JOIN US FOR THE
ANNUAL 4th OF JULY PICNIC
Welcome to the online home of the annual 4th of July picnic in Costa Rica, a festive celebration hosted by the American Colony Committee for more than half a century.
This year’s picnic is on Wednesday, July 4, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the grounds of the Cervecería, just off of the Autopista General Cañas, near the San José airport. For more details, click here.
The picnic will feature the food, fun and patriotic spirit of years past. But there are two important changes this year:
While you're browsing this site, enjoy some patriotic music to get you in the Spirit of '76 - just click on the music player graphic on the left; it will open in a new, small window that will play music in the background while you visit the various sections of this site.
The photographs in the gallery below will begin to display automatically once they all have loaded, and when the final photo has been displayed the collection will start over again. To pause any photo just move your mouse cursor over it; once you move the cursor off of the photo the gallery display will resume.
This year’s picnic is on Wednesday, July 4, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., on the grounds of the Cervecería, just off of the Autopista General Cañas, near the San José airport. For more details, click here.
The picnic will feature the food, fun and patriotic spirit of years past. But there are two important changes this year:
- Our guest policy has changed, and all U.S. citizens are encouraged to bring a Costa Rican friend to the picnic, to share in the experience of a good old fashioned 4th of July celebration.
- Parking along roads near the picnic site is no longer permitted, and violators will be towed. However, secure parking, with free shuttle bus service to and from the picnic entrance gate throughout the day, will be available at the OLD ExpoMovil site. Detailed directions and a map are here.
While you're browsing this site, enjoy some patriotic music to get you in the Spirit of '76 - just click on the music player graphic on the left; it will open in a new, small window that will play music in the background while you visit the various sections of this site.
The photographs in the gallery below will begin to display automatically once they all have loaded, and when the final photo has been displayed the collection will start over again. To pause any photo just move your mouse cursor over it; once you move the cursor off of the photo the gallery display will resume.
For those of you who have never attended our annual picnic, we hope this site entices you to join in the fun. The festivities include a wide variety of food and drinks including the ever-popular traditional hot dogs, great entertainers, games and other fun activities for all ages. Beyond the food and fun, the picnic also provides an opportunity to learn about many nonprofit organizations here in Costa Rica. Most importantly, you will participate in a quintessentially American tradition: the celebration of the Independence Day of the United States, complete with a special Flag Ceremony featuring members of the Unites States Marine Corps.
Whether you are a newcomer to the picnic or a veteran guest, our site includes some very special content. The wonderful staff at The Tico Times scoured their archives and produced a fabulous collection of photographs showing the event's rich history. Beginning with photos of the earliest picnics at the former residence of the U.S. Ambassador in then-rural Escazú, the Tico Times gallery provides a fascinating view of the development of the growing American "colony" fortunate enough to live in beautiful Costa Rica.
You'll also find several galleries of photographs from more recent picnics, including our 50th Anniversary extravaganza and the 2011 celebration (including fireworks!) sponsored by Avenida Escazú, which included a cultural program provided by the American Colony Committee.
Our site also includes special Independence Day Greetings from dignitaries ranging from the President of the Republic of Costa Rica to the President of the United States. And you'll find information about the Patrons whose generosity makes this event possible, and about the American Colony Committee which first began hosting this event more than fifty years ago.
The red menu tabs at the top of each page will take you to to various sections of the site, but please contact us if you need additional information or have any comments. We hope you enjoy your visit here, and we hope to see you on the 4th of July!
Whether you are a newcomer to the picnic or a veteran guest, our site includes some very special content. The wonderful staff at The Tico Times scoured their archives and produced a fabulous collection of photographs showing the event's rich history. Beginning with photos of the earliest picnics at the former residence of the U.S. Ambassador in then-rural Escazú, the Tico Times gallery provides a fascinating view of the development of the growing American "colony" fortunate enough to live in beautiful Costa Rica.
You'll also find several galleries of photographs from more recent picnics, including our 50th Anniversary extravaganza and the 2011 celebration (including fireworks!) sponsored by Avenida Escazú, which included a cultural program provided by the American Colony Committee.
Our site also includes special Independence Day Greetings from dignitaries ranging from the President of the Republic of Costa Rica to the President of the United States. And you'll find information about the Patrons whose generosity makes this event possible, and about the American Colony Committee which first began hosting this event more than fifty years ago.
The red menu tabs at the top of each page will take you to to various sections of the site, but please contact us if you need additional information or have any comments. We hope you enjoy your visit here, and we hope to see you on the 4th of July!
UPDATE: Hurrah! There will be fireworks again this year at Avenida Escazú! Come for the concert at 5 p.m., and stay for the fireworks display starting at 7 p.m.
Our website design and hosting were provided free of charge by a patron of the Committee.
