The celebration of Costa Rica’s National Masquerade Day on October 31st has already begun at the National Library in San José.For the remainder of the month, attendees will be able to enjoy the exhibition “We Are Celebrating…” Oh, let’s celebrate!
The exhibition showcases the work of various mask artists:
Mario Ledezma Alfaro, with giant devil masks
Minor Arias, magical nature masks
Elena Hernández, masks of Costa Rican legends
Alfonso “Pocho” Vega, traditional masks
José Alfaro, masks of La Giganta
Rodrigo Muñoz, miniature masks, face masks, and other traditional masks
The Cultural Unit of the University College of Cartago offers the Giant Mask of the King, donated by the community of Barcelona, Spain.
The exhibition also includes documents on the history of masquerades and celebrations throughout the country.
The project is organized by the Benemérita National Library (BNCR) and the Cultural Association Friends Without Borders.The exhibition is based on the research and curation of the academic and artist, Rodrigo Muñoz Azofeifa.
Dedicated to Mario Alberto Ledezma Alfaro
Additionally, it is dedicated to Mario Alberto Ledezma Alfaro, a distinguished mask maker from Heredia, who has lived this tradition since childhood through the creation of giant-sized characters, with great creativity and traditional diversity.
“Traditional masquerades are a very important part of the culture and national identity, and for many years, the traditional festivals of the towns have been celebrated with masks and music, thanks to indigenous and colonial heritage,” reported the BNCR.
The National Library of Costa Rica is located next to the National Park, on Paseo Los Damas. The schedule to visit and enjoy the exhibition is from Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and admission is free for everyone.The exhibition will be available until October 31, 2024.
National Masquerade Day and other activities
Executive Decree No. 25724-C, dated December 9, 1996, declared October 31 of each year as the “Day of the Traditional Costa Rican Masquerade.”Additionally, in 2022, the Legislative Assembly declared masquerades as a national symbol of Costa Rica.
The Ministry of Culture reported on other activities for this month of October at the National Library:
October 22, 3 p.m. | Talk on “Ecological and Magical Masks,” by the academic and mask artist Minor Arias Uva
October 31, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon | Workshops on making traditional masks aimed at children, scheduled at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and 12 noon. Registrations at phone: 2211-4305, 2257-4814 or by email at [email protected] Limited spots available.
October 31, 2 p.m. | Talk on The Origin of Masquerades by Rodrigo Muñoz, in commemoration of National Masquerade Day.
