There are places that smell like home, like tradition. This coming weekend, from Friday, August 8th to Sunday, August 10th, Paraíso, Cartago will smell of freshly brewed coffee, fertile earth, and festivities. Welcome to the second edition of the National Coffee Fair, a celebration for the soul that no lover of our culture should miss.

The Campo Ayala venue is preparing to transform into the epicenter of our “golden bean.” In this post, we’ll take you on a sneak peek of a fair that is so much more than a beverage: it’s an encounter with our culture, our music, and above all, the people who keep the coffee tradition that defines us as Costa Ricans alive.

The Temple of Flavor: A Feast for Coffee Lovers

From the moment you set foot in the fair, you’ll be enveloped in a unique sensory experience. Imagine walking among more than 40 specialty coffee stands, each with a story to tell, hailing from all eight of the country’s coffee regions. Here, you don’t just come to drink coffee; you come to live it.

You’ll be able to chat directly with the producers, the families whose hands cultivate the quality that gives us prestige around the world. Participate in guided tastings to learn how to distinguish the notes of a Tarrazú or a Naranjo, attend barista workshops to perfect your technique at home, and don’t miss the excitement of the National Tasters and Baristas Championships, where you’ll see the country’s top talents in action.

Malpaís with a good coffee

The cultural highlight of the fair will arrive on Saturday night, August 9th, with the highly anticipated concert by the iconic national group, Malpaís. There is no band that better captures the essence of Costa Rican identity, the melancholy of our landscapes, and the warmth of our people.

Listening to classics like “Contramarea” or “La Danza del Sol” in the heart of one of the country’s most beautiful coffee-growing zones, under the Cartago sky, promises to be an unforgettable experience. It’s the perfect union of two of our greatest prides: quality coffee and the music that tells the story of who we are.

Behind Every Cup: The Human Face of Coffee

Beyond the party and the music, the National Coffee Fair serves a fundamental purpose: to highlight the value of the work of thousands of Costa Ricans. It’s an unparalleled showcase for the small and medium-sized producers who, with great effort, compete in a global market.

Supporting this fair means supporting those families, recognizing the value of their labor, and promoting a culture of conscious local consumption. Every purchase, every conversation, every cup of coffee you enjoy is a direct contribution to the sustainability of one of our most cherished traditions.

The Flavor That Unites Us

The National Coffee Fair reminds us that in every cup, there is a story, a family, and the heart of our land. So, if you’re looking for a plan for this weekend that combines flavor, culture, and support for what is ours, your destination is Paraíso.

Because in Costa Rica, “a little coffee” is never just coffee. It’s an invitation, a conversation, a warm embrace. And in Paraíso, this weekend, it will be a national celebration.