Dominican Republic has been celebrating Carnaval since 1520 and we are still going strong! Come enjoy and participate in the madness! It will be an experience that you will never forget. Music everywhere, fun parades, vibrant colors, happy people and many many ooohhhs and aahhhs.
There are celebrations throughout the entire country with a wide variety of costumes and customs. Each town has their own versions of the costumed carnival creatures some can be beautiful, funny, cute and terrifying.
I will add more events as I find them.
The big parade with the best of the best happens in Santo Domingo on the Malecon Sunday, March 6 at 4PM with a Grand National Carnival Parade Regional/ domingo 6 de marzo con un Gran Desfile Regional del Carnaval Nacional. It runs from Malecon Centro to the Obelisco Macho. All 31 provinces and towns will have their best to represent them and hopefully go home with the big prize. You can watch the Carnaval on the internet on Telemicro Channel 5.
Other activities in Santo Domingo Colonial Zone area-
*Carnaval Infantil – “Por el derecho a sonreir” Children Carnival Parade slogan: “For the right to smile,” will be March 5th at 10AM in Plaza España, Colonial Zone. The children are so much fun to watch parading in their costumes.
*Living Statues / Estatuas Vivientes exhibition will be held March 4th, at 5PM at Parque Independencia, Colonial Zone.
*The traditional Festival of Ali Baba / Festival de Alí-Babá will be in the Plaza España March 5th, at 2PM.
*The Carnival Music Festival 2016 / Festival de Música de Carnaval will be on March 5 at Plaza Juan Baron starting at 5PM.
*Carnival Vegano – watch live transmission on Microvisión Canal 10
Sunday 7 starts the festivities with the Diablos Cojuelos leaving their caves and presenting themselves to the world.
There are concerts every weekend. More information at http://carnavalvegano.do/
-Saturday 6 Concert – Héctor Acosta “El Torito” y El Mayor Clasico and Felix Manuelat the Estadio Olimpico de La Vega at 9PM.
– Sunday 7 Concert – Don Miguelo, Vakeró y Wisin at the Estadio Olimpico.
*Carnaval Ciudad Colonial – Saturday 13. A parade of vintage cars, scooters, and a host of colorful characters will parade through the Colonial Zone starting at 5PM. The parade starts at The Puerta de la Misericordia on Calle Palo Hincado and ends at the Reloj del Sol at Plaza España.
*Carnival Bonao The fun is on Sundays 7, 14, 21 and Saturday 27 in Feb. and March 13. The Carnaval Parade starts at 4PM on Avenida Duarte and ends with a show in Parque La Delicia. http://carnavalbonao.net/
*Santiago – Carnaval Santiago is on Saturdays and Sundays in February, culminating with the final parade on the 22rd in the area of the Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración.
It will be televised on channels Teleunión, Telemedios, Canal 25, Canal 29 Teleuniverso and Súper TV 55 at different times.
*Carnaval Cotuí (Sánchez Ramírez) The fun will be every Sunday in February and on Saturday 27 atarting at 4PM at the Ayuntamiento Municipal wining through many barrios and ending at Parque Duarte.
Live transmission at cotuifm.net and realidadtv.com starting at 2PM every Sunday.
*Carnaval of Santo Domingo Este – This is the 9th year for this carnival taking place on Avenida España on Sunday Feb. 14, 21 and 28 starting at 2PM. They expect thousands of people to gather. It will be transmitted live on canal Digital 15. The carnaval is in memory of Juan de los Santos.
Performances include
-Feb. 14 – Yiyo Sarante, Revolución Salsera
-Feb. 21 –Fernando Villalona, Shadow Blow
-Feb. 28 – Los Hermanos Rosario, Mozart la Para
*Punta Cana Carnival – Saturday March 12, 2016 on Boulevard Primero de Noviembre in Punta Cana Village opposite the International Airport.
*Puerto Plata Carnival – The POP Carnaval 2015 will be held Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 and March 13 starting at 3PM.
*El Carnaval de Herrera 2016 – Saturday Feb. 27 at 3PM, Isabel Aguiar.
Here is a list of all the dates of the National Carnivals / fechas de los Carnavales a nivel nacional throughout the country. Click to enlarge.
History and traditions Dominican Carnival.
Information about the masks and Carnaval Characters.
Our collection of hundreds of pictures of the Carnival.
Exitos Del Carnaval Vegano (2015) Listen to or download music of Carnival.
Links to TV stations in Dominican Republic where many stations broadcast the events live.