November is a month of transition. The rainy season gradually comes to an end, venues across the country host some of the biggest concerts of the year, and towns begin lighting up for Christmas. Here’s a look at what’s coming up.

1. Concerts: a big month for music

November brings many of the major international shows closing out the year. Among the most anticipated:

• Gorillaz — November 14, Parque Viva (Alajuela).

• Karol G — November 27 and 28, National Stadium.

2. Culture and traditions

November 2 is All Souls’ Day. In Costa Rica, it is a solemn occasion rather than a festive one: families visit cemeteries, clean graves, and bring flowers.

On November 28 and 29, La Sabana Metropolitan Park in San José will host the Boyeros Festival. Saturday’s program will include a gathering of ox carts and teams of oxen, traditional cimarrona bands, marimba music, and folk dancing, while Sunday will feature the traditional ox-cart drivers’ parade. The festival will also pay tribute to Costa Rican National Marimba Day, celebrated on November 30.

3. Nature: whales, turtles, and scarlet macaws

November marks the end of the southern hemisphere humpback whale season in the Pacific, which runs approximately from July to November.

The sea turtle season also continues along the Pacific coast. Olive ridley turtles can be seen at Ostional through November, while leatherback turtles begin arriving in October at beaches such as Nombre de Jesús.

For bird lovers, November through March is a good time to spot scarlet macaws in Carara, Tárcoles, and the Osa Peninsula.

4. Other events: the Christmas season begins

The second half of the month brings a varied cultural program to San José as the Ministry of Culture kicks off the Christmas season:

A Christmas Tale — November 27 and 28. A theatrical adaptation of Charles Dickens’s classic at the Sculpture Garden of the Costa Rican Art Museum, with three performances open to the public.

506 Costa Rica Jazz Fest — November 19–21, at the Centro de Patrimonio and the National Center of Culture (CENAC), featuring the National Symphony Orchestra, the INM Youth Big Band, and national and international artists.

Posadas de Luz — November 20. A walking tour through downtown San José, starting at the Ministry of Culture and ending at CENAC.

5. Weather and surfing

November is a transitional month between the green season and the dry season:

• Early in the month, rain is still common in the Pacific region, but conditions improve toward the end of the month.
• The Caribbean tends to be rainier than in September and October, with rainfall decreasing as the month progresses.
• Prices are at their lowest of the green season, before rising in December.
• The Pacific still gets rainy-season swells, while Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast welcomes surfers from November through April.