There are many fun festivals in Costa Rica. If you are interested in music, surfing, craft beer, yoga, art, or all of the above, there is a festival for you the southern Pacific zone! Festivals area draw for locals and tourists alike, and they provide a great place to connect with others with similar interests. The festivals in the area make this a wonderful place to live or own real estate.
One of the biggest and most exciting festivals in Costa Rica is the Envision Festival. This 4-day celebration of art, music and yoga is truly special and unique. Visitors from all over the world come to the Envision Festival to attend workshops of all kinds, view and create amazing pieces of art, and dance the night away. Held on an old pasture just south of Uvita, the Envision Festival grounds have direct access to beautiful Playa Hermosa. Watch the sunset, learn to surf, go skinny dipping at sunrise - this beach is incredible!
Although it is hard to top the natural wonders available at the Envision Festival grounds, the incredible art pieces give Mother Nature a run for her money. Visit the art gallery, watch a live painting exhibition, or enjoy one of the many art installations dispersed throughout the grounds. Even the stages are incredible pieces of art - for example, last year musicians and dancers performed from within a driftwood jaguar’s mouth. Other art pieces are more hidden, but worth seeking out. A personal favorite from previous years was the human-scale spider web, constructed with stretchy rope in the trees. Climb the bamboo bridges and leap into the spider web, if you dare!
Many come to the Envision Festival primarily for the music. There are three stages offering awide variety of music from mid-day until sunrise. Live bands and DJs from all over the world perform at the Envision Festival, and the festival attendees love to dance! Stay for Random Rab’s sunrise set, if you can endure all night. Envision is held every year at the end of February or beginning of March. Visit www.envisionfestival.com for more information.
If you love music, especially reggae and jam bands, Jungle Jam is a festival in Costa Rica which is not to be missed. Held annually in March in Jaco, Jungle Jam is primarily a music festival. In past years, this four-day event has featured artists such as Thievery Corporation, Steel Pulse, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, and Max Creek. Music begins in the afternoon and late night shows continue until dawn. If you attend Jungle Jam, during the day you can also enjoy all that Jaco has to offer, from luxury condos and hotels, to excellent restaurants, to the lovely beach. For more information on Jungle Jam, visit www.junglejam.com.
In recent years, there has been a explosion of craft breweries in Costa Rica. The Costa Ballena Craft Beer Festival is a festival in Costa Rica that offers a chance to try many local varieties of beer and mead. Each year in January, brewers from all over the country congregate in the Uvita area and offer samples of their concoctions. The Costa Ballena Beer Festival is obviously a fun event people who enjoy drinking craft beer, but even if you don’t drink, it is a great social event that draws crowds from all over. Visit www.ballenabeerfest.com for more information.
If you’re more interested in outdoor activities than beer, music, art, or yoga, then Pilon Paddlepalooza is for you. The Pilon Paddlepalooza is a multi-day competitive festival in Costa Rica consisting of various events, such as a long-distance SUP race, a SUP surf contest, and our personal favorite, the SUP surf slalom. The Paddlepalooza is good clean fun for all ages. If you are an experienced paddleboarder, go for the gold! If you’ve never set foot on a SUP, that’s okay too. Event organizers Shawn and Nathalie are excellent teachers, and you may win a prize even if you come in dead last. Good sportsmanship goes a long way at the Paddlepalooza! Pilon Paddlepalooza is held annually in August in the town of Pilon, which is near Pavones in the farthest southern reaches of Costa Rica. It is a magical place where you will find pristine deserted beaches, an abundance of scarlet macaws, and perfect waves. Check out www.aguavidasurf.com for more information.
As you can see, there are an abundance of festivals in Costa Rica, and there is a festival to suit any taste in the southern Pacific zone. Whether you’re an athlete, an aspiring yogi, an artist, a dancer, a musician, a connoisseur of great beer, or just someone who loves to have a good time, you will find an opportunity to explore your interests in the southern Pacific zone of Costa Rica. Thinking about purchasing real estate in the Dominical area? Whether you plan to live here full time or buy a vacation property, the variety of festivals in Costa Rica will add value to your investment.