Cabarete Carnival

Cabarete's carnival is a locally run street parade on the Dominican Republic's north coast, organized under the name Carnaval Cabarete RD. It is smaller and calmer than the big national carnivals in La Vega and Santiago, and it has run under its own name for at least a decade.

What sets it apart is where it finishes. Multiple local sources describe it as the only Dominican carnival celebrated directly on the beach: the route runs down Cabarete's main street and turns onto the sand, so the final stretch happens with the ocean on one side and beach bars on the other. Costumed comparsas, drummers, and dance troupes work their way past the restaurants that line Cabarete Bay, and spectators are usually allowed to walk along with the troupes rather than stand behind barricades.

Carnival came to the Dominican Republic with Spanish settlers in the early colonial period, and the country's oldest and largest celebrations are still in La Vega and Santo Domingo. Cabarete's version is much newer and grew out of the town's international surf and kiteboarding community.

According to a local community source, the event was organized in part by Academia de la Costa, a martial arts school and community center in Cabarete, with the stated goal of building stronger ties between the town's large expat population and its Dominican residents. Documented editions go back to at least 2016. In 2023 the celebration was publicly backed by the Cabarete District Board (Junta de Distrito Municipal de Cabarete), which has provided civic support for the event.

The parade typically starts in the afternoon and moves along Cabarete's main road before turning onto the beach in front of the Cabarete Bay restaurants. Reported start times have varied by year (around 3:00 PM in 2023 and later in the afternoon in 2016), so treat any fixed time as approximate.

Performers wear traditional Dominican carnival characters, including the masked devils known as diablos cojuelos, alongside costumes that reflect Cabarete's beach and surf culture. Drumlines and dance troupes keep the procession moving for roughly three hours.

One local difference matters for visitors: in Cabarete the masked devils are not allowed to whip spectators with vejigas (the dried-bladder whips used in La Vega and Santiago). That makes the crowd noticeably calmer and easier for families and first-time visitors. Once the parade reaches the sand, the party continues at the beachfront bars into the evening.

Arrive early to find a spot along the main street before the parade turns onto the beach, since the beachfront stretch draws the largest crowds. Wear sandals or shoes you do not mind getting sandy, because the route ends on loose beach sand.

Bring cash in small RD$ bills for street food and drinks from the bars along Cabarete Beach. There is no entry fee for the parade itself; you only pay for what you buy.

The exact date shifts from year to year and is often announced only a few weeks ahead. Rather than booking travel around an assumed date, check the Carnaval Cabarete RD Facebook page or ask at your hotel once you are within a month of your trip. Dates vary yearly, so confirm before you travel.

Cabarete sits on the north coast, roughly a 20 to 30 minute drive east of Puerto Plata and about 15 to 20 minutes east of Sosua. From Gregorio Luperon International Airport near Puerto Plata (airport code POP), plan on about 20 to 30 minutes by car or taxi. From Santiago, allow roughly 90 minutes.

Parking in central Cabarete fills up on carnival day. If you are staying outside walking distance, arrive well before the parade start time, or take a motoconcho (moto-taxi) into the center. Confirm taxi fares before you get in, since prices are not metered.