Translator: Machine translation with human review
From Thursday, June 4, to Sunday, June 7, the streets of Nosara will once again be filled with color and pride during the fifth edition of Nosara Pride, the only LGBTQIA+ celebration in Guanacaste.
On June 6, the parade will begin at 1:30 p.m. and will follow its traditional route of nearly five kilometers from Rancho Tico, in downtown Nosara, to Olga’s, on the shores of Playa Pelada.
For Roberto Acuña, one of the organizers of Nosara Pride, the purpose of this route is to venture into the traditional heart of Nosara and make an impact on the local population of the district.
We could make it easier, go through the entire tourist area (…) but at the end of the day, the march is a political act, and what better way to raise visibility in spaces that are perhaps traditionally more conservative,” said Acuña.
As a new feature this year, the event will honor two grand queens: drag artists Assia Polishkova and Karlita, both residents of Nosara.
In a community as small as Nosara, every act of visibility matters. This Pride honors those who paved the way and celebrates those who today continue to fill this town with color and love, with the dream of living freely and without labels,” said Polishkova, who is also part of the organizing team.
Nosara Pride seeks to raise the visibility of the LGBTQIA+ community in a province where, according to Acuña, spaces dedicated to the diverse population are not normalized.
“The fact that on that day, in homes across Nosara, people will talk about how ‘did you see those people marching?’—just the fact that that conversation takes place in a home is a win for me,” Acuña commented.
Photo: This will be the fifth consecutive year that Nosara has hosted the Pride celebration in Guanacaste. Photo: César Arroyo CastroPhoto: Cesar Arroyo Castro
More and more people are participating
In 2022, during the first edition of Nosara Pride, the community’s sentiment was summed up in the words of one of the attendees: “We are in our province, experiencing something we thought was light-years away,” said Guanacaste native and activist Ana María Murillo as she participated for the first time in a Pride march organized in Guanacaste.
Four editions later, Acuña says that more and more diverse people and businesses are joining in to celebrate diversity in the district without the fear she sensed in the early editions.
Photo: Ana María Murillo is from Tilarán. Her family starred in one of the episodes of the campaign for marriage equality, “Sí, acepto.” Photo: César Arroyo CastroPhoto: Cesar Arroyo Castro
Something I really like—and for me, this is the most symbolic impact—is seeing how local members of the LGBTIQ+ community are becoming more daring in their participation. I’m seeing more and more of them getting involved, and (…) younger people—kids aged 17 or 18—who are already enjoying it, and that’s a whole new story,” said Acuña.
You can stay up to date on Nosara Pride on Instagram @nosarapride
In 2024, the Nosara edition of La Voz de Guanacaste published an interview with Roberto Acuña in which he reflects on the importance of Nosara Pride, the history of the parade in Nosara, and the challenges faced by the LGBTIQ+ community in the province. You can read the full interview here.
Nosara Pride Schedule
Thursday, June 4
Queer Karaoke
Location: El Ruco — 7 p.m.
Host: Awa Music (Nosara)
Friday, June 5
The Pre-Party
Venue: Beach Break — 7 p.m.
Drag shows: Carlita (Nosara) and Tabián (Sámara)
DJ Ylang Ylang (Nosara)
Saturday, June 6
Official Nosara Pride 2026 Parade
Route: Downtown Nosara → Pelada Beach
Start: 1 p.m. at Rancho Tico
Official After Party — Olga’s — starting at 4:30 p.m.
DJ Chimi (Nosara), DJ Ylang Ylang (Nosara), DJ Sue Shi (San José), and a drag show by Aleysha Kin’Brown (Santa Cruz)
Sunday, June 7
Drag Bingo
Venue: La Catedral — 12:00 p.m.
Host: Sue Shi
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