Costa Rica is a pretty country in Central America. The people celebrate many public holidays in Costa Rica in 2025. These days off are essential for their culture, history, and religion.
From the happy New Year’s Day parties to the solemn remembrance of Good Friday, each occasion gives a chance to get together with family. Also, holidays honor traditions and enjoy the lively Costa Rican culture.
Costa Ricans have days off to honor national heroes, celebrate religious events, and promote values like peace and unity. This brings people together to appreciate their rich heritage.
Public Holidays In Costa Rica In 2025
In Costa Rica, in 2025, there will be 12 public holidays for people to celebrate. Two of the holidays from them will fall on weekends. Below is the list of the public holidays in Costa Rica in 2025.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
| New Year’s Day | Jan 01, 2025 | Wednesday |
| Juan Santamaria Day | Apr 15, 2025 | Tuesday |
| Maundy Thursday | Apr 17, 2025 | Thursday |
| Good Friday | Apr 18, 2025 | Friday |
| Labour Day | May 01, 2025 | Thursday |
| Guanacaste Day | Jul 25, 2025 | Friday |
| Feast of Our Lady of the Angels | Aug 02, 2025 | Saturday |
| Mother’s Day | Aug 15, 2025 | Friday |
| Black People and Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day | Aug 31, 2025 | Sunday |
| Independence Day | Sep 15, 2025 | Monday |
| Abolition of the Army Day | Dec 01, 2025 | Monday |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25, 2025 | Thursday |
These are the public holidays in Costa Rica in 2025. Below are the significance and the celebrations of each public holiday are given below.
New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day is a special day on January 1st that starts a new year. In Costa Rica, it is a public holiday of great importance. On this day, families come together to celebrate and make resolutions for the new year.
Customs include eating grapes at midnight, wearing new clothes for good luck, and lighting fireworks. Many people also cook unique dishes like tamales or pig roast. The parties usually go on until early morning with music, dancing, and plenty of food and drinks.
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Juan Santamaria Day
Juan Santamaría Day celebrates a hero who helped Costa Rica beat William Walker’s forces in 1856. Juan Santamaría was a brave soldier who gave his life by burning Walker’s headquarters.
His actions turned the tide of the battle and helped Costa Rica stay independent. The holiday falls on April 11th with parades, speeches, and cultural events.
Many schools put on performances reenacting Santamaría’s heroic deeds. It is a day for Costa Ricans to feel proud of their country’s history and their people’s bravery.
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday is an important Christian holiday observed the Thursday before Easter. In Costa Rica, it commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples. Many Catholic churches have special services and perform the foot-washing ceremony.
After the church event, some families gather for a nice meal with fish, potato salad, and hot cross buns. Maundy Thursday kicks off the Easter weekend celebrations and is a time for Christians to reflect on their faith. Some businesses may close early so people can go to church.
Good Friday
Good Friday is a solemn Christian holiday in Costa Rica that marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Many businesses and government offices close on that day. Catholics attend church for Processions of the Burial, representing Christ’s body.
Some may also take part in reenactments of the Stations of the Cross. Good Friday meals are simple: bread, dried fruit, and water or tea to honor Christ’s suffering. The day has a somber atmosphere as people reflect on sacrifice and atonement.
Labour Day
Labour Day is a special day on May 1st in Costa Rica to honor workers and their rights. It’s a public holiday to celebrate their achievements. Labor unions and workers’ groups often organize parades and rallies. People may hang banners or flags with pro-labor slogans and imagery.
Many workers get the day off, using it as an opportunity for picnics, family gatherings, or trips to the beach. The holiday comes from a movement that wanted people to work eight hours, have entertainment and joy for eight hours, and sleep for eight hours.
Guanacaste Day
Guanacaste Day is July 25th. It marks the day the Guanacaste area became part of Costa Rica in 1824. Before that, Nicoya was the main area in Guanacaste, with three towns: Nicoya, Santa Cruz, and Liberia. On this day, there are marches, traditional dancing, music, and other activities that show the customs of the Guanacaste area.
This area has rodeo shows, bullfights, and festivals with special food and drinks. People wear colorful dresses and cowboy hats, which are traditional in Guanacaste. The celebrations show the Guanacaste people’s pride in their history and role as part of Costa Rican culture.
Feast of Our Lady of the Angels
The Feast of Our Lady of the Angels is a significant religious holiday in Costa Rica on August 2. Known as La Negrita, a small carved statue of the Virgin Mary is the center of the festivities.
A young girl found the statue in 1635 and now keeps it in a church in Cartago. Many individuals come to see it each year. The girl tried to take the statue home, but it kept returning to where she found it. This made people decide to build a special place for it.
Mother’s Day
Christians celebrate a special day called Mother’s Day or Assumption Day. It is an important religious festival. It marks the day when Mary, the mother of Jesus, went up to Heaven with her body.
The day is important to Christians because they believe it is a promise from Jesus that faithful Christians will also go up to Heaven one day. It happens on August 15, 2025.
Black People and Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day
Black People and Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day falls on August 31st. It honors the history, traditions, and contributions of the Afro-Costa Rican community. Dance shows, music concerts, art exhibits, talks, and community gatherings exist.
The day educates people about Afro-Costa Rican heritage. It also highlights the racism and unfair treatment this community has endured.
Costa Rican festivals highlight Afro-Caribbean culture. They feature food, clothing, and other items brought by Jamaican immigrants. This cultural exchange began in the early 1900s on the Caribbean coast. This holiday celebrates and encourages the different people who live in Costa Rica.
Independence Day
Costa Rica became free from Spain in 1821, and people celebrate this on September 15th. Big parades and marches happen. There are bands, dancers, and colorful floats. These floats show national heroes and historical events. The dancers wear traditional clothing.
Music fills the streets, food stalls sell snacks, and people wave the blue, white, and red Costa Rican flag. Many people decorate their homes and buildings in the national colors.
Fireworks shows, fairs, and festivals are happening across the country. Schools have special programs that teach children about the importance of this day.
Abolition of the Army Day
Abolition of the Army Day is December 1st. It reminds us that in 1948, Costa Rica was one of the first countries to abolish its military forever. Instead, people used the saved money for education, healthcare, and environmental protection.
On this day, there are peace rallies, concerts, and discussions. They talk about how Costa Rica solves problems and supports human rights. Costa Ricans think about their country’s
stance against violence and war. Many see not having a military as a source of national pride and a key to developing a stable democracy.
Christmas Day
Christmas is one of the biggest holidays honored in Costa Rica. It marks the birth of the Jesus Christ. The fun begins weeks before Christmas. People decorate their homes and public places with lights and Christmas trees.
On Christmas Eve, families attend a late-night church service. Later, they come together for a classic meal of roast pork leg, tamales, rum cake, and other foods. At midnight, people open gifts and light up the sky with fireworks.
Kids leave out a tray of snacks and drinks for “El Niño Dios” or Baby Jesus. Christmas Day is a time for feasting and celebrating. Loved ones exchange presents and enjoy each other’s company.
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This blog post is about the customs and traditions of public holidays in Costa Rica in 2025. I hope you enjoyed this post. For the more latest updates or content on public holidays, visit our website, worldholidaylist.com.