Costa Rica Events

Costa Ricans love to party, kicking off the New Year with ten days of beer-drinking, horse shows and other carnival events in the tiny town of Palmares. You've two opportunities to catch the Fiesta de los Diablitos; it takes place in Reserva Indígena Boruca (December 31 to January 2) and in Curré (February 5-8). Men wear carved wooden devil masks and burlap masks to re-enact the fight between the Indians and the Spanish. In this version, the Spanish lose.

Día de San José (March) honors the capital's patron saint, and Fiesta de La Virgen del Mar (Festival of the Virgin of the Sea), with its colorful regattas and boat parades, is held in Puntarenas and Playa del Coco (July).

Día de Guanacaste (July), celebrates the annexation of Guanacaste from Nicaragua. There's a rodeo in Santa Cruz on this day. Virgen de Los Angeles (August) is celebrated with an important religious procession from San José to Cartago.

El Día de la Raza (Columbus Day) takes place in October - the town of Puerto Limón celebrates with a four-day carnival. It's all about colorful street parades, dancing, music, singing and drinking!

Families visit graveyards and have religious parades in honor of the deceased on Día de los Muertos (All Souls' Day). During Las Fiestas de Zapote, at the end of the year, a week-long celebration of all things Costa Rican (namely rodeos, cowboys, carnival rides, fried food and a whole lot of drinking) takes place in Zapote, southeast of San José.