January 1st: New Year’s Day, celebrated with a big dance in San Jose’s Parque Central. March 19th: St. Joseph’s Day, patron saint of San Jose and San Jose province.
Easter: Holy Week, Semana Santa. Dates vary annually but businesses will often close for the entire week preceding Easter weekend.
April 11th: Juan Santamaria Day. Public holiday to commemorate the national hero who fought at the battle of Rivas against the American invader William Walker in 1856. May 1st:[/B] Labor Day. Dia de los Trabajadores.
June: Corpus Christi
June 29th: St. Peter and St. Paul’s Day
July 25th: Guanacaste Day. To mark the annexation of Guanacaste from Nicaragua in 1824.
b>August 2nd</B>: Virgin de los Angeles Day. Patron saint of Costa Rica. August 15th: Mother’s Day and Assumption Day
September 15th: Independence Day, with big patriotic parades celebrates Costa Rica’s independence from Spain in 1821.
October 12th: Dia de la Raza (Columbus Day). Limon province only, marked by carnival, which take place in the week prior to October 12.
November 2nd: All soul’s Day
December 8th: Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.
December 25th: Christmas Day. Family-oriented celebrations with trips to the beach. Much consumption of apples and grapes.