THE town of Parrita, north of Quepos on the central Pacific coast, will be hosting nine days of celebrations in honor of mules. These donkey horse hybrids, famous for being bad tempered and stubborn but valued for their intelligence, sturdy health, strength and sure-footedness, will be the center of attention at the event.
The festival kicked off Jan. 13 with the crowning of the Mule Festival Queen. The festivities at Parrita’s fairgrounds include Costa Rican-style bullfights, live concerts, midway rides and games, tractor rallies, sporting events and an exhibition of arts and crafts from the area.
Next weekend will be especially action-packed. Jan. 28 will feature a mule and horse parade at 3 p.m., a free, huge pot of rice for 1,000 people at 5:30 p.m. and a bullfight at 7 p.m.
The festival’s grand finale Jan. 29 will feature a traditional mule race at 11 a.m. – to be televised on Channel 13 –with a concert and bullfight to conclude the day.
