Costa Rica will celebrate Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day on Monday, Aug. 31, with cultural activities throughout the weekend culminating in the Grand Gala Parade in the Caribbean port city of Limón, in Limón Province.

The celebration will feature talks, creative workshops, food trucks, calypso concerts, civic and academic events, sports competitions, traditional games, music and dance performances, and the highly anticipated parade. Admission to all events is free.

According to the Ministry of Culture, the country first recognized Aug. 31 as Black Peoples and Afro-Costa Rican Culture Day in 1980. In 2018, the country expanded the commemoration by declaring August the Historic Month of Afro-descendants.

The observance also connects Costa Rica to a broader chapter of global Black history. It commemorates the 1920 convention of the Universal Negro Improvement Association, or UNIA, held in the U.S. State of New York, where delegates adopted the Declaration of Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World.

The United Nations Human Rights Office defines Afro-descendants as members of the African diaspora, including communities around the world descended from Africans.

Also on Friday, the National Music System orchestra will present an Afro Family Concert at 6:30 p.m. at the SINEM's facilities in Pococí Canton.

The celebrations will culminate on Monday in Limón with the Back to Our Roots Festival and the Grand Gala Parade, beginning at 11:30 a.m.  

The parade will start at Parquecito Asis Esna Miguel Central Park and follow the traditional route through Puerto Limón. It will bring together music, dance, colorful costumes, Caribbean traditions and community participation to celebrate Afro-Costa Rican heritage.

“The Grand Gala Parade in Limón is unique; you won’t find a celebration like this anywhere else in the country,” Limón Mayor Ana Matarrita-McCalla said. “Come to Limón and experience the Caribbean magic, color, fun, and plenty of rhythm.”