This great festival is very popular and takes place in Siquirres, here in our beautiful country, on August 12th, every year. In this, we can see parades with floats, masquerades, live music and extraordinary fireworks.
Background of its history...
Festival de la Luz originated in 1996 when the Municipality of San José organized the 1st parade of floats and the largest and best bands in our country. The beauty, the charm, and the multitude of this great festival have made it indispensable and essential, even for the Christmas season. News programs such as CNN, Televisa, Univisión, among many others, have referred to it in a very positive way. in fact, it has become the most important event that can occur throughout the year.
Approximately, 1 million people attend this festival. Apart from that, it has also been taken into account that, thanks to all the news programs, each one of the inhabitants of our country is allowed to watch this great Festival. Another million people watch it from the comfort of their homes. Institutions, community, or student groups have been able to have a participation in the Festival of Light where there are so much order and security. In total, it has an approximate distance of 3.2 kilometers.
Marshals: All awarded
Since 1999, the title of Marshal has been decorated to one or several countrymen who have excelled at the international level. The marshal is the person decorated in the parade. Some of them were: Franklin Chan Díaz, scientist and astronaut, decorated in 1999; Claudia Poll, swimmer Olympic medalist, in 2000; The Major Soccer Team, in the year 2001; Maribel Guardia, actress and singer in 2002; Jorge Jiménez Deredia, sculptor, in 2003; Glenda Umaña, CNN journalist, in 2004; Humberto Vargas, singer-songwriter, in 2006; The Special Olympics Athletes in Shanghai, in 2007; Leonardo Chacón, triathlete who participated in the London Olympics in 2012; and Andrey Amador, outstanding cyclist who continues to triumph at the international level. He was decorated in 2016.
Some of the Awards of the Most Beautiful Floats of the Festival
Every year the floats are awarded in several categories. These are the car that shines the most, the one with the most originality, the one with the greatest elegance, the one with the best mobile elements, and the one with the best light effects.
In 1996, 16 floats took part and, among all of them, the winners were: La Corporación de Supermercados Rayo Azul, as the chariot that shone the most; that of the National Recreation Park, as the best non-commercial float; and the best carriage of Costa Rican customs was DEMASA.
In 1998, only 10 floats participated. The one of the National Park of Amusements was the float that shone the most; the most elegant car was that of the DEMASA Group; the carriage with the best childish effect was that of the Universal Bookstore, and the coach with the best light effect was that of Coca-Cola.
In the year 2000, 11 floats participated. The one that most shone was that of the Universal Bookstore; the most elegant was the Banco de Costa Rica, and the car with the best movement was that of the DEMASA group.
In 2002, 10 floats participated. There was only one award to the float that shone the most, and it was the Parque Nacional de Diversiones.
In 2007, 15 floats participated. The one that most shone was that of the Chinese Colony of Costa Rica; again, the most original was that of the Chinese Colony of Costa Rica; the one with the best childish effect was that of Scotiabank, and the float that was 2nd place was that of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute.
In 2016, 14 floats participated. Only one award was given to the one that shone the most. This prize was awarded to the National Insurance Institute.
All of them were beautiful floats with a well-deserved prize. And as time passes, each of them is improving their style, to increase their attractiveness to all visitors.
Like the floats, the bands were also awarded in the following categories: the band that shines the most; in the sense of execution; repertoire and choreography; the best elementary student band; best high school student band; and the best communal band.
Anyone who wants to enjoy a great night, whether he is local or foreign, can come and watch the wonderful floats and bands that attend this event. In addition, you can witness their organization process, relying on all the necessary security measures.
