Costa Rica — Events
Día del Boyero
March 13, 2011 - February 10, 2012
Perhaps the most recognizable symbol of Costa Rican culture is the carreta (ox cart), used for plowing, transportation, and in this case, parades. The hand-hewn wooden carts with their oversized wheels are traditionally painted with colorful mandalas and other elaborate patterns. Every March, scores ox carts, some of them painted to perfection and others purely utilitarian, make their annual agrarian pilgrimage to the city of Escazú.
Montezuma International Film Festival
November 1, 2011 - November 30, 2011
Bizarre as it is that somewhere so tiny and chilled out should host a film festival, Montezuma’s effort is quite impressive. Films from all over the world are shown in various bars and restaurants which get commandeered for the occasion.
Fiesta de las Carretas
November 1, 2011 - November 30, 2011
This relaxed little festival seems designed to remind increasingly urban San José of its humble, agricultural roots. Every November, traditional ox carts, orcarretas, make their way slowly past the high-rise hotels and traffic lights to Parque La Sabana. There, theboyeros (oxcart drivers) are greeted with food stands, live music, and religious ceremonies. Afterward, the carretas line up for a parade along usually traffic-packed Paseo Colón.
Las Fiestas de Zapote
December 14, 2011 - December 31, 2011
This pleasant working-class neighborhood puts on the capital’s favorite urban fiestas, most famous for their endlesstopes (horse parades), which bring out the finest steeds in the Central Valley. Las Fiestas are also known for Costa Rican-style “bull fights,” where bulls aren’t killed, but rather allowed to run with locals brave enough to try to touch the beast – sometimes getting hurt in the process. Zapote also brings in top international performers, many from Mexico.
Festival Palmares
January 1, 2012 - January 14, 2012
Costa Rica’s biggest civic festival takes place every January in the city of Palmaras, about an hour west of San José. Just every Costa Rican who can swing it tries to attend, and special buses advertised all over the capital make transportation a snap. The party goes all night, as the usually quiet town erupts into temporary bars and discos, carnival games, rickety rides, horse parade, rodeos, live music, and much more.
National Orchid Show
March 1, 2012 - March 31, 2012
Costa Rica, with its high tropical mountains and cloud forest-capped volcanoes, is a haven for orchids; more than 1,400 different species grow wild. There are several botanical gardens you can visit year-round, but the annual National Orchid Show, held in downtown San José, displays the best of the best.
Day of the Virgin of the Sea
July 1, 2012 - July 31, 2012
One for the Nicoya Peninsula towns – this event sees various boats and yachts sailing through the Gulf of Nicoya in celebration of the Virgin of the Sea. If you’re chilling on the beach at this time it can be quite a spectacle.
Day of the Annexation of Guanacaste
July 25, 2012
Not for the faint of heart (or even the strong of morals) this annual event celebrates the annexation of the province of Guanacaste, and they do this by way of bull fights and cattle shows, along with folk dancing and general fiestas.
Costa Rica Independence Day
September 14, 2012 - September 15, 2012
In celebration of Costa Rica’s split from Spain, relay runners carry a freedom torch from Nicaragua to Cartago on the 14th of September, and then continue to celebrate until the 15th for the day itself.
Limon Carnival
October 12, 2012
The Caribbean spirit shines through in this annual festival, which involves Latin music galore, fancy dress, dancing, parades, floats and juggling. It’s bright and vibrant and is in celebration of Columbus Day.
