Dominican Republic Holidays And Festivals

The holidays and festivals in the Dominican Republic are some of the most prestigious and festive celebrations in the whole world. The pageantry, lively music, garish costumes, and the happy disposition of its locals all contribute to the ebullience of the festivities. Tourists around the world come regularly to the beautiful island to join in on the fun and excitement.

Most of the holidays being celebrated in the Dominican Republic pay homage to the tenets of Christianity. This is no surprise because the Dominican culture is of Hispanic origin. In fact, there seems to be a celebration everyday from somewhere in the country as all municipalities and towns have their own patron saints to commemorate on a particular day of the year.

VIRGEN DE ALTAGRACIA
The most important religious celebration in the Dominican culture is the La Dia de la Virgen de Altagracia, which is celebrated on January 21. The Virgen de Altagracia, known as Our Lady of the Highest Grace, is the patron virgin of the Dominican Republic. In this holiday, thousands of Dominicans set out on a several day pilgrimage to the magnificent basilica of the Higuey.

LA CARNIVAL
Held every Sunday throughout the whole month of February, the La Carnival is the most anticipated and exciting festival in the Dominican Republic. It is a time for partying, with the locals donning their traditional demon costumes and dancing incessantly to the lively tempo of the band's music. The Carnival is concluded by a massive parade to the Malecón on February 27 to herald the coming of Independence Day.

LA DIA DE INDEPENDENCIA
The La Carnival is just a prelude to a party that is so much bigger. Held on February 27, the La Dia De Independencia (Independence Day) marks the day of the Dominican Republic's independence from Haiti. Same with the La Carnival, this particular day involves a lot of dancing, parades, eating, and drinking. It's the apex of the celebrations that started during the carnival. In a manner of speaking, the La Dia De Independencia is the party to end all parties!

LA NAVIDAD
La Navidad is celebrated on December 25, which is actually Christmas, just like in the United States and many parts of the world. The usual serving of food among families and exchanging of gifts is done to celebrate the day. The only difference is that the locals attend a midnight mass before proceeding with the actual celebrations.

THE MERENGUE FESTIVAL
The Merengue is the most popular music and dance in the Dominican Republic. Every year in July, the Dominicans stage a 10-day celebration filled with parties, music, dancing, and concerts. The festival begins with a parade, complete with bands, dancers, and men in costume. Even hotels and clubs organize their own events and concerts in lieu of this particular holiday. And of course, they all dance to the tune of the exotic and upbeat rhythm of the merengue.

The Dominicans, aside from being a religious bunch, are a festive group of people, which is quite telling when you consider the manner in which they celebrate their holidays. Truth to tell, they love to party and have fun all the time even in ordinary days. So if you want a truly unique and fun holiday, the Dominican Republic is the perfect place to go to.

Dominican Republic Holiday – Festival del Santo Cristo de Bayaguana

While the whole Dominican Republic is celebrating the Christmas holidays, another festival is being celebrated known simply as the Festival of the Bulls in San Juan Bautista de Bayaguana. This traditional cattle festival starts from December 28 and ends on January 1 with the offering of the Bulls. The offering of the Bulls is giving thanks to the Santo Cristo for rains that shower their crops.

The tradition started when a group of farmers decided to offer a bull to Santo Cristo to stop the ongoing draught and to pray for rain. The crops then were already withering, fruits were drying, and the cattle were dying that the prospects for the farmers surviving the year were very bleak. A few days after sacrificing the bull the rains started to fall, crops, and animals were saved and the tradition started.

This festival has been going since 1604. What made the festival a strong crowd drawer apart from the bulls and the return of rains stopping the draught are the miracles attributed to the festival. First, the apparition of Jesus Christ to a little girl praying for a cure for her mother's blindness that returned the mother sight shortly after the apparition. Second, a paralytic praying to participate in the festival stood and walked. In 1924, during the feast day, American Troops left Santo Domingo while the church bells rang by themselves.

Confirmed by the Catholic Church or not, commemorating the first event in 1604 was strengthened. In order for the festival to be successful, the Commissioners of Santo Cristo de los Milagros go around the region several days before the event to request for bulls. The faithful, on the other hand, offers the animal as a confirmation of their faith and expression of their thanks.

Every year on December 28, the commissioners, wranglers, and the public enter the town square towing their bulls for consecration. The procession while a solemn one is far from being silent. Dominicans celebrate the day the best way they know how, with joy. A municipal band, led procession of people singing, praying, dancing and the ever present firecrackers. That is only the start of a four-day event. During the evenings, there are more singing, chanting, dancing, and imbibing of coffee, rum, and jengibre. The songs chanted are improvised verses sung a capella with alternate leaders taking their turns while the rest joins in the refrains like a choir. For outsiders, the scene would be far from the normal images of sacrificing but an all night four days partying.

On January 1, people from all over the country gather to participate in masses offered as thanksgiving for miracles and prayers granted and favors granted by Jesus Christ for the past year. This is the most solemn and inspiring part of the festival. After that the mass the people gather outside some to buy the bulls, some to trade them with something else but the proceeds go to the church to be used for church programs.

Celebrating The Christmas Holidays In The Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic has one of the most festive Christmas holidays in the world, and perhaps the longest. In a way, the locals start to celebrate Christmas as early as October. It is a season of dancing, fireworks, carols, family time, and excellent food!

Dominican Republic citizens are very family-oriented, as most of the holiday celebrations and traditions involve the whole family, and are highly involved in the community. Smiles are pasted all over the sanguine faces of the locals, and joviality becomes more infectious and ebullient as the Christmas season approaches.

FIREWORKS!
The Fuegos Artificiales/Fireworks are a special tradition in the Dominican Republic. If your residence is smack dab in the active villages, you might even hear the fireworks right inside your home! Stalls selling fireworks are set up everywhere, and the fireworks range from firecrackers to rockets, from sparklers to the cohetes y petardos. If you have the zeal to impress - and if you have the financial resources - you can even set up a big fireworks display. This makes you an instant hero in the eyes of the locals!

BEAUTIFUL DECORATIONS
People from the Dominican Republic love to decorate. Like stated earlier, they celebrate the Christmas holidays early, so even a few months from December, the houses and the streets are already teeming with magnificent and colorful decorations. Everyday is a fiesta! The most popular decoration in the Dominican Republic is the 'Charamico'. One just needs to get a dried branch, paint it white, and decorate it with an assorted array of baubles such as ribbons, glass balls, lights and angelic figures. Under the branch is placed a diorama of a 'Naciamento', with figures depicting the birth of Jesus Christ as Joseph, Mary, and the Three Kings look on. Simply put, it is a depiction of the Nativity.

LA MISA DEL GALL/MIDNIGHT MASS
As Christmas time approaches, the festivities slowly escalate. But at an appointed hour on Christmas Eve, the Dominicans make a point to attend the midnight mass, which is called the La Misa del Gall in their language. It is a mass to commemorate and express gratitude to the Christian God for the bounty that they have amassed throughout the year.

NOCHE BUENA
After the midnight mass, the Noche Buena - or midnight meal - heralds the actual day of Christmas. This is the peak of the festivities. Gifts are exchanged, delicious food is eaten, and fireworks ensue. And best of all, families get to spend time together, have fun, and affections expressed in a more profound manner.

If you love travel, I would highly suggest that you spend at least one Christmas in your lifetime in the Dominican Republic. Go there as early as the middle of November, and take in all the festivities around you. Walk the busy villages, interact with the locals, listen to the rhythm of the merengue, smell the aroma of the fantastic food as it whisks from the inviting homes of the villages. Learn the culture and assimilate yourself into it. I guarantee that you will feel like a special member of the 'familia'. The Dominican Republic locals are some of the most hospitable people in the world. If you do all this, you might even think of going back next year, and bringing your own 'familia' with you!

Beach Holidays In The Dominican Republic

Sometimes the constant stress we are subjected to while living and working in the city can take its toll, and we feel that we want to get away from the congested confines of the tightly packed buildings, the sight of traffic jams, and the general stoic and business-like manner of the people. You suddenly feel like an automaton in a hurly burly world and feel the wanderlust taking its hold on as you stare at the horizon. When one thinks of having a holiday, the most common phrase you'll ever hear is 'a trip to the Caribbean' that it's already considered a cliché. A trip to the Caribbean is one of the most sought-out holidays for some time now, especially during Dominican Republic holidays. The Dominican Republic is also a favorite destination during winter due to its magnificent beaches, laid back culture, lush vegetation, and fine weather.

The Dominican Republic constitutes most of the Caribbean island, and is replete with beautiful resorts, top-class hotels, and baroque historical landmarks. Aside from enjoying the sun in the beautiful beaches, you can also immerse yourself in the region's rich culture - which has an interesting Hispanic twist to it!

PARTY BEACHES
If you are in a party mood, the Cabarete beach is the ideal destination for its festive atmosphere and big crowds. It's where hip tourists go to, and where parties and events are held everyday. The vim of the waves also makes it ideal for surfers. And also be ready to tune up your dancing so that you can dance to the infectious beat of the merengue, the national dance of the Dominican Republic. Visit the chic resort bars in Punta Cana and you'll find yourself mingled with fellow tourists and friendly locals. The Cabarete beach is simply where the action is!

BEACHES FOR THE SPORTY
For thrill seekers, a visit to the La Romana-Bayahibe Underwater Park presents you with an adventure diving for the shipwrecks that have a biological and cultural significance in the Dominican Republic. Punta Cana and the Sosua Beach is also a great site for snorkeling because of the coral reefs situated under the water. Windsurfing is one of the main attractions of the Dominican Republic. Cabarete is the premiere spot for this sport. In fact, it is the most popular location for windsurfing all over the world. The Cabarete bay and its surrounding areas provide the perfect conditions for both beginners and experts.


FAMILY BEACHES
You can have a grand time with your family at the Ocean Park Marina, located on the north coasts of the Island of Hispaniola, by seeing the teeming variety of marine life like dolphins, sea lions, and sharks. The aquatic animals are extremely well trained (except for the sharks, of course) to provide great entertainment for the whole family.

SOLITARY BEACHES
If you want a more laid back atmosphere, and just bask in the serenity of the tropical seas, you can opt for the secluded beaches in the region. The romantic sunset on the El Morro Beach, located in the north-western corner of the Dominican Repubic, is a spectacular view to behold. Playa Montecristi is a perfect place to become solitary, and is popular to honeymooners all over the world.

Once you go back from your holidays in the Dominican Republic, the tan you have developed will soon fade away, but I assure you that the memories will stay.

Where Are The Disneyland Characters?

A Disneyland vacation would not be complete
without the Characters that we all know and love so
well. Often, however, people leave Disneyland
disappointed – simply because they never found
their favorite character. The key to finding the
characters you love is in knowing where to look for
them in the first place.

Start with the Character Breakfast. Here, you will
probably see Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow
White, Mary Poppins, Jasmine, Ariel, Minnie and
Mickey Mouse, and many others. If you miss your
favorites at the breakfast, don’t despair – simply go
find them! Many characters will be on hand, right
inside the gates, to greet you as you arrive in the
morning as well.

Start in Toon Town, where all of the Disney
Characters live. Visit their homes to see if you can
get a glimpse of them. Go early, while they may still
be at home! Be sure to visit Goofy’s Kitchen as well,
since many characters pop in and out throughout the
day. If you’ve been through Toon Town, and you still
haven’t seen your favorite character, your next stop
should be Fantasyland. Different characters can be
located telling stories throughout Fantasyland.