# San José Festival de la Luz organizational changes

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/san-jos-festival-de-la-luz-organizational-changes
> Updated: 2026-08-31T13:44:54.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

The Festival de la Luz in San José, Costa Rica, is undergoing organizational changes following the withdrawal of several prominent state institutions. Initially, the Municipality of San José reported that these public entities would not participate in the 2026 edition, prompting officials to seek private sector sponsorship to maintain the tradition.

To address the loss of support from five state institutions, the San José Municipal Council approved 31 million colones for the purchase of zeppelin-style balloons. Because the municipality will no longer feature traditional floats, these large helium-filled inflatables are intended to serve as the primary visual attractions. Authorities are currently evaluating parade routes, including La Sabana or the original path between Paseo Colón and Avenida Segunda, based on logistical requirements.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-31: San José approves festival balloon funding as Chilean survey controversy arises

San José will spend 31 million colones on zeppelin balloons for the 2026 Festival de la Luz, while in Chile, a survey for Presidential Delegate Víctor Pino's residence has drawn scrutiny.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/san-jos-approves-festival-balloon-funding-as-chilean-survey-controversy-arises

### 2026-08-21: San José seeks private sponsors for Festival de la Luz

Public institutions are withdrawing from Costa Rica’s Festival de la Luz in 2026, prompting San José officials to seek private sector support to maintain the tradition.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/san-jos-seeks-private-sponsors-for-festival-de-la-luz

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Cite as: San José Festival de la Luz organizational changes. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/san-jos-festival-de-la-luz-organizational-changes