Eight local governments have decided to ban the sale of liquor from Thursday evening until Friday evening, September 15, to try to curb the potential negative effects of drinking on the Independence Day holiday activities.

Moravia (a northern San José district), Heredia Center, Palmares, Alajuela Center, Sarapiquí, Goicoechea (a northern San José district) ,and Alajuelita (a southern San José district) will implement the ban, with ten other municipalities still undecided.

Every year on September 15, the streets of Costa Rica are filled with colorful parades with marching bands and baton twirlers, which are mandatory for public school students.

Bans on alcohol sales are strictly local decisions, and 63 of the country’s local governments will not be implementing them.

Those who have decided to limit the sale say in past years there have been disturbances during the festivities, and they hope to cut down on those with the ban.