Independence Day in 2024
Local celebrations, national pride and a spirit of community mark Costa Rica’s Independence Day. One of the year’s most important holidays, Costa Rica celebrates its freedom from colonial Spain with peaceful festivities and historic traditions.
When is Independence Day?
| Year | Dates |
|---|---|
| 2025 | |
| 2024 | |
| 2023 |
When is Costa Rican Independence Day?
This public holiday is Costa Rica's National Day and is celebrated on September 15th. In a move intended to rejuvenate the tourism sector after the COVID-19 pandemic, this holiday has been moved to the following Monday from 2020 onwards.
Independence Day in Costa Rica commemorates the independence of the Central American provinces from Spanish rule in 1821.
History of Costa Rican Independence Day
Costa Rica means 'coast of riches', though it is not clear if it was Christopher Columbus who coined the name when he reached the region on his fourth and last voyage in 1502, or if it was or the conquistador Gil González Dávila, who landed on the west coast in 1522.
Either way, the promise of gold in this coast of riches led to Spanish conquest and Costa Rica became part of the Kingdom of Guatemala, which also included the present-day nations of Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas.
Spain had been weakened by its involvement in the Peninsular War in Europe and local juntas had been created as local Spanish had revolted against the rule of King Joseph, Napoleon's brother who had been installed as ruler of Spain by the French.
This taste for independent rule persisted after King Ferdinand came to the Spanish throne and on September 15th 1821, the Act of Independence of Central America was declared by the Province of Guatemala.
Following independence and despite opposition from El Salvador, the regions became part of the Mexican Empire, until they ceded to become the Federal Republic of Central America in 1823.