Puerto Limón is famous in Costa Rica for its yearly fall festival called carnaval which occurs the week of 12
October, the date Columbus first anchored off Limón's coast in 1502, on his
fourth voyage. The event was started by local community leader and activist,
Alfred Josiah Henry Smith (known as "Mister King"), who helped
organize the first carnaval in October 1949. The event stretches about a week
(across two weekends), and includes a parade, food, music, dancing, and, on the
last night, a concert in the Parque Vargas headlined by a major Latino or
Caribbean music
