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Costa Rica has Monday off to celebrate independence

Independence Day in Costa Rica is September 15, but many Ticos will celebrate the bicentennial on Monday, September 13.

The reason? Last year, the government passed a law that created more long weekends through 2024 in order to stimulate Costa Rica’s tourism sector.

The law moves a holiday’s day off to the preceding or proceeding Monday as follows:

HolidayDay off
July 25, 2020July 27, 2020
August 15, 2020August 17, 2020
September 15, 2020September 14, 2020
December 1, 2020November 30, 2020
May 1, 2021May 3, 2021
July 25, 2021July 26, 2021
September 15, 2021September 13, 2021
December 1, 2021November 29, 2021
September 15, 2022September 19, 2022
December 1, 2022December 5, 2022
April 11, 2023April 10, 2023
July 25, 2023July 24, 2023
August 15, 2023August 14, 2023
April 11, 2024April 15, 2024
July 25, 2024July 29, 2024
August 15, 2024August 19, 2024

Any official commemorations will still be celebrated on the official holiday. (For instance, Independence Day is still officially Wednesday, even if the corresponding day off is moved.)

The Tourism Minister, Gustavo Segura, says the law helps “contribute to desired economic recovery.”

Monday is a mandatory holiday, meaning laborers cannot be obligated to work. Those who choose to work today are entitled to double pay.

Independence festivities are ongoing throughout the week. An official calendar is at the Bicenentenario website.

The featured photo shows Central America’s Independence Torch in Costa Rica in 2018.

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