CULTURAL
FESTIVALS in the Heredia area and the rest of Costa Rica
As part of their exposure to Costa Rican culture, we highly encourage
students to plan their stay so as to coincide with one of the yearly cultural
celebrations held in or close to Heredia and in other areas of the country. Independence
Day in September, Encounter of Cultures Day in October, and
the Fiestas Patronales in Heredia and Fiestas Nacionales in San José in
December provide some of the regions highlights.
JANUARY:
·
Fiestas de Cívicas de Palmares
: Palmares is a beautiful town,
located 1 hour
from Heredia, These
“fiestas Civicas ” are famous in Costa Rica
for their activities such as: music concerts, carnaval, parades,
bullfights, rodeo, typical foods and drink and rides.
·
Copa del Café:
Is
a famous International Tennis tournament, besides
the tennis matches, they also have outdoor activities such as:
food and beverages, and music.
·
Fiestas de San Blas:
These “fiestas” honour Nicoya’s Patron Saint, San Blas, with music,
concerts, folkloric dance presentations, equestrian procession, bullfights,
rodeo, typical foods and drink, variety of cultural activities. Held in the
Cananga fairgrounds, Nicoya.
·
Fiestas de Santa Cruz:
These regional fiestas are among the most famous in Costa Rica, with a full week
of rodeo, bullfights, concerts, typical food and drink, parades, horse-shows and
more. Held in Santa Cruz, approx. 50mins drive from Sámara.
·
Fiesta de los Diablitos
: These “Fiesta “ is in Rey Curre, the Boruca Indigenous Reserve located
South of San Isidro del General. It
is an alternative reading of the relations between the indigenous population and
the colonizers. It takes place on New Year´s Eve and lasts for 3 days. Men from
the reserve dress up with artisan’s masks and dance around the community. El
torito (the bull, representing the Spanish colonizer) “kills” the devils one
by one. When the last one is dead, they resurrect and kill the bull.
FEBRUARY:
· Feria Exposición Ganadera, agrícola e industrial, in the fifth week of February, with: flowers, cattle and industry machines exhibitions, Latin music concerts and food and drinks. Held in Pérez Zeledón.
·
Puntarenas Carnaval:
This famous and very festive Carnival is in the last week of February,
with Latin music concerts,
carnivals, typical foods and drink, and art and craft sales.
MARCH:
·
Festival Nacional de las Artes.
This festival takes place in Heredia or San
José each year, with a variety of
performers, cultural activities,
music concerts, art and craft sales.
·
Día del
Boyero Nacional: Escazu – Second Sunday of March
in San Antonio de Escazú,. Do not miss the colorful parade of ox carts. It is
carried out by local Catholic priests who bless the ox cart and the products
they carry.
·
Exposición Nacional de Orquídeas:
This celebration takes place in San Jose in the middle of March. More
than 500 local and foreign species of Orchids.
· Semana Universitaria Universidad Nacional: This celebration is in the last week of March. The campus is located in Heredia, During the week there are music concerts, a variety of cultural activities and many places to go out for the night life.
APRIL:
·
Día de Juan Santamaría
– 11 de abril: This
celebration commemorates the Costa Rican Nacional hero, a soldier who gave his
life in the battle against William Walkers troops, in 1856. The activity is
celebrated during the whole week. Moreover, there are music concerts and parades
carried out by school bands .
·
Semana Santa:
It
is a Catholic celebration with big processions all around
town during the week of Easter. The majority of stores close on Holy
Thursday and Friday.
· Semana universitaria Universidad de Costa Rica: This celebration is in the last week of March. The campus is located in San Pedro, San José. During the week, there are music concerts, a variety of cultural activities and many places to go out for the night life.
MAY:
·
Fiestas Patronales San Isidro de Heredia:
These “fiestas” honour San Isidro Labrador’s Patron Saint, San Isidro de
Heredia, is town 30 minutes from Heredia, they
celebrate with music, concerts, an
equestrian procession, bullfights, typical
foods and drinks.
JUNIO:
·
Fiestas Patronales San Antonio de Belén:
These “fiestas” honour San Antonio’s Patron Saint, San Antonio de Belén,
It is a town 20 minutes from
Heredia, and they celebrate with music, concerts,
equestrian procession, bullfights, typical
foods and drinks..
JULIO:
·
Cultural Week in Nicoya and Celebration of the Annexation
of Guanacaste :
This festival celebrates Guanacaste’s
union with the rest of Costa Rica. There is
music, concerts, folkloric dance presentations, equestrian processions,
bullfights, rodeos, typical foods and drinks, and a variety of cultural activities.
Celebrations are held in Sámara and Nicoya.
·
Día de la Virgen
del Mar, Puntarenas: This celebration takes place on the Saturday nearest to the
16th of July and it honors La Virgen del Monte Patron, Puntarenas. Moreover, the
celebration includes a parade of fishing embarkations and
adorned yachts in front of the Puntarena beaches and the Nicoya gulf.
There are also music concerts, equestrian processions, bullfights,
typical foods and drinks.
·
Feria de los Mangos- Alajuela:
It
is a festival with parades, music, Costa Rican arts and crafts , food and
drinks. End of July.
AUGUST:
·
August 2: Fiesta de la Virgen de los Angeles. This celebration honours the Virgin of Los Angeles Costa Rica’s
Patron, famous for her miracle cures. It is celebrated with music concerts, and
Catholic Costa Rican pilgrimage to the church in Cartago where the image of the
Virgin of Los Angeles is.
·
Fiestas Patronales San Joaquin
: These
“fiestas” honour San Joaquín’s Patron Saint, San Joaquín de Flores, It is a
town 25 minutes from Heredia, and
they celebrate with music, concerts, equestrian
procession, bullfights, typical
foods and drinks and electronic rides.
·
Fiestas Patronales Barva:
These
“fiestas” honour San Bartolome’s Patron Saint, Barva, It is a town
10 minutes from Heredia, and they celebrate with music, concerts,
rides, equestrian procession, bullfights,
typical foods and lively masked parades during the weekends.
SEPTEMBER:
·
September 15: Independence Day: The most important
national holiday celebrates Costa Rica’s
independence from Spain in 1821. The festival includes school parades in
Heredia and around the rest of the country. There are also civic celebrations in
the central plaza.
·
Late September: Vuelta de la Soledad. Mountain
Bike Endurance Race, 75kms. Participants
include national and international cyclists in pro, elite, general and amateur
categories. Concert and awards ceremony are held in the evening. Contact us for
exact dates. Held in Sámara and surroundings.
· Carnavales de Limón- Limón Oct 12: In this part of Costa Rica the Afro- Caribbean culture predominates. They celebrate this day with lively carnivals, parades, music concerts and dancing on the main roads of the town. Moreover, arts and crafts are sold and there are many typical Caribbean foods.
·
Encounter of Cultures Day and the Guanacaste
Celebration Festival Oct 12: This combination of national and regional
festivals is one of the year’s most lively and popular events. Designed to
honor and celebrate the mixture of ethnicities and cultures that contribute to
Costa Rican society, this festival holds Latin dance presentations and
competitions; traditional comic-folkloric poetry competitions; folkloric dance
presentations, civic acts, music, concerts, arts and crafts, typical foods and
drinks, and more. Held in Playa Sámara.
·
Fiestas Patronales San Rafael
These
“fiestas” honour San Rafael’s Patron Saint, San Rafael, It is a town
15 minutes from Heredia, and they celebrate with music, concerts,
equestrian procession, bullfights,
typical foods and drinks and electronic rides.
.·
Día de la Mascarada Nacional:
This indigenous holiday is celebrated in different parts of the country . In
Barva, a town 10 minutes from Heredia there
are celebrations with masked parades, processions during the evening, music,
with indigenous masks and costumes.
NOVEMBER:
·
Fiesta
de la Pica de Leña. This traditional woodcutters’ celebration involves
a parade of typical oxcarts, marimba concerts, typical foods, life music, optional
stayovers in local lodgings organized for the festival. It is a wonderful way
to become involved in a true “fiesta de pueblo” and get to know the locals and
share in their traditions. Held in Nicoya.
DECEMBER:
·
Fiestas Patronales Heredia:
Dec. 8th These
“fiestas” honour Heredia’s Patron Inmaculada Concepcion, and they
celebrate with music, concerts, equestrian
processions, bullfights, typical
foods and drinks and electronic rides.
·
Celebración de la Yegüita. As Nicoya’s most famous legend, “la yegüita”
festivals are an exciting event in this colonial city. They involve religious
and civic parades; mass at the Catholic Church; typical foods in the ‘Casa de
la virgen’ known as the “Cofradía;” arts and crafts, and more. Held in Nicoya.
·
Festejos Populares. Zapote, San Jose 25-31 Dec. There are typical foods and drinks, electronic rides,
bull fights, rodeos and fireworks. The following are the most famous festivals:
-Dec. 26th “Tope”:
It is a horse back riding parade in the central avenue of San Jose.
-Dec. 27th Carnaval
Nacional: Celebration with parades, classic cars, oxcart, bands and folkloric
dancers.
