This weekend, the Greater Metropolitan Area celebrates the mid-year holidays with a vibrant array of artistic and cultural activities in multiple venues, through the Ministry of Culture and Youth’s RIDE Cultural program.

Enjoy Your Holidays in the GAM with RIDE Cultural

During this mid-year break, the Ministry of Culture and Youth invites you to experience a unique and free cultural journey designed for all ages and families. RIDE Cultural, an MCJ initiative focused on democratizing access to the arts, will hold a special edition simultaneously across the country’s four main provinces: San José, Cartago, Heredia, and Alajuela.

The program runs from Friday, July 11 through Sunday, July 13, with events in emblematic public spaces and cultural centers in each city. The vision: to reclaim public space as a stage for community engagement, enjoyment, and family unity.

Featured Venues:

• San José: Plaza de la Democracia (Friday), Parque de las Garantías Sociales (Saturday), and Parque Central (Sunday). Additional locations include the National Theater, the Calderón Guardia Museum, CENAC, and more.
• Heredia: Activities at the Alfredo González Flores House of Culture.
• Cartago: Special programming at the Cartago Cultural Center.
• Alajuela: Activities and cultural tours from the Juan Santamaría Historical Cultural Museum.

See full program at: ridecultural.cr

“El Vivo y la Muerte” Premieres This Weekend

On Thursday, July 10, at the Alberto Cañas Customs Theater, the Ministry of Culture and Youth, through Teatro Popular Melico Salazar and its artistic program, the National Theater Company, premieres the family comedy El Vivo y la Muerte, adapted and directed by Mauricio Astorga.

Inspired by the traditional tale by Carmen Lyra and Latin American folk versions, this show is festive, critical, and filled with music, color, and popular wisdom. El Vivo y la Muerte celebrates Costa Rican traditions and transforms the theater into a space where the impossible becomes possible.

Cast Highlights: Juan Madrigal (Uvieta), Katia Mora Segura (Uvietona), Kar Barquero (Maruchenga/Angel), Carlos Alvarado (San Pedro/Doctor), Pedro José Sánchez Rovira (Jesús/Bodyguard), Vivian Bonilla Gamboa (Death/Angel), Telémaco Camaleón (Patín/Devil), Rodrigo Durán (Governor/Angel), Natalia Lanzoni (Fortunata), Dennis Quirós Alvarado (Candelario), Javier Montenegro (Papucho), Paulina Bernini (Storyteller/Angel/She-devil/Doña Sotana), Alexander Solano (Lacayo/Doctor).

Performances run July 10–27:

• Thursday to Saturday at 7 p.m.
• Sundays at 5 p.m.
• Venue: Alberto Cañas Customs Theater. General admission: ₡8,000 (incl. tax). Students and seniors: ₡4,000 (incl. tax). Tickets available 2 hours before each show or online: boleteria.teatromelico.go.cr

“Preámbulo” Features Four Provocative Cinema Gems

From Thursday, July 10 to Saturday, July 12, the “Preámbulo” film program by the Film Center presents a riveting cult cinema cycle in the Sala Gómez Miralles. These films challenge convention, captivate critics, and fascinate generations through originality, visual style, and bold storytelling.

Screenings:

• Thursday, July 10, 7 p.m.: Dogtooth (2009), by Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos. A disturbing minimalist fable about three youth isolated by parents who manipulate reality. A powerful critique of authoritarian systems and the fragility of truth.
• Friday, July 11, 7 p.m.: Un rêve plus long que la nuit (1976), a surreal fantasy by artist Niki de Saint Phalle. Princess Camélia journeys through a symbolic universe to adulthood, facing magical beings and patriarchal figures.
• Saturday, July 12, 4 p.m.: Sacred Spirit (2021), a Spain-France-Turkey coproduction by Chema García Ibarra. José Manuel, a UFO group member, holds a cosmic secret after his leader’s death while the country searches for a missing girl.
• Saturday, July 12, 7 p.m.: Profundo Carmesí (1996), by Mexican legend Arturo Ripstein. Based on true events, the film follows Coral and Nicolás on a crime spree across Mexico — a baroque masterpiece of 1990s Latin American cinema.

All films are rated 18+. Free entry until full capacity.Cultural Highlights | Quick Agenda

Workshops: Vacation workshops at the National Museum for children and youth. Until July 18, 2025. Full schedule at: www.museocostarica.go.cr

Visual Arts: Opening of Hugo Díaz: Ink Chronicles (1930–2001) Thursday, July 10 at 7 p.m., Sala Herradura, Costa Rican Art Museum, La Sabana. Free entry.

Theater: Gorilla in a Birdcage play

July 13 at 5 p.m. Venue: Vargas Calvo Theater. General: ₡8,000; students/seniors: ₡5,500. Tickets: boleteria.teatronacional.go.cr

July 11 & 12 at 8 p.m.