Top Festivals to Experience in Costa Rica
Costa Rica may officially be a Catholic country, but its people absolutely know how to party. Oftentimes, they even use religious holidays as an opportunity to celebrate.
Small festivals occur throughout the country all year round; however, the celebrations ramp up during the holiday season. These vibrant events involve everything from bullfighting and carnival rides to fireworks, marimba music, feasts, and jubilant dancing. Notably, Fiestas de Zapote, held in the eponymous neighborhood of San José, is the biggest of these festivals featuring roller coasters, concerts, and the largest bullfights of the year. Moreover, Fiestas Palmares—Costa Rica’s equivalent of Oktoberfest in terms of beer served—is the longest party of the year. Meanwhile, on the southern Pacific coast, the area’s Brunca people’s traditions are honored during the Juego de los Diablitos.
If you’re looking for something different, consider the Envision Festival, a mini tropical Burning Man taking place in Uvita every February. Don’t forget to plan for rest after the celebrations!
Fiestas de Zapote, San José
During this annual festival at the end of December, fierce bulls from all over Costa Rica converge in the capital for the biggest rodeo of the year. Outside the ring, amusement-park rides elicit squeals of delight, couples of all ages dance to live cumbia and la ranchera, while the sweet aroma of pinchos de carne wafts through the warm air.
Carnaval de Limón
Imagine Brazil’s Carnaval, relocated to the Caribbean port city of Limón during the second week of October. The event features fewer participants but retains elaborate costumes and floats that parade through the town, celebrating Limón Province’s rich Afro-Caribbean culture.
Envision Festival, Uvita
If you seek healing ceremonies, sunset celebrations on the beach, and jungle dance parties, this weeklong gathering of artists, spiritual seekers, and music enthusiasts from around the globe might be just right for you. Each February in the Pacific Coast town of Uvita, the festival features themed campsites, eclectic merchandise booths, lectures, yoga workshops, and a diverse lineup of musicians performing across five stages, accompanied by plenty of crunchy food and sacred movement activities.
Fiestas de Palmares
This is Costa Rica’s most significant cowboy party lasting two solid weeks. The festival includes horse parades, exciting rodeos, musical performances, carnival rides, and an endless supply of beer (it claims to serve more than any other festival except Oktoberfest). Consequently, Fiestas de Palmares attracts approximately one million visitors from across the country. Do plan a visit, but ensure your wallet is secure, as Palmares can be a haven for pickpockets.
Juego de los Diablitos, Boruca and Rey Curré
Known as the Game of the Little Devils, this celebration of the Brunca people’s resistance against Spanish colonization takes place in the Indigenous communities of Boruca and Rey Curré in December and January, respectively. During the event, Brunca men wear elaborate homemade masks and costumes representing their ancestors, or “the devils.” Spaniards are depicted by another Brunca man dressed in a bull costume. Throughout four days, the devils and the bull engage in semi-choreographed “battles.” On the final day, a large party takes place where locals and visitors celebrate the devils’ ultimate victory by enjoying chicha, a fermented corn beverage, served in hollow gourds.
