Independence Day in Costa Rica: Guide to September 15 Celebrations
Independence Day in Costa Rica is one of the best times of year to be here. September 15 is a national holiday, but the celebration starts well before that — and if you’ve never seen it, you’re missing something genuinely special. I’ve been photographing these celebrations in small towns across Costa Rica for years. Here’s everything you need to know.
Costa Rica shares its independence with the rest of Central America. On September 15, 1821, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua all declared independence from Spain simultaneously. What makes Costa Rica’s story unique is that no one here fought for it — news of independence didn’t even arrive until a month after it was declared, because a messenger had to travel by horseback from Guatemala. Costa Rica finally became a fully sovereign nation in 1838. Today, none of that history has been forgotten.
Mes de la Patria — The Whole Month of September
September 15 is the day, but the whole month is the celebration. Costa Ricans call it Mes de la Patria — Month of the Homeland. From the very first day of September you notice it. Costa Rican flags appear everywhere. Banks have displays for independence. Schools are already practicing. If you walk past a neighborhood in the evenings you’ll hear kids practicing their drums. The whole country shifts into a different gear.
At different stores and sodas you’ll start seeing staff in traditional Costa Rican clothing. For men that means a white shirt, a sombrero hat, and a handkerchief. For women it’s elaborate, colorful dresses — big and voluminous, with long flowing skirts in red, white, and blue. It’s a genuinely festive atmosphere weeks before the actual holiday.
A Quick History of Independence Day in Costa Rica
On September 15, 1821, Central America declared independence from Spain in Guatemala City. Unlike other independence movements in the Americas, this one happened peacefully — Spain, weakened by the Napoleonic Wars, actually supported it. The problem was that news traveled by horseback, so Costa Rica didn’t find out until a full month later. The country held its first elections in December 1821 and elected Juan Mora Fernández as the first Chief of State. By 1838, Costa Rica had fully asserted its sovereignty as an independent nation.
Nearly 200 years later, the pride hasn’t faded at all. Costa Rica is a small country, but Costa Ricans are fiercely proud of who they are and where they come from. September 15 is one of the biggest expressions of that pride all year.
The Torch — Antorcha de la Independencia
On September 9th, a freedom torch is lit in Guatemala — the same city where independence was declared. Student runners carry it across Central America in a relay covering over 1,300 kilometers, passing it through towns and cities until it reaches Cartago, Costa Rica’s original capital city, on the evening of September 14th. It’s a symbolic reenactment of the original messenger’s journey. The whole country knows when the torch is coming.
The Faroles — September 14th Night Parade
The evening of September 14th belongs to the faroles. At 6pm, the national anthem plays simultaneously on every TV and radio station across the country. The entire nation stops and sings together. Then the farol parade begins.
Faroles are handmade lanterns. The tradition honors the people who stood outside in the dark holding lanterns, waiting to hear whether independence had been declared. School children make their faroles in class — the idea is to be creative with a Costa Rican theme. Traditional Costa Rican houses, fishing boats, ox carts, anything that represents national pride. The more creative the better. Nowadays you can buy faroles in stores too, and they’ve become quite elaborate, but most are still handmade.
September is the beginning of rainy season in Costa Rica, so a lot of times on the 14th it’s drizzling or raining at night. People go out anyway — in droves. The rain doesn’t stop the faroles parade. Families walk the route together through town with their lanterns glowing. It’s one of the most beautiful things you’ll see in Costa Rica all year.
The Parade — September 15th
The main parade starts early — usually around 8:00 in the morning. That’s intentional. It can get extremely hot in Costa Rica by mid-morning, and you don’t want kids in full traditional outfits marching in the midday sun. Starting at 8am keeps it manageable. The parade usually lasts about an hour, and then if you’re on the coast, most people head to the beach for the afternoon.
Schools are the heart of the parade. Every school has its marching band — drums of all different sizes, liras which are like portable xylophones, and güiros which are metallic scraper instruments. The sound is loud, chaotic, and completely infectious. Other kids march in groups holding signs or flags. The littlest ones are dressed in traditional campesino outfits — white shirts, wide-brimmed hats, and handkerchiefs for the boys; elaborate long colorful skirts for the girls. Every mother has tried to outdo every other mother with her child’s outfit, which is half the fun.
It’s not just the schools. Every organization in town has a presence. The firefighters march with their engines. The ambulance corps is there. Civic clubs, community groups, dance troupes — everyone has a banner and a place in the parade. You also get folk dancing groups with women waving their long skirts and men carrying handkerchiefs in each hand. Some years a guest group from another country will come and perform their own traditional dances, which adds something completely unexpected to the whole thing.
What makes the small-town parades so special is that everyone knows each other. The people marching know the people watching. The parents in the crowd are cheering for specific kids they’ve watched grow up. You see the same faces every year. There’s a warmth to it that you simply can’t replicate in a big city parade. The energy is completely different from anything you’ll find at home.
The Mascaradas
Keep an eye out for the mascaradas — people wearing giant papier-mâché puppet heads depicting characters from Costa Rican folklore. Skilled artisans spend months making these from newspapers, clay molds, and glue. The expressions are elaborate and often slightly alarming. They parade with the Cimarronas — loud, chaotic musicians playing drums and horns. They dance through the streets, do little performances, and occasionally chase people around. It is as fun as it sounds.
This tradition was adapted from Spain’s Carnival and was beginning to fade until 1996 when the government declared October 31st the Día de la Mascarada Tradicional Costarricense. You’ll see the masked figures appear at Independence Day celebrations as well — not everywhere, but when they show up, especially to chase the kids around, it becomes a memorable part of the day.
What to Eat on Independence Day
The sodas — small local restaurants — go all out on September 15. The ones that are already Costa Rica-themed will be completely decked out, staff in traditional outfits, special decorations everywhere. And the menus are different. This is the one day of the year when they serve dishes that take too much work to put on a regular menu.
Out on the streets you’ll find meat roasting over open fires. Pork ribs are a big thing — you’ll smell them before you see them. Look for yucca with chimichurri, traditional soups, tamales, chicharrones, and gallo pinto. If you see something being cooked outside that you don’t recognize, just try it. This is the day for it. Vendors are set up all along the parade route so you can eat and watch at the same time.
Small Town vs Big City — Where to Watch
My honest recommendation is to find a small town. The parade format is the same everywhere across Costa Rica — route through the town center, bands, dancers, civic groups — but what changes is the feeling. In a small town, everyone knows everyone. The people marching know the faces watching. Parents are cheering for kids they’ve known since birth. You see the same families year after year. That community warmth is something you can’t manufacture and can’t find in a big city event.
If you’re in San José or a bigger city, each neighborhood does its own parade — find the right neighborhood and you’ll still get that small-town feel. Later in the year there are also competitions for the best marching band, so the schools take their preparation very seriously. The level of performance is genuinely impressive.
If you’re staying in Guanacaste for a destination wedding or visiting the area in September, you’re in luck. Nearly every town in the region does its own celebration and the beach towns add something extra — ceremony in the morning, beach in the afternoon. It’s a perfect day. For more on visiting Guanacaste, see my Guanacaste guide and my Tamarindo guide.
Practical Tips for Visitors
Get there early and find the shade
Find out the parade route ahead of time — ask at your hotel or just ask anyone on the street, everyone knows it. Any spot along the route with a lot of shade will fill up fast. If you get to a spot and there’s nobody there, it’s probably because it gets full sun. Get there early if you want a good shaded position. I personally just walk from place to place along the route — it’s easy to move around and you get to see the parade from different angles with different backgrounds.
What to wear
Loose, comfortable, light clothing. It is going to be hot. The Costa Rican colors are red, white, and blue — same as the US flag — so if you have something in those colors, wear it. If not, nobody will be offended. Everyone already knows you’re a tourist. Comfortable shoes are important because you’ll be walking the parade route and the streets will be closed to traffic.
What’s open, what’s closed
September 15 is a national holiday. Banks, government offices, and many businesses are closed. Tourist areas — hotels, restaurants in beach towns, grocery stores in tourist zones — stay open. The sodas and street food vendors are very much open and doing their best business of the year. Bring cash as some card machines may be limited with bank closures. Roads along the parade route will be closed from early morning through midday. If you’re on the coast, the beaches near Tamarindo are a great place to spend the afternoon after the parade.
Why I Keep Coming Back
I’ve been going to photograph Independence Day celebrations in Costa Rica for years. What brings me back every time is the pride. Costa Rica is a small country, but the people here are fiercely, deeply proud of being Costa Rican and of their traditions. You see it in how seriously the kids take their preparation. You see it in the parents watching from the sidelines. You see it in how the whole community turns out together as a family on the 15th of September.
It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen it. The energy gets you every time. If you have any chance to be in Costa Rica on or around September 15, don’t miss it. See the parade and the faroles. Eat something from a street vendor. Watch the kids march. It’s one of the most genuinely joyful things you’ll experience anywhere. If you’re planning a trip around this time and considering a wedding in Costa Rica, September is a beautiful month to be here.
More on Independence Day in Costa Rica
Want to see more from the parade celebrations across Costa Rica? I’ve photographed these events in different towns over the years. See my Independence Day parade gallery for a closer look at the costumes, the bands, and the energy on the street.
