July… SUMMER is here… or wait, WINTER is here… still can’t get used to this whole summer being winter, but unlike decades ago, when Quepos and Manuel Antonio truly went into a hibernation mode in the months after Semana Santa until Christmas, we now enjoy a robust mid-season here with travelers from around the world coming to Costa Rica. The increase in families, school summer trips, and other exploring the “green season” and all its magic have become something special, and here at Marina Pez Vela, while the fishing tournaments have ended, the ACTION IS JUST GETTING STARTED for another month full of reasons to come out to MPV!
COSTA RICA’S BIGGEST JULY 4TH PARTY IS ON AT MARINA PEZ VELA!
Sure we are in Costa Rica, sure Independence Day here is in September, but this IS our local English speaking paper, this is a melting pot of locals and expats, and when have we ever been one to not embrace any excuse for an amazing party! As in all of our activities, July 4th at Marina Pez Vela is an all-day event and one for ALL of the family. There will be games, inflatables, and a host of activities for all the kids to enjoy around the plaza starting at 3pm, just as the heat of the day starts to fade. At 6pm, the party kicks up a notch with the insane music of Kin Rivera Jr who will jam away through the sunset and until the epic fireworks display closes out the night at 8pm. All the restaurants here will have specials, some featuring traditional bbq and summer eats, along with their regular menus and options. Marina Pez Vela is a melting pot and this is a party for ALL to enjoy. So whether you are an expat who ran from the USA, a local looking to experience a bit of US culture, or just someone looking for some cold drinks, great food, good fun and amazing music…DO NOT MISS JULY 4th at MPV.
SUMMER IS HERE… That feels incredible wrong to say after the hot dry months of March and April just ended, but as the North American Spring melts into Summer time, things here in Quepos, Manuel Antonio, and Marina Pez Vela also evolve into a whole new vibe of family travel, amazing events and activities. One of the beauties of this area is that what was once a definitive “on/off” switch after Semana Santa has visually disappeared. While there are certainly some slower times for tourism, both in the area and here at the marina, there is ALWAYS something going on to enjoy. The transition into our “green” season, while welcomed by virtually everyone for the lushness and cooling trends, is far from break, just a new season to take part in! Here are some of the highlights for May and June here at Marina Pez Vela.
Pelagic Pura Vida Inshore Classic Tournament, May 24 – 26
The enormous success of the Pelagic Rockstar tournament which has become an annual event here at MPV during February, has led to a new incarnation of the Pelagic Tournament Legendary Fun. This year on May 25th there will be a one day Pura Vida Inshore Classic. This tournament is solely focused on the bountiful inshore fishery here with cash and prizes for either the most Roosterfish Release Points (points managed by length of each fish released) as well as a slam division for the combined weight of 3 total fish weighed in at the Marina Pez Vela scale. Weighable fish include Snook, Snapper, Corvina, Tripletail, Amberjack, Sierra Mackerel, Grouper, and Jack Crevasse. There are a host of individual jackpots and is going to be a fun-filled shoot out of some the most enjoyable inshore angling on the planet. Read More…
March Madness may be over, but April is going to include celebrations of all shapes and sizes here at Marina Pez Vela, as we embrace the last month of our peak travel season, dry season under the stars, and get ready to welcome the cooling first rains of May! It seems like every month is action packed here at MPV, but with each passing year, the team at the project, along with our guests and tenants find new ways to reinvent this space and build on the synergy between the community fo Quepos/Manuel Antonio and the marina. April 2019 will be another fun filled time as we forge another stitch in the fabric of our community.
Last month of MOVIE NIGHTS
With the end of the typical dry season we also have our last series of FREE MOVIE NIGHTS here at Marina Pez Vela. It is so common for families, couples, and friends to be looking for something to do on Friday nights and this is a great way to share under the stars, enjoy some of the great food and shopping at MPV, and relax with some great cinema on Costa Rica’s largest outdoor screen
Friday, April 5th: Aquaman
Friday, April 12: Spiderman – Un Nuevo Universo
THURSDAY, April 18th: Marco Ramirez
Friday, April 19: Hombre de Fe
NOTE: We have a special Thursday night movie, a Costa Rican film based on one of the nation’s most iconic pieces of literature, Marco Ramirez during Semana Santa, and Friday, April 19th will be our LAST movie night as on the 26th of April we will be hosting the final leg of the Marina Pez Vela Championship Series of Fishing that weekend.
More than just the temperatures are hot this time of year, the recreational and competitive angling going on at MPV is at an all-time high and March kicks off the first leg of the Marina Pez Vela Championship series this year! In addition to all the public tournaments, MPV is also hosting private tournaments organized by groups of friends, professionals and anglers and whether you are looking to compete at the highest levels or want to create a new and fun way to share with friends and family, our team at IFISH Quepos can help you organize and create a memorable tournament experience. While the high season brings the world’s finest anglers to the project, Marina Pez Vela is MUCH MORE than just an anglers marina and our community events, movie nights, gastronomic offerings and services continue to play a prominent role in the lifestyle of the area and our visiting tourists!
Marina Pez Vela Tournament Series
2019 is on inaugural year linking our two signature tournaments, the Quepos BillFish Cup and the Marina Pez Vela open into a series of tournaments with prizes and Offshore World Championship qualification among the most coveted of opportunities. The MPV Tournament series uses a video release verification format with release points awarded to both teams and anglers. Each of the two tournaments are 2 day events, which have both the scoring ability for sailfish, blue and black marlin, as well as exciting game fish divisions for Dorado and Tuna, along with daily jackpots to raise the stakes even more. The first of the two events is the Quepos Billfish Cup scheduled for March 15-17th and the series wraps up with the MPV Open, which runs April 26-28th. Read More…
After and AMAZING New Year’s CELEBRATION and a January PACKED FULL of activities, Rock Star Fishing Tournament and all the energy it feels more like the 63rd day of December vs the start of February, but who are we to complain for a celebration that lasts a few months instead of a few days! The good news, for those of you who enjoy a great time, is that February keeps the action going all month long here at MPV with a full slate of activities and big events! Let’s get to it and mark your calendars to join us here at MPV!
LA PESCADORA: February 21-23
The first annual Pescadora Fishing Tournament is the first women’s only fishing tournament here at MPV and is lining up to be one of the most successful and well attended tournaments to date. Anglers from all over Costa Rica and the world are coming to the area to enjoy some healthy competition and a WHOLE LOT OF FUN. MPV is home to some of the top female anglers in the world, and as is evidenced by the amazing performance in the open tournaments, female anglers are quickly taking their positions as some of the finest “fisherwomen” in the world. The Pescadora is welcoming anglers of all levels, but is certainly not your typical gimmicky female angler event. Organized by our local legend Samantha Mumford, La Pescadora promises to be a huge success, more fun than we can imagine and a great opportunity to expose and encourage more women and girls to get involved in this amazing sport. Come and join in the fun and support this first annual event.
VALENTINE’S DAY
Ahh, the day where lovers love to be in love. We want to invite everyone to join us for a Iive concert with Roger Morales, our local talent who always amazes us with his stunning voice and traditional Musica de Plancha. Whether you are coming with your significant other, spouse or just with friends and family to celebrate a day for friendship and love, there is no better spot to celebrate than MPV. While we can sometimes lose the importance of this holiday, love and friendship is at the core of everything we do at MPV, where a community and our visitors celebrate and share in a magical space. Join us and make reservations at one of our restaurants for a special dinner and a beautiful concert. Read More…
HIGH SEASON and LOW SEASON pattern is now very much a year round destination, with activities, tourism, dynamic events and a sense of community which seems to always evolve to a new level. December of 2018 was close to one of the busiest and most exciting years in the history of Marina Pez Vela. The Triathlon, 5th annual Bright Lights Parade, Manuel Antonio Vivo concert and holiday events were an amazing kick off to our 2018-2019 season, and January is going to be ON FIRE with some of the most fun events of the year.
ROCKSTAR IS BACK!
That’s right, put the kids to bed early, cover your eyes and your ears as the ICONIC PELAGIC ROCKSTAR TOURNAMENT IS BACK AND BIGGER THAN EVER! This two-day tournament (three-day event), starting on January 11th is going to be the largest tournament in prize money and participation that the Marina has ever seen, with the 3rd annual edition of this amazing event. Teams from around the world converge on the Marina for some of the most competitive angling on the planet and for some of the most FUN you can imagine in any fishing event on the globe. Live music nightly in the plaza at the marina will be welcoming the teams with the live weigh-ins, parties and storytelling of each day’s epic battles. With 4 divisions to compete, Marlin, Sailfish, Dorado, and Tuna there will be big prize money and big ego on the line! If you are not already signed up, DO NOT MISS IT, and if you are not an angler, you will not want to miss the energy and fun each night in the plaza. Cash and prizes valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars will be on the line and nowhere in CR will there be more fun going on than at MPV! Read More…
September and October were a wild ride for us all, with some of our first real intense rains and storms of the year, as well as a month of national strikes which made for some interesting experiences for both our local community and nation as a whole. November brings with it the final days of our green season and the annual rains, along with it the first big events and energy for the coming high season of 2018 and 2019. Marina Pez Vela, as usual, is doing things bigger and better than ever and November is when all the activities start to roll out in full force. It is such an amazing experience to see how MPV has become a part of our community with locals, expats and tourists alike making the project a home base for dining, shopping, services and special events and our team and family here have already begun full planning to insure that we have even more to share with you all in the coming months!
For November here are a few highlights of what we have to come!
Dorado Derby, November 17
This is our first annual Dorado Derby Fishing Tournament which has been designed to be the MOST FUN TOURNAMENT in all of Costa Rica. This one day event, scheduled for November 17th, is all about anglers of all abilities and experience, friends, families and businesses coming together to enjoy a day on the water, some good times, great laughs and fun way to participate in an fishing tournament at MPV. There are amazing packages here for $1,750 which includes the boat, tips, entry fee for the team and participation in the pool for biggest Dorados of the day and it is a great way to get your business, family or friends out on the water and experiencing one of the big draws and magical parts of our area. The day will culminate with a live weigh in for all the teams in the plaza, awesome DJ, and a fish fry part to celebrate the winners, the losers, new friends and old. There is still time to sign up and join the party of the first annual DORADO DERBY. Contact the team at IFish to make your reservation now!
While it’s almost impossible to imagine a month with more activity than this past March with our amazing Quepos Billfish Cup, Semana Santa and the completion of Costa Rica’s second and final round to elect our next president… APRIL is even MORE ACTION PACKED!!! While tournament fishing is definitely at the forefront of our April calendar, there are some other important events and opportunities to share with the our community and we invite and hope to see all of you here sharing in the energy and excitement this month!
FISHING TOURNAMENTS
We have teams from around Costa Rica and the World coming to Marina Pez Vela this month and have created a two leg tournament series to insure the most fun and competitive fishing environment on the planet for these anglers.
Marina Pez Vela Open, April 12-14
The actions starts with the MPV Open which is an open tournament where local anglers from Costa Rica and the world can register and compete in this three day event. Many participating in the OWC (offshore world championship) come early to “pre-fish” and the MPV Open provides an amazing platform for non-qualifying and participating teams to take part, warm up, win some money, and enjoy the world class waters of the area. marinapezvelatournaments.com/event/2018-marina-pez-vela-open/
Offshore World Championship, April 16 – April 20
The World Series, Super Bowl, Heavyweight Title fight and Olympic Gold medal round for the world of offshore fishing once again comes to Marina Pez Vela. This tournament brings teams from countries around the globe and requires participating teams to have won a tournament in the previous year’s qualifying circuit. Teams from as far as Australia and Brazil descend upon our community in a unique tournament where ALL teams are fishing on National Costa Rican Charter boats, with a rotation to a new boat each day to insure a level playing field. Daily dock socials, parties, weigh-ins for species which are not catch and release make for an incredible energy each morning and afternoon at the project and EVERYONE should come out to join in the activity and support their favorite teams from around the world. offshoreworldchampionship.com Read More…
March is one of the hottest months of the year both in temperatures and in important activities here at Marina Pez Vela and we are honored to share with our community all of the events and details to add to your calendars! The activities here are diverse and include two full weeks of tournaments, dance performances, live music, the iconic movie nights, Semana Santa, and will culminate with the April 1st elections for Costa Rica’s next president!
FISHING TOURNAMENTS
March and April are the two busiest months here at MPV for tournaments, both open to the public as well as some private tournaments. Whether you are an active angler or are just looking for some fun times, the tournaments at the project bring energy, world class anglers and always some amazing fish to see at weigh-ins, stories being told at the bar (where fish magically grow in size and strength) and the energy is electric all over the project. Read More…
It seems like the Christmas and New Year celebrations just run right through January and with all of the tourism and events here at Marina Pez Vela, February has appeared in the blink of an eye! With the blue summer skies, flat ocean waters and billfish bite back on, it feels like things are back to “normal” here at the marina with a vibrant schedule for the month and what seem like masterpieces painted each night with our live “SUNSET SHOWS”. The energy here at the project is palpable and growing each day and whether you are a local reading this monthly publication for the updates on the area or just picked up this magazine on your first visit to the area, do NOT miss out on the chance to come down and share in the essence of MPV where our local community, travelers from around the world and the finest project on the Pacific Coast all blend effortlessly into the tropical backdrop. February is another packed month with everything from smash mouth Football of the Super Bowl to a romantic Valentine’s Day concert…
We would like to send out a very special thank you to all of the men and women of Quepos and especially to our extended Marina Pez Vela family who worked tirelessly over the last month, cleaning out neighbors’ homes, hiking food and water into cut off communities, cooking hot meals and lending a hug and a hand where needed. October was not an easy month and we are proud that our Municipality, the private sector and countless volunteers from the community came together in this time of need. Let us all continue to help those who are rebuilding their homes and we pray and hope for a successful high season to lift everyone’s spirits
Now, here are a few things we can all look forward to in the months ahead.
Thanksgiving Dinner
Looking for turkey, cranberry sauce and some of mama’s pumpkin pie…..look no further. The Marina restaurants will be serving up traditional Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, November 23rd to satisfy the cravings of the hundreds of nostalgic tourists and locals alike.
The long awaited, ever useful, always insight DOUBLE MONTH edition of Quepolandia is always a blast for those businesses and companies who are gearing up for a few slow and sleepy months in our rainy season…. NOT SO MUCH FOR MARINA PEZ VELA as packing in all the news, events, activities and developments at the project requires a weekly edition rather than bimonthly one! That said, and without further fanfare, here is some insight into what’s going on at MPV during September and October to add to your calendars and busy schedules!
BANCO PROMERICA AT MARINA PEZ VELA IS OPEN
This is huge news for the marina and for our local community. This location is a full service branch and is open until 7 pm Monday – Friday and until 2 pm on Saturdays. This is the ONLY bank in Quepos open after 5pm and is a great way to combine a sunset, dinner or some shopping/errands at the plaza and take advantage of your banking needs.
SEPTEMBER 15TH, COSTA RICA’S INDEPENDENCE DAY
Whether you were born and raised here, are an expat enjoying paradise, or a tourist just here on vacation, there is NOTHING like sharing in the pride of Costa Rican Independence Day. Costa Rica’s Independence Day is such a special time where local schools, communities and families celebrate the pride which is such intrinsic to this nation and its wonderful people. The Marina has always looked to compliment and support the civic activities and traditions which our local Municipality and schools coordinate on these events. This year’s 15th falls in on a Friday so plan on coming by MPV for a weekend full of faroles, typical food, dances, and events celebrating this amazing country and its heritage.
While there is a lot to report and update everyone for here at Marina Pez Vela, nothing is more important than extending our thanks, congratulations and love for all the Mothers out there in our community. We have a fantastic month of activities in the project and in the waters just outside and we hope that everyone can share and create some memories with their mothers here at Marina Pez Vela.
MOTHERS DAY EVENTS AT MPV
Saturday, August 12 at 6:00 pm in the amphitheater at Marina Pez Vela we will have a live concert with Roger Morales and company. Roger made national news with his amazing run on a program on Teletica, Cantando por un Sueno, and his amazing voice and personality which exemplifies the best our community and has blessed our community ever since. Access is FREE and we encourage you to reserve in advance for seating at our restaurants which will have a great view and setting so you can have a special dinner with your Mom and listen to the best voices from our community.
SUMMERTIME is here.. at least for our friends up north and what was once a sleepy time of year here in Costa Rica has become an important season for our marina, tourism sector and community. Costa Rica is an incredibly popular destination for the summer season with families, groups and travellers discovering the proximity, beauty, peaceful nature and diversity that the country has to offer. Here are some of the important highlights to mark on your calendars and to take note of in the project.
4th of July HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE U.S. OF A!
The July 4th celebrations here in Costa Rica have become some of the biggest parties of the year as the vibrant expat population, visiting tourists and locals join together to celebrate and enjoy the friendships we have all been able to build here in paradise. The Marina invites EVERYONE to join us here at the project as our restaurants will be running specials menus with everything from hot dogs to BBQ, with drink specials around the house! There will be activities for the kids and families to enjoy and a traditional fireworks display @ 8PM to close out the evening—or get things started depending on how your plans go! Stay tuned to our Facebook page or main website for more details on the schedule and events! It is IMPORTANT to note that locals, Costa Ricans, Canadians and EVERYONE are invited. The US Citizens living and visiting here love this place as we are treated like family and there is no greater honor for the expats, than celebrating a bit of their own history with their friends and families here in their new home!
AHHH… There is nothing quite like those first rains and the changes in the seasons here in paradise. Mangos in full bloom, Watermelons and Cantaloupes sweeter than sugar, the crowds and peak tourism season washing away with the first refreshing downpours of our transition into green season. It has been an incredibly eventful year at the Marina and while the transition of our seasons certainly means the end of our traditional high season for tourism the activities, events and growth at Marina Pez Vela isn’t slowing down at all. May and June bring some ongoing traditions, some very big World Cup Qualifying games, an important new tenant to our Commercial Plaza and a renewed opportunity for locals and tourists alike to become part of the culture of this amazing project and community.
RADIO 2
If you haven’t already been listening…wake up and tune in!!! Radio 2, one of Costa Rica’s most iconic radio stations is continuing its live broadcasts from the Marina every Thursday night from 5-7pm. The program has hundreds of thousands of listeners both here in country and online at radiodos.com and is a great way to enjoy a fantastic happy hour at the Runaway Grill, have some laughs and share any news, events and stories with the Evan Luck and the MPV team. The program is about promoting the marina and our community to the world and we invite locals with important news, events, fundraisers and charities to drop by so we can help share this amazing community and project with all the listeners stuck in traffic wishing they were with us watching the sunset!
OLE, OLE, OLE, OLE…TICOS, TICOS…
Thats right, the chants are coming as our march to the next World Cup in Russia 2018 continues. After a blazing start, Costa Rica managed to salvage a key point in their last series of qualifying games in Mexico and Honduras and are now preparing for two HUGE home games on June 9 vs Panama and then again on June 13 vs Trinidad and Tobago. We will have the big screen out for both games and hope to see everyone with their camisas, vuvuzelas and national pride ready to cheer on the SELE! Anyone who got to experience the last epic world cup run knows just how magically it can bring this country together so mark your calendars and come share and support the Sele and Marina on June 9th and 13th.
BANCO PROMERICA TO OPEN AT MARINA
We are incredibly excited to announce the opening of a full service branch of Banco Promerica here at Marina and it is going to be an amazing addition and service for locals, tourists and business owners. Promerica will be the only private bank to operate branches in both Manuel Antonio and Quepos, showing its strong commitment to this community. Now you can shop, dine and bank all at the same time, right here at the Marina.
LEYENDAS DE QUEPOS
Absolutely amazing!!! I had goosebumps!! History, Dance, Music and Culture all wrapped into on marvellous performance!!
To associate all these comments to a locally produced and performed modern dance presentation is not what you might expect, but thanks to Carlos Ovares and Corporeos, a group of local youth who have become professional dancers at an amazing level, we can all enjoy an amazing performance. LEYENDAS de QUEPOS is a beautiful presentation in a bilingual format that allows for Costa Ricans and non-spanish speaking tourists or residents to journey through the history of our community from the Indians and first explorers through the development of the Marina. Fantasy, history, music and dance come together in a stunning presentation. PLEASE GET OUT and support this amazing group representing the best of our youth. There will be shows at COPAZA and private performances can be arranged as well with the funds raised going to COPAZA and the ongoing effort to create safe spaces for our community to enjoy the magic of the arts, music, culture and apprenticeships. For more information about performance dates and how to support please visit the Facebook page for Teatro Copaza, facebook.com/teatrocopaza.
July… SUMMER is here… or wait, WINTER is here… still can’t get used to this whole summer being winter, but unlike decades ago, when Quepos and Manuel Antonio truly went into a hibernation mode in the months after Semana Santa until Christmas, we now enjoy a robust mid-season here with travelers from around the world coming to Costa Rica. The increase in families, school summer trips, and other exploring the “green season” and all its magic have become something special, and here at Marina Pez Vela, while the fishing tournaments have ended, the ACTION IS JUST GETTING STARTED for another month full of reasons to come out to MPV!