Tamarindo, the surf town on Costa Rica's Pacific coast, is staging its fifth annual Halloween Fest this Friday and Saturday, and the programme stretches from morning storytime to late-night beach clubs. Organised by the Tamarindo Development Association (ADIT) since 2022, the festival has grown into a town-wide event that pulls in hotels, restaurants and shops during the quiet stretch before high season.
Friday kicks off at 5 p.m. with a costume parade through downtown, starting near Hotel Tamarindo Diria and ending at Parque Oneida, which hosts the main family programme until 9 p.m. Expect costume contests for kids and families, a crazy hair competition, trick-or-treating, a dance-off with horror-themed routines and even a pet costume contest. The clowns of Payasos Los Alegres join the parade, and for braver visitors, Journey School runs a haunted house from 6 p.m. — the entry fee funds student scholarships. Local food vendors gather at the Tama Market, and Tama Run stages a recreational 5-kilometre race where the best costume matters as much as the time. Once the kids head home, Crazy Monkey's Haunted Paradise party takes over from 9 p.m. with three stages of dancehall, reggaeton and electronic music.
Saturday belongs to the waves. From 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., surfers paddle out in full Halloween costume in front of Witch's Rock Surf Camp, with prizes awarded across categories — one of the stranger spectacles you'll see on a Costa Rican beach, and free to watch. The morning starts gentler, with a free themed reading session and candy at the Tamarindo Children's Community Library from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There's also a pickleball tournament run by 15 Love Tamarindo, with a two-night hotel stay among the prizes.
Nightlife continues Saturday with Sharky's Halloween party carrying $1,500 in costume prizes, plus a sunset gathering from Iguana Surf and NAIA restaurant. Beyond the events, the town's businesses are leaning in: hotels including Pasatiempo, Mar Rey, Hideaway Costa Rica and Las Guapas have accommodation deals, some running into November, and shops are advertising discounts of 10% to 70%.
Why it matters: most of the family activities are free, so a Halloween weekend in Tamarindo can be cheap fun if you're already in Guanacaste — though races, the haunted house and private parties may need registration or tickets. Check ADIT's website or social media for the full schedule and last-minute changes before you go. If you've ever wanted to watch someone catch a wave dressed as a dinosaur, this is your weekend.
