Discovering Paradise
Discovering Paradise
Every town's biggest party of the year
Type
Cultural
When
January – December
Duration
7–10 days per town
Location
Nationwide
Cost
Free
Frequency
Annual
Fiestas Patronales (Patron Saint Festivals) are the heartbeat of community life in the Dominican Republic. Every city, town, and village has a patron saint, and each celebrates with a week or more of festivities that blend Catholic traditions with Dominican popular culture.
These festivals typically feature live merengue and bachata concerts, carnival rides, traditional food vendors, domino tournaments, horse parades (carreras de caballo), cockfighting, religious processions, and community dances. Every month, somewhere in the DR, a patronal festival is happening.
When
Varies by town (year-round)
Duration: 7–10 days per town
Location
Town plazas across the country, Nationwide
South
Cost
Free