Every year without fail, San Pedro Town welcomes hundreds of visitors to the island – many from our mainland – to the International Costa Maya Festival®! What started in 1992 as the Sea and Air Festival, the celebration has evolved into a musical and cultural festival that also brings a touch of beauty to the three-night extravaganza. This year’s event will take place from Thursday, August 6th to Sunday, August 9th.
Local and international musicians, deejays, performers, artisans and even carnival fair-style rides fill the Sunset Boardwalk venue, where throngs of festival-goers enjoy different events each night. 
Organizers of the festival try and spread the entertainment to incorporate the entire family.
Always held on the first weekend of August, Costa Maya® begins on a Thursday night. This is now officially kicked off with the selection of a Costa Maya beauty ambassador. 
Representatives from Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Panama grace the stage in hopes of capturing the crown.
Exotic costumes, elegant gowns and stunning swimwear are paraded to the delight of the audience. Intermissions are peppered with fabulous cultural entertainment by dance troupes. This year will see the performance of Mexico’s Dance Troupe Alma Caribeña, and they have promised to bring an air of Carnaval, with costumes to match!
Alma Caribena
The Belize Dance Company will also be lending their unique movements to the affair.
At the end of the night, a panel of judges will choose the representative of The Costa Maya®. The current title-holder is Miss Mexico’s Elisa Espinosa.
Once the winner has been chosen, there will be a celebratory after-party hosted by the winner, and everyone is invited to dance the night away to the sounds of an international DJ.
Friday night is the official opening night, and the traditional Flag Dance honors the participating countries of the festival to much pomp and circumstance. 
The night then takes on the title of FEST-ival seriously, providing fabulous entertainment onstage late into the night and right on to the wee hours of the morning.
Gilharry 7 Band
Headlining this night is the mighty Gilharry 7 Band, bringing fabulous Belizean flavor to the stage. Also performing will be Honduran electro-punta singer/musician El Chevo.
El Chevo
His popular hit song “Metele, Sacala” truly combines his country’s native rhythm with his popular electronic fusions. Bring your dancing shoes (or lose those shoes and have even MORE fun!)
After resting up properly from the Friday night fun, plan on a romantic evening to the tunes of Grupo Ladron. The group was formed in 1991 in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, and is a top choice for ballads and the “grupera” genre.
Grupo Ladron
Of course, there will be local artists and performances leading up the big event, which usually starts at the romantic witching hour of midnight!
To cap off the weekend, Sunday is a fun family day on the beach, for those festival attendees who need to recover before heading back home! 
We hope everyone who attends enjoys each aspect of the festival, and we look forward to welcoming you all to La Isla Bonita and the International Costa Maya Festival 2015®.
