Festival of Lights

There is no Festival of Lights in 2020, so we hold onto memories of years past with the hope that we may celebrate again in 2021. 

Costa Rica’s Festival de la Luz, a holiday parade through the heart of San José, typically fills the capital with holiday spirit. But not this year.

Thousands of Ticos gathered to watch lively performers, synchronized marching bands and decorative floats parade down the city's main avenue.

The country’s biggest holiday celebration, the Festival de la Luz, or Festival of Lights, started in 1996.

Costa Rica’s Festival de la Luz, a holiday parade through the heart of San José, filled the capital with holiday spirit on Saturday. Here are our favorite photos from the event.

Christmas and year-end celebrations in Costa Rica involve activities all across the country, but some of the most popular events take place in San José.

Spectators numbered in the thousands, crowding the sidewalks for miles.

A roundup of events taking place Dec. 12 – 18.

A total of 386 checkpoints throughout the country are part of a Traffic Police effort to prevent accidents before and during the holidays. Traffic Police Director Mario Calderón said that operations would begin this week and target the busiest roads in the Central Valley, where traffic jams usually occur while people are out doing holiday shopping.