COSTA RICA HAPPENINS' / CALENDAR
FESTIVALS, HOLIDAYS, SEMINARS, EVENTS +
DECEMBER 2008
DECEMBER 2008
AGUINALDO DUE (13th Months Pay) is due to ALL employees of ANY duration BY the 2nd week of December - MANDATORY!! For a WONDERFUL/EASY to figure out description on how to calculate it go to EscazuNews Daniels site:
http://newsletter.escazunews.com/index.php?pr=Ezn_NavidadChristmas
1 - Observance of Costa Rica ABOLISHING IT’S ARMY DAY
BIRD COUNTS throughout the country. If you’re around around Christmas time – join in on the annual Christmas Bird Count by contacting Richard Garrigues (GoneBirding@mailcity.com
1 (1st Monday [except January and July]) - The Little Theatre Group of Costa Rica MONTHLY SOCIAL MEETING / OPEN HOUSE at the Shakespeare Bar downstairs at the Teatro Laurence Olivier. HOURS: 7-9pm. http://www.LittleTheatreGroup.org
1-3 - FESTIVAL NAVIDENO - Nandayure, Guanacaste
1ST Week of Dec. - CHRISTMAS CHOIR FESTIVAL with choirs from around country performing at the National Theater.
beginning of Dec. - 6pm - FESTIVAL BLANCA NAVIDAD Parade - LIBERIA. LOCATION: on Avenida 25 de Julio.
beginning of Dec. - SEMANA CULTURAL - GUAYABO DE BAGACES - A 6 days long celebration in Guayabo Centro.
2-4 - SARDINAL TOURISM FAIR - Guanacaste.
2-11 - CHICHARRON FAIR - PURISCAL
around the first Tues of Dec. - Blessing of the nativity scene (before it was at 5pm at Museo Nacional)
around the beginning of Dec. - 6pm - ILLUMINATION OF THE NATIVITY SCENE / Desfile Navideno - CANAS - in Parque Central.
3-5 (’07) - RURAL TOURISM FAIR - Featuring traditional Costa Rican foods and rural tourism offerings at INBioParque in Santo Domingo de Heredia, north of San Jose . 5pm – Inauguration. The Fair is all day on Sat. and Sunday (256-0486)
4 - FESTIVAL / FIESTA PATRONAL - PAVAS - Street fair with dancing, typico food and bullfights
5 (the 1st Fri. of each month) - An informal LUNCH GATHERING FOR MEMBERS & FRIENDS/FAMILY OF COSTA RICA LIVING MESSAGE BOARD (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CostaRicaLiving) with ARCR's (http://www.ARCR.net) Ryan Piercy. They're usually at Las Mazitas Mexican Restaurant (located diagonally across from Banco Costa Rica on Calle 40, just North of Paseo Colon. This is 3 1/2 blocks directly down the street - north - from the ARCR office.) Check the board for the latest info or contact Allen Dickinson at humphree@bellsouth.net
?? (1st Tues. of each month) - 9:39am Coffee/Tea Social, 10am Meeting - NEWCOMERS MONTHLY MEETING / HOLIDAY PARTY - CONTACT: 249-2673 / CasaFloraDora1@yahoo.com
?? - ARCR and CANADIAN CLUB HOLIDAY DINNER
1st two weeks in Dec. - DANCE FESTIVAL with acclaimed national/international dancers, seminars.
6-7 (1st weekend in Dec.) - COFFEE EXPO/FAIR – CACHI - Cartago
8 (’06 – Fri.-Sun.) – 9am-5pm - ORCHID FAIR - LA GARITA, Alajuela - The Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería has organized a large gathering of over 20 Orchid producers from around the world display over 30,000 species and 100,000+ hybrids (26% of the species here only exist in CR). Daily discussions at 10am and 2pm. ADMISSION: 500-c (kids under 12 free). LOCATION: Estación Experimental Fabio Baudrit (The Fabio Baudrit Experimental Station), part of the Universidad de Costa Rica, 2km from the Iglesia de Barrio San Jose de Alajuela on the highway to La Garita de Alajuela. Fertilizers, bonsai trees, pots, medical plants and an assortment of fruit will also be on sale (starting as low as 200-c). Many of the plants are the result of a project undertaken by the Universidad de Costa Rica, the Mision Tecnica Taiwán and the ministry (not poz on how this is working still). CONTACT: Kenneth Jiménez, Felipe Arguedas or Ligia Rodríguez - 433-9111 or 433-8284
Week of the 8th - FIESTA DE LOS NEGRITOS: In the Indian village of Boruca celebrating the feast day of their Patron Saint, the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception with costumed dances and traditional music (drum and flute music) and dancing, Ancient Indian rituals combine with Catholicism.
8 - FIESTAS DE PATRONALES HEREDIA - DIA DE LA POLVORA HONORING OUR LADY OF IMMACULATE CONCEPTION / IMACULADA CONCEPCION - SAN ANTONIO DE BELEN. Fireworks, Fun and Food!!
8 - FIESTAS DE PATRONALES HEREDIA - DIA DE LA POLVORA HONORING OUR LADY OF IMMACULATE CONCEPTION / IMACULADA CONCEPCION - JESUS MARIA DE SAN MATEO de HEREDIA. Fireworks, Fun and Food!!
Week of 12th - FIESTA DE LA YEGUITA (LITTLE MARE): NICOYA - A statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe parades through the streets along with a blend of ancient Indian ritual, concerts, fireworks, special foods.
13 (2nd Sat.) – Day Parade-3pm. Night Parade-Sunset - LIGHTS FESTIVAL / FESTIVAL DE LUZ: Parades, concerts, fireworks at night, San Jose is dressed up with lights. LOCATION – LA SABANA and then the Night Parade (starts after Sunset) goes down Paseo Colon and Avenida 2. At the end the parade they have a HUGE Firework Show!!! WARNING!! AVOID SAN JOSE THIS DAY IF YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE THERE &/OR AREN’T GOING!!! TRAFFIC IS REALLY BAD!!!
13-14 (2nd weekend in Dec.) - OUTDOOR ARTS FESTIVAL - SAN PEDRO
15+ - LAS POSADAS begins. Carolers go from house-to-house seeking lodging in a reenactment of Joseph and Mary's search for a place to stay and are treated to refreshments.
From the Friday mid-month till the first Monday in Jan. (not including the 1st) – the country and government CLOSE DOWN (except in the beach areas) – ESPECIALLY between Christmas Eve day and the day AFTER Jan. 1. MANY restaurants and stores are closed so PLAN AHEAD!!
CHRISTMAS WEEK - Christmas: Homes and businesses set up Nativity scenes. Competition for best scene runs through the 22nd. Typical foods include Tamales (see Dec. 24), coconut melcochas (candy), chichi (corn liquor), rompope (like eggnog in a box – with or without alcohol – available year-round), imported apples and grapes. WHERE TO GET PHOTOS WITH SANTA: MultiPlaza Escazu (next to Payless Shoe Store [at the entrance of the private parking lot). 3,000-c.
24 - MISA DEL GALLO (Midnight Mass) - Catholic churches celebrate this big time.
24 - CHRISTMAS EVE – MANY families get together and make/eat Tamales! MANY things close EARLY on this day (if not are closed all day) and MANY don’t open again till Jan. 3 or that Monday after.
25 - CHRISTMAS. - Most major markets are open though often on shortened hours. EPA is open! LEGAL HOLIDAY* U.S. Embassy Closed
25-ish - START OF “DRY SEASON” / SUMMER (though it OFTEN goes for a few weeks after. The superstition is that for every 1 day it rains in January, it’s that many months it will rain).
25-31 - FESTEJOS POPULARES: (Year-End Festival) - ZAPOTE: Amusement park with rides, food, bull teasing / Bullfighting, music, fireworks. The country's biggest! (was greatly reduced this past year when the Bull Ring was condemned.). LOCATION: South San Jose’s Fairgrounds
26 – 1pm - TOPE CABALLOS / HORSE PARADE: THE Horse parade to end all horse parades in downtown SAN JOSE down Avenida 2 and Paseo Colon (part of the Carnival festivities). IF it’s an election year, it’s not unusual to see the president in it.
26 - ZAPOTE FESTIVAL - Parades, Bullfight (where macho guys flood the bull ring to confuse the bull and slap it’s tush and wave clothes – all the while, trying to avoid getting skewered by the bull [this one the participants get hurt/killed – NOT the bull!! The tv feed of this is sold internationally - it's a BIG thing!!!]) and Street Games.
27 – 4pm - CARNIVAL – SAN JOSE: Downtown San Jose is the scene of a huge parade with floats, organized comparsas (organized dance groups), Latin music and PARTY!!! (didn’t happen in ’07 because they couldn’t get a sponsor?)
Dec. 30 - Jan. 2 - FIESTA DE LOS DIABLITOS: Boruca Indians of the southern, Boruca region, enact a fight/dance between the Indians diablitos and Spaniards (bulls) amid flute and drum music as they welcome the new year with their traditional Juego de los Diablitos or dance of the devils. The Boruca’s make those BEAUTIFUL (all be them sometimes scary) wood carved masks.
31 - MOST businesses (including banks) close down early this day (that is IF they are even open).
31 - NEW YEARS EVE - WHERE TO CELEBRATE - I HIGHLY welcome you to find a spot as HIGH as you can get to see as MUCH of the Central Valley as you can as I did that on Dec. 31, ’07 at my friend Jenn’s and thanx to the company and the AMAZING VIEWS from her place of THOUSANDS of fireworks going on most of the night and ESPECIALLY from midnight till at LEAST 1am!!! – it was the MOST AWESOME New Years Eve I’ve EVER had!
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(make sure to check "ON-GOING / DAILY / WEEKLY EVENTS AROUND COSTA RICA" at
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Like life in Costa Rica (and around the world especially these days!!), things are CONSTANTLY changing, details aren't available, some info is from previous years so dates change, etc.
This is list BY FAR NOT a complete list and it will be updated regularly with other events, seminars and more details so check back regularly!!
HAVE ANY OTHER EVENTS, SEMINARS, DETAILS TO ADD/CHANGE?
PLEASE e-mail us at CostaRicaEventsCalendar@gmail.com (the more details, the easier it is for folks to go!!)
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ENJOY!!
Vicki Skinner at
The Fountains Guesthouse in Escazu - http://www.FountainsGuesthouse.com - (506) 378-6679 / From the U.S. - 1-619-819-2726
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