Bijagua Cultural Week
Dances, concerts, exhibits, soccer, through Sunday, Bijagua, Guanacaste, info: 2466-8221.

French Film Festival
“Die Marquise von O,” 6 p.m., Alliance Française, Barrio Amón, Avenida 7, Calle 5, info: 2257-1944.

Oktoberfest
German beer and sausage festival, organized by Colegio Humboldt, 7 p.m., Torre Geko, Real Cariari Mall, Barreal, Heredia, 2232-1455.

Dance: ‘Coppélia'
Ballet performed by Atelier Chamber Ballet, tonight and tomorrow, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 5 p.m., Melico Salazar Theater.

Jazz Garbo 20th anniversary concert
With guest gospel singer Crystal Lewis, 8 p.m., Melico Salazar Theater, info: 2291-5948. 

Chocolate in concert
Salsa, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, Escazú, http://jazzcafecostarica.com.

Señor Loop in concert
Panamanian alt rock, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, San Pedro, http://jazzcafecostarica.com.

Japan Week 2008
Japanese Pop Culture Festival, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; kendo-laido seminar, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Japanese Traditional Culture Festival, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Japanese dance, 11 a.m.; karaoke contest, noon-2 p.m. All at CENAC, info: 2232-1255 (see Oct. 19 for more).

Recycling Fashion Show
9 a.m.-1 p.m., Tamarindo Beach Parking Lot, 2653-2929.

Feng Shui 101
Workshop in English with Iside Sarmiento, 2-6 p.m., Escazú, 8851-8899, fengshuicostarica.com.

African film festival
6 p.m., Spanish cultural Center.

Soulwax in concert
Electro rock group from Belgium, 9 p.m., Zapote, warehouse next to Pricemart.

Mentaos in concert
Ska, reggae, 10 p.m., Chicharronera El Rancho Alegre, opposite Casino Colonial parking lot, downtown San José. 

Son de Tikizia in concert
Salsa, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, San Pedro, http://jazzcafecostarica.com.

Japanese Culture Week
Japanese Traditional Culture Festival, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; kendo-laido seminar, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; ikebana exhibit, 10 a.m.; Japanese speaking contest, 10 a.m.; “Doraemon” film showing, 2 p.m.; martial arts show, 2-5 p.m., at CENAC. Bonsai workshop, 2:30 p.m. at INBioparque amphitheater, Santo Domingo, Heredia. 

10k race
Oct. 19, 9 a.m., start and finish at Coope-Ande No. 1, Barrio La California, 2243-0303. 

El Niño con Cariño
Bazaar to benefit girls at risk, Oct. 19, 9 a.m., Alajuela, 8362-7796.

Angelicus Chorale in concert
Performing works by Purcell, Vivaldi and Berny Siles, Paraiso Church, 5 p.m., and Cultural Center, 7 p.m., 8353-8027.

Octavia in concert
Jazz, bossa nova, 10 p.m., Jazz Café, San Pedro, http://jazzcafecostarica.com.

Several vehicles were believed to have been trapped yesterday under a massive landslide on Costa Rica's Inter-American Highway near the exit for Chomes, Puntarenas, which is near the turn-off for the popular north-central mountain reserve of Monteverde, the Red Cross said.

Mud and rocks came falling down from the side of the road at 1:30 p.m., said David Picado, of Red Cross' disaster prevention unit. He said reports to the Red Cross said at least three vehicles were trapped, but the number could not be verified yet as workers raced to dig through the wet rubble.

The highway, a major route from the capital to the Pacific port of Puntarenas and Liberia airport and seaside resorts of the northwestern province of Guanacaste, remained closed by evening yesterday.

Weeklong rains, overflowing rivers and flooding have killed at least three people – two in the central Pacific region and one near the north-central region of Monteverde – and forced some 2,100 residents into 37 shelters across Costa Rica, with increased relief efforts in Guanacaste, the central Pacific towns of Parrita and Quepos and the northern canton of Upala, the National Emergency Commission and Red Cross reported.

About 30 cantons from north to south remained on red alert.

The emergency authorities said to take caution driving, particularly across bridges over rivers that are swelling in the rainstorm.

Analysts at the National Meteorological Institute forecast rains could begin to let up tomorrow.

The drive from San José to the southwestern suburb of Escazú will next year cost a bit more.

New tolls slated for May 2009 will charge cars ¢325 (nearly U.S. $0.60) each way, the daily La Nación reported.

The new toll marks an almost four-fold increase from the current ¢75 ($0.13), meant to finance the construction of the highway to the central Pacific port of Caldera, a much awaited project that began in January.

Demolition of the old toll booths began Wednesday, according to the Public Works and Transport Ministry.

Costa Rica Tourism Minister Carlos Benavides has been named president of the World Tourism Organization, a U.N. agency, the national tourism association said yesterday in a press release.

“This naming puts our country on the world stage, because it's the first time a Costa Rican occupies such an important post, as well as for it being the highest-profile … organization in the world tourism sector,” said a release from the Costa Rican Association of Tourism Professionals (ACOPROT).

Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, the tourism organization has 160 member-countries with which it aims to encourage the implementation of global tourism ethics, to ensure that travel maximizes positive economic, social and cultural effects and minimizes negative impacts on societies and the environment, according to the organization's Web site.