Dominican Republic Festivals

Dominican Republic Festivals in calendar order

FEBRUARY

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.

JUNE

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.

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.

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.

More on cabarete

Dominican Republic Festivals [cont]

JULY/AUGUST

Santo Domingo Merengue Festival

The week-long Santo Domingo Merengue Festival is held during the last week of July or the first week of August every year at the Malecon. The seaside Dominican musical showcase encourages drinking, eating and dancing.

OCTOBER

Merengue Festival

The Merengue Festival in Puerto Plata is held in the during the first week of October. Puerto Plata hosts a week-long celebration of merengue acts. More than 100,000 tourists and locals gather at outdoor bars and in the streets to listen to performers and partake in the festivities. It is essentially a celebration to rejoice in the fruits of the countryside harvests.

Vehicular traffic is prohibited 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 Malecon 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.

Dominican Republic Festivals [cont]

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER

The Dominican Republic Jazz Festival 6-9th November

The Dominican Republic is world-renowned for merengue so it is no surprise that the annual Dominican Republic Jazz Festival attracts a line-up of Latin jazz performers.

The festival is normally staged each October and has previously attracted international artists such as Enrique Iglesias, Chuck Mangione, Sade Carlos Santana and Ricky Martin.

The Festival of Jazz is the most anticipated cultural event on the north coast and the only festival directed to a tourist and local residents. Concerts are held at Cabarete beach and the Gran Teatro del Cibao in Santiago.

The festival provides youth musical workshops by highly regarded artists, including RamonVasquez. The youth theme is continued by the new inclusion of a Kids Concert. In addition to the Local and International professional musicians that will take the stage, an opportunity will also be given to young local musicians to also take part in the festival.

Find out more Dominican Republic Jazz Festival website

NOVEMBER

The Dominican Republic Global Film Festival

Held in November [19th-23rd November in 2008] each year, this festival was founded and sponsored by President Leonel Fernandez.

The Dominican Republic Global Film Festival (DRGFF) brings the best dramatic and documentary world cinema to the Dominican Republic, plays a leading role in nurturing and enriching its film culture, and brings cinema to a broad variety of audiences.

A total of 36 feature-length fiction and documentary films will be screened at this year`s festival.

The Festival seeks to raise awareness and deepen understanding of global issues through stories about events and people that have shaped our lives. It uses film as a modern platform for the discussion of ideas about politics, social and economic issues.

This festival aims to reach out to people from all walks of life and social backgrounds, and create opportunity for discussion. You can find out more from the official website The Dominican Republic Global Film Festival

More on the famous Santo Domingo Colonial Zone

DECEMBER

The Dominican International Film Festival held in Puerto Plata.

Christmas

Christmas celebrations begin in early December and end on Epiphany Day on January 6.