No less interesting is the festival that is called Fiestas de Palmares. It takes place on the central streets of Palmares, which is located near the capital of the country. At the time of the event, the city turns into “Rio de Janeiro of Costa Rica”. The celebration is accompanied by costume processions, horse parades, dances, rodeos, amusement rides, musical concerts, and theatrical shows. This is perhaps one of the most colorful and fun feasts in the entire country. It demonstrates to the guests of Costa Rica the hospitable and groovy character of the locals. Beer tasting is considered to be a special tradition of the celebration. Alcohol is flowing like from the “cornucopia”. It is consumed in huge amounts during the two weeks of the holiday.
Another tradition is the “transformed” corrida called Toros a la Tica, which is more comical and less extreme comparing to the Spanish version. It confirms the merry disposition of the Islanders one more time. The holiday ends up with bright fireworks. It is so popular among locals and tourists that about a million people visit it every year. Speaking about religious holidays, a special place is occupied by Easter (also known as Semana Santa), which usually falls in the middle of April. The actors from the Teatro Nacional troupe take part in the annual procession through the streets of the capital of Costa Rica, which is precisely one of the reasons why the parade is considered as one of the most impressive.
Read further...