October 12 marks Columbus Day in Costa Rica and the festival better known as Dia de las Culturas or Dia de la Raza. This day commemorates Christopher Columbus's discovery of America. The cultural makeup of Costa Rica includes Native Americans, Europeans, Africans and Asians, which all have groups that settled in Costa Rica. As a result of this mixture, these different cultures are celebrated through the musical traditions of each with live performances. Also, eating and dancing are a large part of the activities that take place during Dia de la Raza.
The Monteverde Music Festival celebrates jazz and classical music from December until March. To add to the tropical ambiance of Costa Rica, most of the concerts take place at sunset within a rain forest. There are typically 15 different acts performing throughout the entire festival. Other genres that are exhibited during the festival include Afro-Caribbean and Latin American.
Following New Year's celebrations, Costa Ricans participate in the two-week Palmares fiestas that take place in the town of Palmares. The celebration consists of a variety of activities that take place during the second and third weeks of January. The festival officially begins with the lighting of the fairgrounds and the parade of lanterns. Next, there is a horse parade in which the best examples of equestrian stepping are shown off through the streets of the town. There are tent bars that serve products from local alcohol distributors, which typically stay open until dawn. Other highlights of the Palmares fiestas are various concerts and Costa Rican-style bullfighting.
