The Chicharrones Festival in Puriscal is underway through December 8, celebrating Costa Rican food culture with pork dishes, live music, and holiday traditions.
In the world of Costa Rica food festivals, perhaps one of the most underrated ones got underway yesterday in the rural community of Santiago de Puriscal, around an hour west of San José. Pork and meat lovers will love the chicharrones festival that takes place in the main park and continues through December 8. Visitors come to enjoy the chicharrones and other meaty treats, live entertainment, artisan goods, and community celebrations.
The fair has taken place each year since 1999 (except for the covid years) and showcases Puriscal’s longstanding reputation as a hub for pork products. Organizers promote it as a cultural and gastronomic celebration that supports local producers and strengthens the region’s rural-tourism identity.
View this post on Instagram
Chicharrones and Local Tradition
Chicharrones are pieces of pork that are cooked until crisp on the outside and tender inside. They are usually made from cuts that include both skin and meat, simmered first and then fried in pork fat. In Costa Rica, chicharrones are commonly served with fried yuca, tortillas, and lime.
The dish is found across Latin America with regional variations, but it is especially popular across Central America. In Costa Rica, chicharrones are part of everyday food culture and are often prepared at home on weekends or enjoyed at casual neighborhood eateries or as a bar snack.
In Puriscal, families have been producing pork products for generations. Local butchers and home cooks use long-established methods to prepare chorizo, salchichón, and chicharrón, giving the town a strong culinary identity built on pork. The most typical version at the fair is chicharrón de panzada, where meat and fat are cooked together for the traditional flavor and texture locals prefer. Each morning during the festival, vendors begin frying fresh chicharrones in the park, and the smell of sizzling pork becomes part of the atmosphere throughout the day.
The Festival in 2025
The 2025 Chicharrones Festival has a full program combining food, music, sports, and community activities. Things kicked off last night with the official opening ceremony, a Christmas concert, and the lighting of the town’s Christmas tree, marking the informal start of the holiday season in Puriscal. Events now continue daily through December 8.
Mornings focus on recreational and family activities, including children’s performances, mechanical bull rides, sports tournaments, pet shows, 4×4 vehicle demonstrations, and crossfit competitions. Throughout the day, visitors can find chicharrones and other traditional foods being prepared and served at stands around the park.
Afternoons and evenings feature concerts by local and national artists, cultural performances, and themed nights such as karaoke and comedy shows. Highlights include a beach volleyball championship, a horse parade, cultural exhibitions, and a photography display showcasing local history and scenery. Several nights also feature larger concerts that attract crowds from across the Central Valley.
Perhaps the biggest highlight of the festival takes place next Sunday on December 7, with the “Mejor Chicharrón” competition, where local producers present their best version of the dish for judging. The festival ends on Monday, December 8 with closing concerts at the main stage.
View this post on Instagram
Visiting the Fair
A typical visit involves arriving in the late morning or early afternoon, ordering a plate of chicharrones or some other pork-based meaty treat, and spending a few hours in the park watching performances or checking out what’s going on. There are also some cocktail and beer stands as well as a few local cantinas around the park for those who want a festive tipple to go with their chicharrones. There is no entry fee and the open-air layout makes it easy to move between activities.
Travelers who like to keep records of their experiences often find food events particularly memorable because they combine taste, sound, and local interaction. A practical way to preserve those impressions is to take photos and brief notes during the visit, then keep them organized later using modern digital scrapbooking tools so memories of the event are stored clearly and securely.
A Consistent Part of Local Life
The chicharrones festival has remained part of the early December season for more than two decades, supporting community identity, offering income opportunities for local producers, and introducing a wider audience to Puriscal’s food heritage. It celebrates the food that has shaped Puriscal’s reputation and gives visitors a clear way to experience the region’s rural character.
As the holiday season begins in Costa Rica, the festival is one of the first major celebrations of the festive period. It connects long-standing traditions with present-day community life and brings attention to a rural community.
For more info on the festival and upcoming events over the coming days, visit Feria de Chicharron’s Facebook or Instagram.
