Dominican Republic 365
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The calendar
365 days of celebration
24 Dominican festivals and events, mapped by month and region, from carnival parades and merengue nights to Semana Santa and quiet village fiestas.
24 events
60/100
2026: June 18 to 20 (per organizer social media; dates vary yearly, some years in May, so confirm before travel)
sports · Southeast
Bayahibe Fishing Tournament
Annual deep-sea fishing tournament in Bayahibe, attracting sport fishermen from across the Caribbean to compete for catches of marlin, mahi-mahi, and wahoo.
Explore event →62/100
Typically March (past editions fell on March 19 in 2016 and March 25 in 2023); exact date set only a few weeks ahead by the local Junta de Distrito and varies yearly. Confirm before travel.
carnival · North Coast
Cabarete Carnival
Cabarete's beach-town carnival celebration combining Dominican carnival traditions with the town's international surf culture.
Explore event →78/100
February to March
sports · North Coast
Cabarete Kite Festival (Master of the Ocean)
International multi-sport competition combining kiteboarding, surfing, windsurfing, and stand-up paddleboarding at Cabarete's legendary Kite Beach.
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98/100
Every Sunday in February
carnival · Central Highlands
Carnival of La Vega
The largest and most famous carnival celebration in the Dominican Republic, featuring elaborate devil masks (Diablos Cojuelos) and color-filled parades every Sunday in February.
Explore event →92/100
The Sundays of February each year, with the closing parade on the first Sunday of March. In 2026 the closing was Sunday, March 1. Specific dates vary yearly; confirm before travel.
carnival · Cibao Valley
Carnival of Santiago
Santiago's famous carnival featuring the Lechones, costumed characters with elaborate spiked masks representing good and evil.
Explore event →65/100
2026: July 16 to 19 (fifth edition). Usually held in July, but dates vary yearly (October in 2024); confirm before travel.
cultural · Central Highlands
Constanza Harvest Festival (Festival de la Cosecha)
Free multi-day harvest festival (Festival de la Cosecha) at Constanza's domestic airport, celebrating flowers, strawberries, and cool-climate produce.
Explore event →82/100
January 21
religious · East
Día de la Virgen de la Altagracia
The feast day of the Dominican Republic's patron saint, celebrated with pilgrimages to the Basílica de Higüey and religious festivities across the country.
Explore event →85/100
February 27 every year (fixed date). In 2026 it fell on a Friday. The parade start time is set by the Ministry of Defense a few weeks ahead and varies year to year, so confirm before travel.
cultural · South
Dominican Independence Day
National holiday celebrating Dominican independence from Haiti on February 27, 1844, with patriotic celebrations, parades, and cultural events across the country.
Explore event →84/100
November to November
art · North Coast
Dominican Republic Jazz Festival
Free world-class jazz festival on Cabarete Beach, featuring international and Dominican jazz musicians performing under the stars.
Explore event →91/100
October to January
sports · South
Dominican Winter Baseball League (LIDOM)
The Dominican Republic's professional winter baseball league, featuring future and former MLB stars in a passionate atmosphere from October through January.
Explore event →68/100
Dates vary by year and are not reliably annual; the confirmed 2024 edition ran November 23 to 26. Confirm current dates with the San Francisco de Macorís municipal government before travel.
food · Cibao Valley
Festival Nacional del Cacao y del Chocolate
National cacao and chocolate festival in San Francisco de Macorís, the heart of Dominican cacao country, with producer stands and tastings. Dates vary by year.
Explore event →70/100
Pentecost Sunday each year (seventh Sunday after Easter; date moves yearly). In 2026 it was May 24. Confirm the exact date before travel.
religious · South
Festival of the Holy Spirit (Fiesta del Espíritu Santo)
Afro-Dominican celebration honoring the Holy Spirit through traditional palos drumming, dancing, and spiritual ceremonies, primarily in Villa Mella and San Cristóbal.
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94/100
October to November
music · South
Festival Presidente de Música Latina
The Dominican Republic's biggest annual music festival, featuring top Latin artists from across the Americas at the Olympic Stadium.
Explore event →80/100
Year-round; each town holds its festival on or around its patron saint's feast day, typically lasting 5 to 9 days. Dates vary by town and shift slightly year to year, so confirm with the local ayuntamiento before traveling.
cultural · South
Fiestas Patronales (Patron Saint Festivals)
Every Dominican town celebrates its patron saint with week-long festivals featuring music, dancing, food, carnivals, and religious processions throughout the year.
Explore event →93/100
Last week of July to first week of August
music · South
Merengue Festival
Annual celebration of merengue music on Santo Domingo's Malecón, featuring free concerts, dancing, and the best merengue artists in the country.
Explore event →69/100
Held annually in mid-May over three days (Friday to Sunday). 2026: May 15 to 17; 2025: May 16 to 18. Dates shift slightly year to year and are confirmed by the Ministry of Culture only weeks in advance; confirm before travel.
art · South
Noche Larga de los Museos (Long Night of Museums)
Annual nighttime arts event when Santo Domingo's museums, galleries, and cultural spaces open their doors for free with special exhibits, performances, and street art.
Explore event →72/100
Dates vary yearly and are announced by the Puerto Plata city government roughly one to two months ahead. The most recent confirmed edition ran July 18 to 20, 2025 (preliminary activities July 15 to 16). No 2026 dates were published as of July 2026; confirm before travel.
music · North Coast
Puerto Plata Merengue Festival
The North Coast's premier merengue celebration along Puerto Plata's Malecón, with free concerts, local food, and ocean views.
Explore event →70/100
Dates vary yearly; recent editions ran in March and December, with a November date referenced for a later edition. Confirm the current edition before travel.
food · East
Punta Cana Culinary Weekend
Chef-driven culinary weekend at Puntacana Resort and Club, with guest-chef dinners and tastings. It replaced the discontinued Punta Cana Food & Wine Festival.
Explore event →76/100
August 16 each year (fixed date; does not shift when it falls on a weekend). In 2026 it falls on a Sunday and stays on August 16.
cultural · Cibao Valley
Restoration Day (Día de la Restauración)
National holiday on August 16 commemorating the Dominican War of Restoration against Spanish occupation, with celebrations centered in Santiago.
Explore event →79/100
December each year, four to five days (recently around December 10-14); exact dates vary yearly, confirm before travel
music · South
Santo Domingo Bachata Festival
Multi-day bachata dance festival in Santo Domingo each December, with workshops, social dance parties, and live concerts by Dominican and international artists.
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95/100
Last Sunday of February or first Sunday of March
carnival · South
Santo Domingo Carnival
The capital's grand carnival celebration along the Malecón, featuring the national parade with groups from every province of the Dominican Republic.
Explore event →90/100
Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday (dates vary)
religious · South
Semana Santa (Holy Week)
The most important religious observance in the Dominican Republic, featuring processions, beach pilgrimages, and dramatic reenactments across the country.
Explore event →74/100
Guided night tours run April to June each year, leatherback nesting peaks in May; east-coast hawksbill nesting runs June to November. Dates vary yearly; confirm current-season availability before travel.
nature · Southwest
Turtle Nesting Season
Endangered sea turtles nest on Dominican beaches each year; guided night-watching tours run April to June at Jaragua National Park, peaking with May leatherbacks.
Explore event →96/100
Mid-January through late March
nature · Samaná Peninsula
Whale Watching Season
Thousands of humpback whales migrate to the warm waters of Samaná Bay every winter to mate and give birth, creating one of the world's best whale-watching experiences.
Explore event →Showing 24 of 24
Plan around the calendar
Time your trip to the island's best celebrations
Carnival in February, merengue in the streets all summer, Semana Santa in spring. Tell us your dates and we'll point you to the festivals worth building a trip around.