DRY LAWS - BAN on SELLING of LIQUOR during Samana Santa•Easter in Costa Rica

In the PAST it has been completely ILLEGAL to SELL liquor in Costa Rica on the Thursday (Maundy Thursday•Jueves - Holy Thursday•Jueves Santo • Día de la Ascensión
Holy Thursday • Day of Ascension) and Friday (Good Friday) during Samana Santa•Easter (Holy Thursday and Good Friday - which Tico's/many Latin's take WAYYY more seriously than Easter Sunday).  They had a

"DRY LAW"

in place. AFTER Samana Santa•Easter 2012, Costa Rica implemented a new "Ley de Licores"•Liquor Law that left it up to each INDIVIDUAL MUNICIPALITY to decide whether to or not to BAN THE SALE OF LIQUOR on these days.

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The latest (as of March 26, 2015) list I've seen was Municipalities:

SELLING ALCOHOL
Thursday & Friday during Samana Santa 2015:
Abangares
Acosta
Alajuela
Barva
Belén
Buenos Aires
Carrillo
Corredores
Coto Brus
Curridabat
Desamparados
Escazu
Garabito
Goicoechea
Golfito
Grecia
Guatuso
Hojancha
Leon Cortes
Liberia
Limon
Los Chiles
Matina
Montes de Oro
Mora
Nandayure
Nicoya
Orotina
Osa
Paraiso

Parrita
Pococi
Puntarenas
Quepos
San Carlos
San Pablo
San Rafael
San Ramon
Santa Ana
Santa Cruz
Sarapiqui
Siquirres

Turrubares
Upala
Valverde Vega
Zarcero

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BANNING the SALE OF LIQUOR for Thursday & Friday during Samana Santa 2015:

Abangares  (Guanacaste)
Alajuelita
Alvarado
Aserri
Atenas
Bagaces (Guanacaste)
Belen (Heredia)
Cañas.
Cartago
Dota
El Guarco
Esparza
Flores
Guácimo (Limon)
Heredia
Jimenez
La Union
Matina (Limon)

Montes de Oca
Moravia
  Nandayure (Guanacaste)
Naranjo
Oreamuno
Palmares
Poas
Puriscal
San Isidro
San Pablo (Heredia)
Santa Barbara
Tarrazu
Turrialba
Vasquez de Coronado

(SHOCKING on the above beach areas BANNING the sale of alcohol still since the majority of the country seems to go TO the beach areas [and Arenal] as THIS IS a reason MANY tourists that learn this have shared that they do NOT come to Costa Rica for Easter [as well as MANY hotels jack their prices up 2-3 times])

WHEN is the BAN on ALCOHOL IN Effect?

This ban

STARTS at

12:01am (JUST after midnight) Thursday - April 2, 2015 and

ENDS at 

12:01am (just after midnight) - Saturday - April 4, 2015

(you HAVE to go into a grocery store to see this as it's a trip, as they LITERALLY have to cover/tape up ALL the liquor sections!!)

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SAY WHAT?  BUT I'M ON VACATION!!
HOW CAN I WORK AROUND IT?

The sad thing is I've hardly ever seen a hotel, travel agent inform it's booked guests of this ahead of time so MANY tourists come to Costa Rica and think - "Hey - it's SPRING BREAK!!  PARTY!!!!  And MANY guests are VERY disappointed - even down right ANGRY - and this DOES effect the chances of them returning to Costa Rica as well!!

There are only 4 potential solutions/scenarios to work WITH it if you're in an "DRY" city•municipalidade:

#1 - STOCK UP
Buy your alcohol at least the day before (though lines WILL be LONG with people doing the same thing) & BRING IT WITH YOU!!!!


#2 - BRING YOUR OWN
Most bars (IF they're open) and restaurants will allow you to bring your own - but for their sake (because fines are VERY HIGH if they break the law - including being closed down for a period of time), please bring some sort of cup that doesn't show what's in it and do NOT leave the bottle out.


#3  -  ALL-INCLUSIVE
This does NOT effect "All Inclusive" Resorts since they do not "SELL" alcohol - right??!!!!


#4 - GETTING CREATIVE
Some places (mainly places geared towards tourists) will get creative and "get around this" law by offering some sort of all-inclusive PARTY/Fiesta with a set price for food and drinks (not cheap usually as it is often an open-bar).

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WHY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AND NOT EASTER SUNDAY?
Costa Rican's seem to take these 2 holy days quite seriously (well - at least in MOST businesses) - practically shutting down towns not relying on the tourist $$!!!


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Read more on EASTER • SAMANA SANTA in Costa Rica at:
LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2012/03/easter-samana-santa-in-costa-rica-no.html

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OTHER DATES SOME MUNICIPALITIES STILL BAN THE SALE OF ALCOHOL ON:

As of the last election, the BAN on the Sale of Alcohol was also in effect during the Saturday and Sunday of the ELECTION (the first Sunday in February every 4 years.  The next one will be held on Sunday - February 4, 2018 [which is also SuperBowl Sunday.  I KNOW this has been a problem in the past]).

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Do YOU have anything to add to this???


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Do you know of any NON-beach area restaurant or business open that Thursday and Friday??

Please get me the info (and ideally their website or Facebook Page and hours and directions) and I'll add them onto this list!!
LivingLifeInCostaRica@gmail.com

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PLEASE "SHARE" this list with EVERYONE you know that this will effect!!!
LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2015/03/DryLawSamanaSantaCR.html

.297 9/15/15