Festivals
Make your stay a little more special by joining the local folk in frequent celebrations. At any time you may run into a local Tope (a great excuse to get your finest on and ride your favorite pony around town for the day). Here are some of the many good excuses for a celebration:
January
- Alajuelita & Santa Cruz: Fiestas Patronales 15th January: dancing, marimba, bullfights
February
- San Isidro de El General: Fiestas Civicas 1st & 2nd February: bullfights, orchid exhibition, agricultural fair
- Rey Curre/Talamancas: Fiestas de los Diablos: Indian festival, masked dancing
March
- Escazu: Dia de los Boyeros - March 2nd Sunday: National Oxcart Day
- San Jose: Earth Day 19th February: Indian handicrafts
- Heredia/Escazu, San Jose: Semana Santa end of the month: processions of effigies
April
- National: Juan Santamaria Day - April 11th - marching bands, parades, concerts
May
- Puerto Limon: May Day 1st of May cricket matches, dances
- Escazu/San Isidro: Dia del Boyero 15th May oxcart parades
July
- Alajuela: Mango Festival parades, music (may also be held end of June)
- Playa del Coco/Puntarenas: Carnival Sunday nearest 16th boat parades, concerts, fireworks
- Liberia/Santa Cruz: Guanacaste day 25th July folk dancing, marimba, rodeos, bullfights
August
- Cartago: Virgin of Los Angeles 2nd August religious procession (crawling Christians)
- San Ramon: Dia de San Ramon 3rd August religious procession
September
- Nationwide: Independence day 15th September (night) lantern parades, marching bands
October
- Puerto Limon: Carnival 10th to 12th October (night) floats, dancing
- Upala: Fiesta de Maiz October 12th - corn queen contest, corn festival
November
- Meseta Central: Coffee picking tournament
- San Jose: International Theater Festival November 10th to 15th - plays, street theatre
December
- Boruca: Fiesta de Los Negritos 8th December costume dancing
- Nationwide: Dia de la Polovra 8th December (night) fireworks