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Like other Caribbean islands, the Dominican Republic hosts and celebrates a lot of exciting and colorful events all around the year. Dominican Republic's festivals and special events entice visitors to pick up the Caribbean beat.
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Vacationing during a country's special celebrations or festivals always adds to the joy of a holiday experience. The Dominican Republic has its share of events and special occasions. Here is a list of the most famous events and festivals of Dominican Republic;
1: Merengue Festival
The Merengue Festival in Puerto Plata during the first week of October is a celebration to rejoice the countryside harvests. The Malecón is blocked off to vehicular traffic and stalls are set up on both sides of the street selling a variety of homemade goods to eat, drink or wear. A huge stage is erected at one end of the Malecón for concerts by famous merengue singers. At the festival, visitors can observe how Dominican crafts are made, and learn how crops are grown in the nearby countryside. The event is a combination of colorful, imaginative performers, pulsating rhythms, traditional dances and homegrown goodness.
2: Holy Week
The week leading up to Easter Sunday, is celebrated in a grand way in the town of Sosua. Dominicans from all corners of the island head to Sosua for a week of volleyball competitions, eating, drinking and dancing and visitor get their share of joyful Dominican spirit. The fun is extremely contagious and the friendly people will redefine your idea of hospitality.
3: The Santo Domingo Carnival
The carnival is the climax of the pre-Lenten celebration all throughout the country. The winning Diablo Cojuelos, their magnificent masks depicting grotesque human features and expressions, long silk capes, matching jerkins and pantaloons, melded with strong African traditions, all in riotous rainbows of colors, come from Santiago and La Vega. Floats and innumerous dance groups and costumed characters parade along the Malecón turning this mass of color and people into a wonderful festivity.
4: Christmas
Christmas celebrations begin in early December and end on Epiphany Day on January 6.
5: Cabarete Fun
The month of February in Cabarete is known as Cabarete Alegra or Cabarete Fun. Every weekend in February features a different festival when merry-making flourishes in the street, the beaches, and the hotels and restaurants. The first weekend features mountain bike demonstrations and a race, sponsored by Iguana Mama Mountain Bike Center. The second weekend features a Kite-Flying Festival. The third weekend is the fun-filled Sand Castle Competition, where residents and tourists stake out their sandy territory and build incredible works of art from sand. And the last weekend in February, marks a Surfing and Windsurfing Competition at Playa Encuentro in Cabarete.
6: Annual World Cup Windsurfing
For two weeks in June, Cabarete hosts its Annual World Cup Windsurfing Competition and then it’s Annual Cabarete Race Week, an international windsurfing event for amateurs of various classes. These events attract world-class windsurfers on the professional and amateur racing circuits and offer plenty of fun on and off the beach with special fiestas, concerts, and volleyball contests.
7: Cultural Festival
During the third week of June, in Puerto Plata there is the Cultural Festival with a series of events to mark the occasion. Concerts by singers of merengue, blues, jazz and Dominican folk music near the Fort San Felipe marks the occasion. Dance troupes from Santo Domingo perform traditional dances from African spirituals right up to salsa and arts and crafts exhibits by local artisans can be viewed throughout the week long celebration near Parque Central.
8: Latin Music Festival
The Latin Music Festival is a three-day event of Santo Domingo in June in which dozens of international Latin singers, bands and Latin jazz musicians perform. This festival is a treat for music lovers and an opportunity to explore this Caribbean city.
