Costa Rica Live Events
Envision Festival, the Palmares Festival and Costa Rica's national football
Costa Rica's live events calendar ranges from the Envision Festival in the Osa Peninsula rainforest to the Palmares Festival (the country's largest traditional fair), the Costa Rica Jazz Festival in San José, and the passionate national football matches at the Estadio Nacional.
Top Costa Rica Live Events Events
The must-attend costa rica live events events for every fan
Palmares Festival
Costa Rica's largest traditional festival — two weeks of bullfighting, concerts and carnival
The Palmares Festival is Costa Rica's largest and most popular traditional festival — a two-week celebration held every January in the small town of Palmares, 70km west of San José. The festival combines traditional Costa Rican bullfighting (where the bull is never harmed — the challenge is to dodge it), live concerts by the country's top artists, carnival rides, food stalls, and the extraordinary atmosphere of a million Costa Ricans celebrating together. It is the most authentic expression of Costa Rican popular culture and one of the most joyful events in Central America.
Event Highlights
- Costa Rica's largest festival — over 1 million visitors over 2 weeks
- Traditional Costa Rican bullfighting — the bull is never harmed
- Live concerts by Costa Rica's top artists
- The carnival atmosphere of the entire country celebrating
- Authentic Costa Rican food, music, and culture
What to Do There
- Watch the traditional bullfighting
- Attend a live concert
- Eat traditional Costa Rican food
- Ride the carnival attractions
- Experience the extraordinary atmosphere of a million Ticos celebrating
Event Info
Next Event
Second and third weeks of January annually
Location
Palmares, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Duration
2 weeks
Ticket Price
Bullfighting arena from US$5; most events free
Travel Tips
- ·Fly to San José (10 hours from London), then bus to Palmares (1.5 hours)
- ·Book San José accommodation in advance — the festival draws visitors from across the country
- ·The festival is very family-friendly
- ·Combine with a visit to Arenal Volcano and Manuel Antonio
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