Throughout the year in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, a series of civic holidays are accompanied by festivals. Most of these festivals highlight a rodeo and horse parade. The horse parade is famous and known as the tope. These are fun and amusing celebrations that highlight some of the unique features of Guanacaste — a fusion of cowboy culture with Costa Rican traditions.

The highlights of this festival includes:

• A parade of cowboys on horseback.
• A western-style rodeo.
• A country fair with food stalls, cattle auction, music, dancing and drinking.
• The Rodeo includes bull riding and comical rodeo clowns who are usually locals that have a lot of courage.

Some of the unique cultural features include:

• Cowboys who walk in a unique fashion, e.g. a high-stepping gait that is on display during the parade.
• Traditional dancing where women where long beautiful flowing skirts and the dance is fast and passionate.
• Young men who shout out rhyming verses which are meant to court females.

These festivals occur at various times throughout the year, but especially on civic holidays. The festivals also take place during Christmas, New Year's, Easter, and July 25. Watch for posters announcing these festivals and holidays.