Operativo Semana Santa/ Operating Easter Week will have more than 32,000 people working to make sure all are safe for the big Easter weekend. When you see the orange jump suits they are there for your safety and protection. If you have any problems please go to one of these stations. They are there to help and assist.
Plan Operativo Hora Santa Semana Santa 2013/ Operational Plan Holy Hour Easter 2013 starts on Thursday March 28 at 2PM and ends on Sunday the 31st at 8PM. The Dominican Civil Defense/ Defensa Civil Republica Dominicana will be stationed throughout the country with 2,512 aid stations located at critical points, such as beaches, resorts, roads and pathways. Also 168 Dominican Republic beaches and rivers across the country will be closed.
Some of the local beaches that you CANNOT use include San Soucí, Manresa, Güibia, the coastline of Avenidas España and Las Américas, the beach of San Andrés, banks of the Ozama River, río Isabela Norte and la Poza in Hato Nuevo. Also the Damns of Bao, Taveras, El Pinalito, López Angostura, El Papayo, Sabana Yegua, de Yuboa and de Chacuey.
Also the beaches of San Rafael, Los Patos, El Cayo, Caletón, Linda, Los Cuadritos, del Barrio, La Poza, El Francés, Acapulco, Hawai, Muerto en el Malecón, the River Yaque del Norte and Morota.
(I cannot find the entire list like they posted last year. It says the Dominican Civil Defense/ Defensa Civil Republica Dominicana web site is under construction so this is the closings from last year which usually do not change – There will be 23 closings in the Province of Santo Domingo, 1 in the National District, 12 in Santiago de los Caballeros, 6 in the provincias Espaillat y Santiago Rodríguez, 3 in Montecristi, 23 in San Pedro de Macorís, 8 in the Valverde Mao providence, 4 in La Romana, 3 in Nagua, 8 in Samaná y Sánchez Ramírez, 11 in Monseñor Nouel, 14 in Peravia, 9 in San Cristóbal and Villa Altagracia, 13 in Monte Plata, 8 in Barahona, 4 in Azua and 7 in the Province of San Juan de la Maguana.)
For more restrictions check out Operation Semana Santa Safety Restrictions.
Activities for the weekend include:
*Malecon in Santo Domingo Turns into a Beach – Since last year was such a success they will be shutting down a section of the Malecon in Santo Domingo to turn into a beach for the people that are not able to leave the city for the big holiday weekend. The sea side road will be shut down to traffic between Calle José Heredia and Máximo Gómez. The road is closed from 6AM Holy Wednesday/ Miércoles Santo (April/abril 4) to Sunday (April/ abril 8). This is the section where Plaza Guibia is located near Adrian Tropical Restaurant and Malecon Center. They will be putting up Twelve gigantic plastic pools and 1,500 cubic meters of sand. The pools and entire play area will be open from Thursday to Sunday for all to enjoy. The information about the Malecon turning into a Beach from last year.
Playa at Guibia. This beach will be closed but the street will be blocked in front and filled with pools and sand.
*The annual Good Friday/ Viernes Santo concert celebration is a big part of the Holy Week/ Semana Santa celebrations here in Dominican Republic. The concert will be in the oldest Cathedral in the Americas, Cathedral de Santa Maria, also known as Cathedral de Santo Domingo, Primada de América. On Friday March 29, 2013 at 8PM.
Learn how Semana Santa is celebrated in Dominican Republic.
