The Ministry of Culture and Youth (MCJ) will arrive in the Los Santos region with two major offerings for the entire community: RIDE Cultural and the III National Dance, Theatre, and Circus Gathering, a powerful combination of art, creativity, and civic engagement.
Over five days—from August 6 to 10—Tarrazú, Dota, and León Cortés will host a diverse artistic and cultural program that is free and open to all audiences. It includes theatre and circus performances, live music, dance, film screenings, workshops, street parades, and activities for people of all ages.
The official inauguration of RIDE Cultural will take place on Thursday, August 7, at 7:00 p.m., with a concert by the national ensemble La Kuarta in the Central Park of San Marcos de Tarrazú.
Jorge Rodríguez Vives, Minister of Culture and Youth, said: “We’re taking culture to the Los Santos region! We bring RIDE Cultural and the III Dance, Theatre, and Circus Gathering to the heart of a region that vibrates with the arts. Because we believe in the power of creativity to heal, to unite, to build community. This cultural festival is a gift for reconnecting, living together in peace, and celebrating life with art, body, and movement. See you in Los Santos!”
Program Highlights
One of the highlights will be the play “El Vivo y la Muerte,” a family comedy by the National Theatre Company (CNT) inspired by Carmen Lyra’s tale “Uvieta” and other popular Latin American versions. Directed by Mauricio Astorga, the production is festive, critical, and bursting with music, color, and folk wisdom.
The CNT will offer two performances in Los Santos as part of its first national tour in years:
- Friday, August 8, 6:00 p.m., at the San Marcos de Tarrazú municipal gymnasium (as part of the ENDTC).
- Saturday, August 9, 7:00 p.m., at the Santa María de Dota municipal gymnasium.
The program will close on Sunday, August 10, with a festive street parade starting at 5:30 p.m. from the San Marcos park to the municipal gymnasium. There, at 6:30 p.m., Bombi-Man—portrayed by Telémaco Camaleón—will present “The Second Chance (What If the Planet Went Poof!),” a show that mixes physical comedy, theatre, dance, acrobatics, circus, clowning, and music, perfect for the whole family.
Banda Nacional de Cartago
About RIDE Cultural and the National Dance, Theatre, and Circus Gathering
RIDE Cultural is an MCJ initiative to decentralize access to the arts and guarantee the exercise of cultural rights in all regions of the country. Through this strategy, communities enjoy top-level performances while promoting coexistence, Costa Rican identity, and social inclusion.
The National Dance, Theatre, and Circus Gathering, led by the Melico Salazar Popular Theatre, arrives at its third edition as a platform to showcase national stage talent and promote the country’s creative diversity.
