San Isidro Labrador's DayMay 15 |
All namesake towns honor this patron saint of farmers and farm animals with blessing of animals and crops; parades and fairs.
Where: San Isidro
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Carrera de San JuanMay 17 |
Big cross-country race, tough 22.5-km course.
Where: San Juan
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Corpus Christi DayMay 29 |
National holiday; religious celebration Where: throughout Costa Rica.
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June
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Father's DayThird Sunday of June |
Give dad a tie.
Where:
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St. Peter & St. Paul DayJune 29 |
Religious celebration; namesake towns have turnos.
Where:
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July
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Annual Catholic FairTwo weeks in June |
Concerts, seminars, conferences.
Where:
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Virgin of the SeaSaturday closest to July 16 |
Colorful regatta of decorated fishing boats, yachts in the Gulf of Nicoya salute Puntatenas' Patron Saint, Virgin of Mt. Carmel; masses, parades, dances, sports events, fireworks.
Where: Puntarenas
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Annexation of GuanacasteJuly 25 |
Celebrates Guanacaste's decision to be part of Costa Rica instead of Nicaragua in 1824; fiestas in Liberia, folk dances, parades, cattle shows, bullfights, concerts. Where: Guanacaste
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August
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Virgin of Los AngelesAugust 2 |
Honors Costa Rica's Patron Saint with nationwide pilgrimage to Basilica in Cartago to celebrate miracle-working black Virgin of Los Angeles' (La Negrita) appearance.
Where:
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Mother's DayAugust 15 |
National Holiday; flowers, candy and extra love for moms.
Where: nationwide
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San Ramón's DayAugust 30 |
Townspeople parade to San Ramón church bearing their districts' patron saints; San Ramón dances through the streets; parades and fun.
Where: San Ramón
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Semana Cultural Afrocostarricense
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Afro-Costa Rican lectures, discussions, displays of black culture.
Where:
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September
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Costa Rica's Independence DaySeptember 15 |
Gigantic relay race takes in entire Central American isthmus; student runners carry "Freedom Torch" from Guatamala to Costa Rica. Torch arrives at Colonial capital of Cartago precisely at 6 p.m. on the 14th, when everyone, nationwide, sings National Anthem; kids have nocturnal homemade lantern parades; drum-beating, uniformed school children parade the next day.
Where:
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October
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San Isidro de El GeneralOctober 9 |
Celebration of the southern hub city's founding.
Where: San Isidro
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Limón Carnival
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Week-long street dances, parades, concerts - a Caribbean "Mardi Gras".
Where: Limón
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Virgen del Pilar's DayOctober 12 |
Fair in San José district of Tres Ríos celebrating Patron Saint.
Where: Tres Ríos district of San José
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Fiesta del MaízOctober 12 |
Corn celebrated with parade, costumes made entirely of corn husks, grains, silks.
Where: Upala
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Cultures DayOctober 12 |
Commemorates Spanish conquest, frequent indigenous protest marches. Where:
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International Guitar Festival
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Best classic guitar players perform.
Where:
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National Artisan's FairDates vary |
Exhibits, sale of fine crafts.
Where:
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November
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All Soul's DayNovember 2 |
"Day of the Dead" observed with family visits to cemeteries to remember loved ones.
Where:
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December
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Christmas Choir FestivalFirst week of December |
Choirs around the country perform at National Theater.
Where:
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Lights FestivalAll month |
Parades, concerts, fireworks at night, San José adorned with lights.
Where: San José
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Fiesta de los NegritosWeek of the 8th |
Ancient Indian rituals combined with Catholicism to honor Virgin of the Immaculate Conception with costumes, drums, flute music, dance.
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Fiesta de la Yeguita (Little Mare)Week of December 12 |
Blends ancient Indian ritual in honoring the Virgin of Guadalupe with processions, concerts, fireworks, special foods.
Where: Nicoya
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| Christmas Celebrations
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Homes and businesses set up Nativity scenes; competition for best scene runs through the 22nd. Las Posadas begin December 15 - carolers go house to house and are treated to refreshments. December 24, Catholic churches celebrate the Misa de Gallo (literally, Mass of the Rooster).
Where:
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| Festejos Populares (Year-end Festivals) December 25-31 |
Amusement park with rides, food, bullfights, music, fireworks.
Where: South San José fairgrounds at Zapote. Phone:
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International Dance FestivalFirst two weeks of December |
Shows with acclaimed national/ international dancers; seminars.
Where:
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| Tope December 26 |
Great horse parade.
Where: downtown San José
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CarnivalDecember 27 |
Huge parade with colorful floats; music.
Where: downtown San José
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Fiesta de los DiablitosDecember 31 - January 2 |
Indians of the southern Boruca region enact a fight/dance between the Indians (diablitos) and Spaniards (bulls) amid flute and drum music; craft sale, fireworks.
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