Ticos around the northwestern Guanacaste province this week are celebrating the province’s decision to secede from Nicaragua and become part of Costa Rica in 1824.

Though today is the official anniversary of the day the province was annexed, the Annexation of Guanacaste Day national holiday was moved to July 31 because of a May 2005 law stating that when the holiday falls on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, it will be celebrated on the Monday of the following week (TT, July 21).

Domingo Arias, a citizen from Guanacaste’s Nicoya peninsula, argued before the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV) earlier this month that changing the holiday from its traditional July 25 date is unconstitutional, according to the daily La Nación.

“Some things can be played with and others can’t. There was blood shed here, and important decisions were made by our ancestors,” Arias, a farmer and owner of a tourism business, told La Nación.

The court is studying Arias’ complaint but has not made any decision to change the May 2005 ruling, Sala IV spokesman Marcelino Silva told The Tico Times.

Citizens in Liberia, the capital of the Guanacaste province, are celebrating the holiday this week with a Livestock Fair and Exposition organized by the Chamber of Livestock Owners, which will run through July 31. The fair featured horse shows and bull fights over the weekend; a rodeo will be held Thursday, archery competitions will take place Saturday and Sunday and the Guanacaste National Band will conclude the festivities July 31.

-Tico Times