Traditional Fiestas Keep Guanacastecos Festive

The fiestas never stop in the northwestern province of Guanacaste, land of the sabanero, or Tico cowboy. To ensure our readers don’t miss out on the fun, we’ve compiled this calendar of traditional Guanacaste celebrations, organized by location. Most fiestas involve traditional food, rides, folkloric events and Tico bullfights, among other offerings.

ABANGARES

Fiestas de San Jorge: Week of April 23. Includes a huge procession with icons of different districts’ patron saints. Some participants ride their horses in the procession.

Abangares Popular Fair: April 30 to May 3.

BAGACES

San Caralampio Fair: Week of June 5. Processions and blessing of animals and agricultural tools. The municipality celebrates an ecological week on the same days.

Rodeo Fair: Second week of December. Cowboy fiesta and cattle auction.

CAÑAS

Fiestas de Cañas: March 19 to 26.

HOJANCHA

Fiestas de San José: March 18 to 20.

Labor Day Oxcart Parade: May 1.

Lights and Folklore Festivals: Both the first week of December.

Popular Fiestas: Last week of December.

LA CRUZ

La Cruz Popular Fair: Week of May 3. Celebrating the Día de la Cruz (Day of the Holy Cross), including tope (horse parade), carnival, bullfights.

Independence Torch Relay: Week of Sept. 13. Cultural activities, students take Independence Torch in a relay from La Cruz to Cartago, east of San José.

LIBERIA

Fiestas de Liberia: March 5 to 14.

Guanacaste Annexation Day: July 25. Folkloric presentations, Guanacaste traditions and food.

Cattle Fair: Around July 25. Celebrating the annexation of Guanacaste by Costa Rica, featuring concerts, bullfights, sports, cultural events, cattle and horse exhibits, cowboy skills demonstrations.

NANDAYURE

Fiestas de San IsidroLabrador: May 15.

Christmas Festival: Second week of December.

Includes cultural events with national and international groups.

Civic Fiestas: First week of December.

NICOYA

Fiestas de San Blas: Last week of January and first week of February.

Guanacaste Annexation Day: July 25. Folkloric presentations, Guanacaste traditions and food.

Fiestas de Nicoya: Week of Dec. 12. Including the Danza de la Yegüita (Dance of the Little Mare) in honor of the Virgen de Guadalupe. Citizens traditionally get together 40 days prior to the fiestas for the pica de leña, the cutting of firewood to be used to make the food served during the fiestas.

SANTA CRUZ

Procession of Santo Cristo de Esquipulas: Jan. 15 to 18 (main day Jan. 15). Celebrating the town’s patron saint.

Lagarteada: Easter Saturday. Residents catch an alligator and display it in the town before releasing it.

Fiesta del Ojoche and Solstice Celebration: June 21. Serving food made of the ojoche fruit, exhibits and activities for the solstice.

Guanacaste Annexation Day: July 25. Folkloric presentations, Guanacaste traditions and food.