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Dominican Republic Events and Festivals

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January

New Year’s Day
The festivities of New Year are celebrated through music, dance and a number of good luck rituals. Carnivals and parades mark the New Year celebration with masked parties held across the country.

It is important to clean the entire house before New Year's Day, although all brooms and brushes and should be put away before the clock strikes midnight as locals believe that good things along with dirty things can be swept away. On the stroke of midnight, it's traditional to leave doors and windows open to allow the old spirits to move out unimpeded; it is also traditional to eat one grape every toll of the bell and make a New Year wish.

On New Year’s Day itself, red clothes are believed to ensure a bright future, yellow clothes help with promotions at work, green clothes are believed to enhance financial status, while white clothes bring good health.

February

Independence Day
Independence Day is on 27 February and is marked with a public holiday. It is a time to remember the sacrifices made by many for Dominican freedom. Families often get together for dinner and drinks on this day.

Carnival
The Dominican Carnival is a true explosion of colour, fun and entertainment. Parades are held across the country and are a show of cultural identity, conjuring up much excitement. The origin of Carnival in the Dominican Republic is closely linked with the country’s history. Carnival is held throughout the country, with each region celebrating in their own unique way. What is consistent throughout is fun, colour, costumes, music and dancing.

April

Kite Festival

Kite-flying events are held throughout the country to mark Easter. Families can be seen every weekend in April out in parks flying their kites and spending quality time together. It is a time to put petty feuds aside and appreciate the importance of your family.

June

Merengue Festival

Merengue is the spicy Latin music that comes naturally to every native Dominican. Each year, Santo Domingo beats to the rhythms of merengue as the country's top bands take to the city's main seaside promenade, El Malecon. Music is the main component of the Merengue Festival. Apart from live bands, you will also find DJs on every corner and beer tents with their own sound systems.

Puerto Plata Cultural festival

This festival is celebrated in the third week in June and includes diverse demonstrations of Dominican culture such as concerts; dance performances; folk music presentations; merengue, salsa, blues and jazz performances; and theatre shows. There are also arts and crafts exhibitions found near to Central Park.

Cabarete Race Week

Established since 1997, Cabarete is considered one of the top-10 windsurfing sites in the world. This race week is open to amateur windsurfers as well as professionals, with events for all levels. Anyone who is even slightly interested in windsurfing is welcome to attend. In addition to the races, there are also countless beach and merengue parties, and mountain biking tours. Cabarete is a great beach for water sports, and these can be found in abundance during race week.

October

Jazz Festival

The Dominican Republic is famed around the world for its merengue music, and as a country with such a deep appreciation for music; it’s no surprise that country’s annual jazz festival constantly attracts a line-up of world-class jazz performers. Concerts are held in three north coast locations: Cabarete, Sosua and Puerto Plata.

November

International Film Festival

Held in Puerta Plata, the annual international film festival known as DRIFF runs for one week in November, screening films on the beach and in specially designed theatres. Parties held after the screenings often carry on until the early hours. World-famous stars can often be seen in attendance, but the main reason for turning up, apart from the films, is for the parties, music, dancing and food.

December

Christmas

Christmas dinner is the climax of all Christmas festivities and takes place on what most of us know as Christmas Eve, 24 December. However, well before the dinner, the Christmas mood can be felt throughout the country. You will often find small groups of people singing Christmas carols in town centres throughout the country.

Aguinaldos, informal parties, are held at people’s houses, where people eat traditional Dominican food as well as sing carols.Many people in the country are poor, but despite how lavish or un-lavish the dinner table might be at Christmas, it is a must to be with your family. Families of all generations get together and share gifts, stories and merriment.