Costa Rican Celebrations

Saints’ days, holidays, sporting events and indigenous traditions are grand celebrations with parties, carnivals or turnos, gigantic, papier-maché-headed clowns called payasos, traditional bullfights called corridas de toros, horse parades or topes, music, bingos, carnival rides, games and food.

Some of the most important celebrations in Costa Rica:

Palmares Fiestas: Palmares are a place to make friends! During the first two weeks of January, people can enjoy typical food, carnivals, rides, topes, concerts and more.

Santa Cruz Fiestas: in January, Guanacaste organizes this celebration in honor of the Black Christ of Esquipulas with folklore dancing, marimbas and typical food.

Puntarenas Carnival: The last week of February people go to Puntarenas to enjoy the sun and sand with concerts and carnivals.

Oxcart Driver´s Day: Celebrated the second Sunday of every March in San Antonio de Escazú, this is a colorful oxcart parade, with a local priest blessing the animals and crops.


Fruit Festival: In March, Orotina exhibits and sells fruits, vegetables and typical food, along with carnival rides and concerts.


International Art Fest: This festival of international and local music, art exhibits, dance, theater and much more comes to San José or a small town every year to demonstrate the importance of the arts.


Holy Week: A catholic celebration during March or April characterized by dramatic processions that represent the crucifixion of Jesus.

Juan Santamaría Day: Every April 11, Costa Ricans commemorates this national hero, a barefoot soldier who died in battle against William Walker´s troops in 1856.


Virgin of the Sea: In July, Puntarenas celebrates its Patron Saint, Virgin Mt. Carmel. Parades, fireworks, dances, sports competitions and typical food are part of this event.


Annexation of Guanacaste: One of the most popular celebrations, on July 25 Costa Rica celebrates the Guanacaste´s decision to be part of the country since 1824. “Las fiestas de Liberia” involves folk dances, cattle shows, parades, bullfights and concerts.

Virgin of Los Angeles: On August 2^nd, this event honors Costa Rica´s Patron Saint with a nationwide pilgrimage to Basilica in Cartago, to celebrate miracle-working black Virgin of Los Angeles (La Negrita’s) appearance.

Costa Rica Independence Day: On September 15^th, a relay race is undertaken throughout Central America. Student runners carry the “Freedom Torch” from Guatemala to Costa Rica. This torch arrives at the colonial capital of Cartago precisely at 6 p.m. on September 14, when everyone, nationwide, sings the National Anthem. Kids have nocturnal homemade lantern parades. There is also a drum-beating, parade of uniformed school children the next day.

Limón Carnival: Each October Limón throws a party, and the Afro-Caribbean community celebrates its rich heritage during an entire week with street dances, parades, concerts, Caribbean music and food.

Lights Festival: Part of the Christmas celebrations, the city of San José becomes aglow with luminaries during a magical night of colorful lights to bring delight to Costa Rican families.

Fiesta de los Negritos: On December 8 in the Indian Village of Boruca, ancient Indians rituals combine with Catholicism to honor the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception with costumes, drums, flute music and dance.


Christmas Celebrations: At the beginning of December, homes and businesses set up nativity scenes called “portales.” Seasonal food includes cookies, rompope, chicha, tamales, apples and grapes. Las Posadas begin on December 15, carolers go house-to-house and are treated to refreshments. Catholics celebrate on December 24 at midnight “La Misa del Gallo.”


Fiesta de los Diablitos: At midnight of December 31, Borucas gather to reenact the war between their ancestors and the Spanish conquistadors. At the sound of a conch shell, men dressed in burlap sacking and devil masks pursue a fellow tribesman dressed as a bull.

Additionally, it is very common that local communities organize fairs of products cultivated or produced in the area. Festivals such as tomato, orange, cherry, pejibaye (peach palm), cheese, beans and corn festival and even a Chicharrón (roasted pork meat) are samples of local people’s efforts to promote their products and improve their economy.