The BPM Festival Events Canceled Following Resistance from Costa Rican Officials

The BPM Festival Costa Rica was shut down early last night. Today’s festivities began late, and the Deep Roots Showcase won’t take place at all.

Update, Friday, January 10: The BPM Festival Costa Rica’s organizers have canceled all Friday, Saturday, and Sunday programming.

Previously: The BPM Festival Costa Rica is encountering setbacks in 2025. Last night, event organizers were forced to end all scheduled events in the beachside town of Tamarindo. Then, three of the gatherings set to take place on Thursday weren’t able to move forward as planned.

In an Instagram Story published this morning, The BPM Festival’s organizers shared that they were “investigating the sudden closure of all our events last night,” ensuring attendees that they still expected the box office to open at 3pm local time. Their plans continued to change. Today’s daytime events at Tabu Beach Club and Ocho Beach Club were not allowed to move forward, and the box office remained closed past 3pm.

“We are currently working tirelessly with the local communities and government officials to find a path forward,” read the organizers’ Instagram Story posted this afternoon. “The box office will remain closed until further notice, as we work toward a resolution. This festival means everything to us, and we’re doing everything in our power to bring you the experience you deserve. Please stay tuned for updates.”

Tonight, The BPM Festival Costa Rica will be allowed to get back on track — with a catch. According to organizers’ Instagram post, events at The Alley and Central Tamarindo will move forward as planned. The Deep Roots Showcase at El Moro won’t be so lucky, however.

Organizers chalked up the cancellation to “reasons out of our control.” They wrote that they are “continuing to work closely with local authorities, venue partners, and all necessary parties to ensure the best possible experience for our guests.”

The BPM Festival Costa Rica 2025 has sat in a precarious place since Sunday’s announcement that all events would be relocated to the festival’s “original home base” of Tamarindo instead of some taking place elsewhere in the Guanacaste province. They were forced to make the last-minute change “despite complying with all local regulations and municipal approvals,” they wrote, due to “recent developments affecting electronic music events throughout Costa Rica.”

This year’s breakdowns aren’t the first in The BPM Festival’s history. Its flagship event used to take place in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, but organizers relocated it to Portugal following a shooting at the 2017 event that killed four and injured 15. Since 2020, it has taken place in Costa Rica.

The BPM Festival Costa Rica is scheduled to run through Sunday, January 12 as long as its organizers don’t encounter additional pushback from locals.