By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The end of the year public celebrations in San José, organized by the municipality, are the most expected events by Costa Ricans.

The fair in Zapote fairgrounds will start Wednesday, Christmas Day. There you can enjoy mechanical games, meals, typical dances and concerts. Next to the fairground is the bull stadium.

Thursday, the main avenues of San José, are used for the National Tope, which is a parade of horses, old cars, old carts and other animals, among others. According to the municipality expects the participation of 5,000 riders.

The parade starts from noon at the National Gym in Sabana, travels north on Paseo Colón, then Second Avenue, until participants reach Chinatown.

The next day, Friday 27, it is the turn of the New Year's Eve Carnival. According to the municipality, the participation of at least 11 comparsas are expected. These are groups of dancers representing communities and the provinces.

This year the carnival starts at noon. And it is expected to last approximately four hours.

The traffic police will close the access to the roads of the route of the horse parade and the carnival, so drivers are advised to avoid traveling through the center of the capital those two days.

Both activities are also televised on local channels, and videos will be published on the Facebook page of the Municipality of San Jose.


As was previously reported, among the most popular events are bullfights.

The bullfights will take place in the Plaza de Toros, also in Zapote. They begin on Christmas. In Costa Rica it is illegal to kill or injure bulls, so bullfights are very different from those that can be seen in Spain or México.

One of the activities considered fun by Costa Ricans is when a bull is released inside the ring to chase several dozen so-called improvised bullfighters. These are mostly men who have limited experience with bulls. Some would say that a bull is released into a mob.

According to the organizers, this year almost 300 bulls will be used among different games and activities. One unusual game places a handful of men and sometimes a woman into a well marked section. Then the bull is released. If a player moves out of the marked section to dodge a bull, he or she is out of the game. The last individual remaining in the marked area usually wins a money prize.

Another event places men on a seesaw. As a bull approaches, a participant goes up in the air out of reach. But his companion on the device goes lower. Consequently the bull becomes confused moving from one side to the other. Usually the bull fails to gore either player.

Organizers have to be creative in providing new attractions and gimmicks with the bull because sometimes the events are twice a day.

Although the joke is that someone needs to be inebriated to get in a ring with a fighting bull, the truth is that all of the participants are sober because they know they are risking their lives.

Organizers said that more than 250 people will be improvised bullfighters. Each is supposed to buy a special insurance policy from the National insurance Institute.

 

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Have you participated at the Toros, Carnival or Hose Parade in Costa Rica? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com

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