Santo Domingo Carnival
February
Santo Domingo, a couple of hours’ drive from Puerto Plata on the south coast, comes alive with carnival spirit every February. Carnival festivities can be found popping up across the Dominican Republic, but Santo Domingo’s events are on the largest and most enthusiastic scale.
La Vega Carnival
February
An hour and 45 minutes’ drive from Puerto Plata, find a jubilant celebration of the Dominican Republic’s African heritage every Sunday in February. The typically quiet streets of this central city transform into rivers of elaborate brightly coloured costumes pulsating and shimmying to the carnival beat.
Independence Day
27 February
Commemorating the Dominican War of Independence in 1844, after which the Dominican Republic earned independence from neighbouring Haiti, these celebrations are often combined with carnival festivities.
Festival of Merengue
September
A favourite among locals, this charming and fun festival brings the country’s most skilled merengue artists to Puerto Plata for a three-day dance and music event.
Dominican Republic Global Film Festival
November
This annual film festival takes place across the Dominican Republic, with venues in the likes of Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo and Santiago taking part. It’s a great way of seeing the work of the Dominican’s home-grown film makers.