Fiestas de San José and Toros a la Tica is a large annual event that includes; carnival rides, live entertainment, food vendors, beer gardens, a two-story high-tech disco and bar created out of concert rigging just for the Fiestas, fireworks, rodeo bull riding exhibitions, horse demonstrations and the wildly popular Costa Rica bull fighting where spectators of various states of sanity 'run with the bulls'.

A 2007 Fiesta de San José, Costa Rica stilt walking entertainer.

The party opens Christmas Day (Thursday 12/25) and runs through Sunday, January 4th in Campo Ferial Zapote of Barrio Zapote, East of downtown San José. 

The highlight of each day is the nightly Corrida de Toros a la Tica -or- Costa Rican bull fights where there is no matador in the traditional sense. Costa Rica bull fights consist of 50 or more 'volunteers from the audience' that have the burning desire to play with a real life 'pissed-off' bull. Knowing that they are on national television, many of the 'bull-fighters' wear something unique and festive such as; a rainbow wig, cape, fluorescent colored jump suit and/or other various displays of individualism.

Bill, Junior, Karol, Doris and Beatrice at Toro a la Tica 2007

Between rounds of bulls chasing people over the fence and occasionally catching one of the amateur 'matadors' with a horn, there are more traditional rodeo style bull riding and horse roping exhibitions. Then its back to what everybody fills the stadium for ... more Tico style 'running with the bulls'.

A Costa Rica amateur matador gets a lift.

See you there!