Costa Rica was represented at the OTI Festival 1997 with the song "", written by Mario Campos Sandoval, and performed by Erick León. The Costa Rican participating broadcaster, (Repretel), selected its entry through a televised national final. The song, qualified from the semi-final, was performed in position 8 in the final, placing second.
National stage (Repretel) held a national final to select its entry for the 26th edition of the OTI Festival.
Competing entries The broadcaster opened a song application period between 1 and 31 July 1997. Of the 173 songs received, ten were shortlisted on 5 August for the televised final. The selection committee was composed of Álvaro Esquivel, Sandra Solano, Mario Jinesta, Luis Cárdenas, Ronald Hidalgo, Alexis Gamboa, Orlando Bertarini, and Juan Carlos Mena. The song "", written and performed by Geovani Barrantes, ultimately did not participate in the final, reducing the number of entries to nine.
+ Competing entries on the National OTI Festival – Costa Rica 1997 Song Artist Songwriter(s) "" Michael J. Marcks Michael J. Marcks "" Duvalier Quirós Henry Mejía Pacheco "" Edwin Bonilla Rojas Edwin Bonilla Rojas "" Manuel Fallas Gonzalo Barrantes "" Erik León Mario Campos "" Grace Abarca "" Luis Fernando Piedra "" Rosa María Solís Ronald Solís Gamboa "" William Núñez Álvaro Soto Lamas "" ◇ Geovani Barrantes ◇ Geovani Barrantes ◇
National final Repretel held the National OTI Festival on Friday 19 September 1997, beginning at 20:00 CST (02:00+1 UTC), at El Greco hall of the San José Palacio Hotel in San José. It was hosted by Verónica Bastos and René Barboza; and was broadcast live on and . The price of the admission ticket was ₡2,500, and 30 percent of the funds raised that night were allocated to a charity campaign.
The stage setting evoked the Roman era. The jury was composed of Ángela Cordero, Juan Carlos Mena, Héctor Carranza, Adrián Goizueta, and Orlando Bertarini. The musical arrangements were made by Álvaro Esquivel. Duo Abracadabra and group Pura Vida made guest performances.
The winner was the song "", written by Mario Campos, and performed by Erik León; with "", composed by Luis Abarca and Alfredo Brenes, with lyrics by Felipe Contreras, and performed by Grace Abarca placing second; and "" written and performed by Michael J. Marcks placing third. The festival ended with a reprise of the winning entry.
+ Result of the National OTI Festival – Costa Rica 1997 Song Artist Result 1 "" William Núñez 2 "" Edwin Bonilla Rojas 3 "" Luis Fernando Piedra 4 "" Manuel Fallas 5 "" Grace Abarca 2 6 "" Duvalier Quirós 7 "" Erik León 1 8 "" Michael J. Marcks 3 9 "" Rosa María Solís
At the OTI Festival On 24–25 October 1997, the OTI Festival was held at in Lima, Peru, hosted by (CPR), and broadcast live throughout Ibero-America. Erik León performed "" in the semi-final, with Álvaro Esquivel conducting the event's orchestra, and qualifying for the final. At the end, the song placed second in the final.
Repretel broadcast the final of the festival live on and .
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