Dominican Republic 2017 Event Calendar
There are a wide variety of events in the Dominican Republic, from cultural, sports and arts, with many held along the the North Coast of the island. Below is a brief summary of the National Holidays in the Dominican Republic, along with some highlights of popular events.
January
January 1 – National Holiday – New Year’s Day
January 9 – National Holiday – Epiphany / Three Kings Day
January 12 – National Holiday – Día de la Resistencia Heroica/ Day of Heroic Resistance.
January 20-22 – Caribbean Laser Midwinter Regatta, an annual sailing event held in Cabarete Bay where some of the world’s best come to train and compete, http://caribwind.com/.
January 21 – National Holiday – Our Lady of Altagracia Day
Mid January – March 30 – Whale Watching – whales can be seen along the North Coast as they migrate to their habitat in Samaná Bay.
January 30 – National Holiday – Duarte Day, celebrating national hero Juan Pablo Duarte.
February
February 1-29 – Carnival in the Dominican Republic is celebrated throughout the country during the whole month of February, with famous parades held on the weekends in Puerto Plata, La Vega, and other towns. Distinguished by its colorful costumes that symbolize religious and traditional characters, each town adds its own twist to the event. Carnival celebrations in Cabarete and Santo Domingo will be held in March (see below).
February 8 – Chinese New Year. Celebrations for the Year of the Monkey held in Chinatown in Santo Domingo.
February 10 – Miércoles de Ceniza / Ash Wednesday – Observed
February 14 – Día de San Valentín / Valentine´s Day – Enjoy this romantic holiday in a spectacular oceanfront setting. Celebrate a luxurious getaway with a villa vacation at Sea horse Ranch, exclusive offers available.
February 19 – 24 Festival Procigar – More than 300 people from around the world gather at the Procigar Festival in La Romana, Puerto Plata and Santiago. The event includes a golf tournament, beach excursions, merengue classes, cigar workshops and more. www.procigar.org
February 27 – National Holiday – Día de la Independencia / Independence Day – Día de la Bandera / Flag Day. Dominicans celebrate February 27 as their Independence Day. This day in 1844 is when the country reclaimed its independence and regained the name República Dominicana (Dominican Republic). A constitution modeled on the United States was put forth in November 1844.
March
March 5 – National Carnival Parade – Held along the Malecón of Santo Domingo, typical carnival characters from around Dominican Republic meet and create an unforgettable show. www.cultura.gob
March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day – Celebrate the Luck of the Irish with this annual beach party and parade in downtown Cabarete, traditionally held on the beach in Cabarete center.
March 24 – Caribbean Cigar Night: With the country’s longstanding history of producing some of the finest cigars in the world, this event, held in Puerto Plata, attracts a wide audience to learn about and sample some of the most prestigious local and international brands. The event also offers fine dining and live music. www.cigarnightpop.com
April
April 9 – April 16 – Semana Santa – (Spring Break) Easter Holy Week is a festive and celebratory religious event. In Cabarete, the beach bars and restaurants celebrate a week-long party, with dancing and music attended by thousands every year. Check out the action in town, or relax in the tranquil setting of Sea Horse Ranch during Spring Break. This is one of the biggest vacation times of the year in the Dominican Republic.
April 9 – Domingo de Ramos / Palm Sunday
April 14 – National Holiday – Viernes Santo / Good Friday
April 16 – Domingo de Pascua – / Easter Sunday – Observed
April 30 – International Jazz Day – A yearly event organized by UNESCO to celebrate “the virtues of jazz as an educational tool, and a force for peace, unity, dialogue and enhanced cooperation among people.” FEDUJAZZ, the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival’s non-profit music education program holds live music concerts with their students for the communities of Cabarete, Sosua and Puerto Plata.
May
May 1 – National Holiday – Día del Trabajo / Labor Day (official day May 1st, long weekend from Friday April 29th to Monday the 2nd).
May 28 – Sunday – Mother’s Day – Always falls on the last Sunday in May
June – July
June – July – Sea Horse Ranch Summer Camp begins in June, for children ages 6-12. Summer Camp activities include Tennis, Swimming, Surfing, Horseback Riding, Day Trips, Arts & Crafts, Soccer, Water Games, Spanish Lessons and More. Hours for the Day Camp are from 8:30am-4:00pm, Monday through Friday. Weekly rates and family discounts are available. Contact us for details.
June 14 – 18 100K del Caribe: A seven-day 100 km Caribbean marathon that spans from Cabarete to Samaná. The race will break into five stages between the towns of Sosúa (8 km), Puerto Plata (17.5 km), Cabarete, (18 km), Las Terrenas (44.5 km) and Samaná (12 km). www.100kmdelcaribe.com
June 15 – National Holiday – Corpus Christi Day
July
July 7 – The Butterfly Effect Cabarete, an international series of water sports events for women. The Butterfly Effect has evolved into a worldwide movement, hosting 26 different non-competitive events and workshops in 10 countries, with thousands of participants http://betheeffect.com/
July 30 – Father’s Day
August/September
August 16 – National Holiday – Restoration Day
Mid September – Multicultural Food Festival of Sosua – Restaurants of Sosua come together to celebrate the multicultural heritage and gastronomic delights of Sosua. The festival includes artistic performances, exhibitions, children’s programs and food tastings by local chefs and restaurants.
October
Halloween is celebrated on October 31 with traditional trick-or-treating for children. A fun activity for the whole family, everyone is welcome to join in the fun at Sea Horse Ranch and other communities in Cabarete.
November
November 6 – National Holiday – Constitution Day
November 1-4 – The 22nd Dominican Republic Jazz Festival will be held in multiple cities, past locations have included Puerto Plata, Santiago, Cabarete and Santo Domingo. Sponsored by education foundation FEDUJAZZ and the Ministry of Tourism, The Dominican Republic Jazz Festival is the longest-running jazz event in the country. This multi-day free event brings critically-acclaimed international and local jazz artists to perform every year.
December
The Holiday season is a magical time at Sea Horse Ranch. The Beach Club hosts special dinners for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, and the Equestrian Center celebrates with an annual dress parade and award ceremony.
December 24 – Christmas Eve – Observance
December 25 – National Holiday – Christmas Day
December 31 – New Year’s Eve – Observance