Palmares Festival (January) — Held in the small town of Palmares near San José for two weeks in mid-January, this is one of the biggest festivals in the country. Horse parades (topes), live music, bullfighting (Costa Rican style, where the bull is never harmed), carnival rides, and a lot of drinking. It draws enormous crowds of ticos.
Envision Festival (February/March) — A multi-day arts and music festival on the Pacific coast near Uvita, blending electronic music, yoga, workshops, and environmental themes. Draws an international crowd.
Semana Santa (Holy Week, March/April) — The week before Easter is the biggest holiday of the year. The whole country shuts down, particularly on Thursday and Friday. Towns hold religious processions. Roads are jammed; book accommodation months ahead if you're traveling during this period.
Día de Juan Santamaría (April 11) — National holiday commemorating the young soldier who died fighting William Walker's filibuster invasion in 1856. Parades and patriotic events, especially in Alajuela, his home city.
Independence Day (September 15) — Costa Rica's independence from Spain is celebrated with parades, traditional dress, and a relay of runners carrying a freedom torch from Guatemala to Cartago. At 6pm across the country everyone stops to sing the national anthem simultaneously.
Limón Carnival (October) — The best festival on the Caribbean coast. The city of Limón fills up for a full week of Afro-Caribbean music (calypso, reggae, soca), elaborate costumed parades, dancing, and Caribbean food. Celebrates Columbus Day and the cultural heritage of the region's black community. Busy and festive; book accommodation well in advance.
Festival de la Luz (December) — A massive illuminated night parade through San José in mid-December marking the start of Christmas season. Floats, marching bands, and hundreds of thousands of spectators lining the streets.