Santo Domingo Carnival
February
Santo Domingo comes alive every February with the largest and most enthusiastic carnival celebrations in the country. Scantily clad dancers, costumed characters and lively musicians contribute to this exuberant street party.
Procigar Festival
February
If cigars are your thing, join a bevy of cigar enthusiasts in La Romana to learn about the history of the Dominican Republic’s cigar heritage through tours of a cigar factory and tobacco fields. The focus then moves to Santiago for further cigar-related exploration.
Independence Day
27 February
Commemorating the Dominican War of Independence in 1844, Independence Day celebrations are often combined with carnival festivities. Smaller-scale parades mark the day in some of Punta Cana’s resorts.
Punta Cana Carnival
March
This colourful extravaganza is a popular spectacle with locals and tourists alike, who come to admire groups from across the country. These artists dazzle Punta Cana village with their fantastical masks, elaborate costumes and dance techniques.
Dominican Republic Global Film Festival
November
This annual film festival takes place across the Dominican Republic, with venues in Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo and Santiago amongst other cities. It’s a great way of seeing the work of the Dominican Republic’s filmmakers at first hand.