Corrected: August 2 is the Día de la Virgen de los Ángeles and October 12 the Encuentro de las Culturas. Originally the article had August 1 and October 13.
Check your calendar, 2019 will be a year of many ‘legal’ holidays falling on a Sunday. By itself it is not a big deal, as is often the case, it just means a long – or longer, as in the case of Costa Rica – weekend.
But, hold on a minute or three, there are some holidays that are not – cannot be – moved to the Monday.
One of those is the mother of all holidays in Costa Rica, Mother’s Day, the day that is ALWAYS on August 15 and the day that HAS TO BE celebrated on August 15.
Some years back there was an attempt, just like moving the clocks back or forward an hour, to celebrate Mother’s Day the Monday following August 15. Guess what happened? There were two holidays that year: one on August 15, though not a legal holiday most still didn’t show for work and the second, on Monday next.
So what are the ‘legal’ holidays for 2019 and which fall on a Sunday?
- Janury 1. Come and gone.
- April 11. Juan Santamaria Day: Thursday
- April 14 – 21. Seman Santa (Though Thursday and Friday are the only legal holidays)
- May 1. Labor Day: Wednesday
- July 25. Anexión del Partido de Nicoya a Costa Rica (the annexation of Guanacaste): Thursday
- August 2. Día de la Virgen de los Ángeles: Friday
- August 15. Mother’s Day (Día de la Madre): Thursday
- September 15. Independence Day: Sunday
- October 12. Encuentro de las Culturas: Saturday
- December 25. Christmas: Wednesday
- January 1, 2020. New Year’s Day: Wednesday.
Oh wait, there is an only legal holiday on a Sunday in 2019, all the rest are mid-week, which means, including September 15, all will most likely be moved to the following Monday. Except, if you were paying attention, the August 15 holiday. And what day is that?
Hope this is informative, helping you plan, if you live and/or work in Costa Rica, your long weekends and for visitors on business what is open and closed and when.
For tourists, hey you are on vacation, Costa Rica’s primary industry is you (the tourist) and is never closed for you.
Pura Vida, Mae.
Feliz Año
