Colors of Santo Domingo - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Many tourists aim to visit the resort city of Santo Domingo in late February as exactly in this period the city holds scale and the most interesting ethnic holiday being the Carnival. The Carnival is celebrated in all the cities of the country however the brightest and the most buzzing folk fests take place right in the capital of the country. Citizens prepare for the holiday celebration all the year round, they think up festive songs, design costumes and rehearse performances and shows. The Carnival starts on the 28th of February and lasts for seven days. In some cities of the country the celebration of the holiday lasts for a longer period.

One of the main personages of the Carnival is the Satyrus who takes part in all costume marches, parades and performances. The most spectacular event of the Carnival is a festive march. Hundreds of local people clad in bright costumes decorated with ribbons and flowers are marching though the streets of the city.

Guests of the festival also have a chance to visit various street performances featuring various themes. Commonly street artists perform comic sketches touching upon political and everyday life. Within the festival different interesting performances and engaging concerts for children are held. A good tradition of the festival is bright and exciting performances of numerous folk music groups being the best reflection of the local culture and a perfect way for foreign guests to learn the culture and folk traditions. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The festival in Santo Domingo attracts carnival troupes from all the regions of the country. The last day of the Carnival features distribution of awards among best troupes. Another much waited event of the last day of the Carnival is choosing of the King of the Carnival who then leads the final carnival procession. According to historical data the first carnivals in Santo Domingo started as far back as in the 16th century.

The celebration of this period featured various rituals and ceremonies and had dominating religious character. Contemporary celebration of the carnival is completely another holiday. The event developed into a folk fest in 1844 when the country turned independent. The Independence Day which the citizens celebrate on the 27th of February is one of the most favorite and much waited holidays among local folks. Many country celebrations still feature religious character. On the 21st of January the St Altagracia Day is celebrated in the capital of the country. Local folks consider this catholic saint to be the patron of the city and organize splendid saint honoring celebrations.

The Dominican National Dance is regarded as the beautiful groovy dance that best conveys the local people’s “soul” – energetic and relaxed. In this dance, everything, both the bizarre charm of movements and the ability to live in one moment, will make you forget everything. Intertwining, the bodies of the dancers “freeze” forever in a single moment – and the admiring tourists watching their actions will remember every movement of the passionate dance for the rest of their lives. This is precisely what happens at the festival dedicated to energetic dance (Merengue Festival), which takes place twice every year: in late July and mid-November.

Thus, in summer the capital of Dominica, or the central streets of the city to be exact, is filled with lovers of event tourism who want to get acquainted with the local culture. The main venues for spectacular dance performances are Park El Malecon located right off the coast park and the coastal area Plaza Juan Barón. The autumn event takes place at two locations in the city: the Palacio de Bellas Artes Theatre hosts traditional merengue musicians (in addition to dancing, the merengue is also a special Dominican style), and at the Teatro Nacional Eduardo Brito Theatre, performances with a folklore component can be seen.

Easter (Semana Santa) is the most important Christian holiday, which usually takes place in mid-April. A feature of the Dominican faith is that the Christian tradition is mixed with the so-called “voodoo” (Vodú), which is influenced by the Haitian voodoo, which can be understood from the similarity of the names. The indigenous people, dressed in traditional costumes, go out to the beaches and have fun during the Semana Santa celebrations, so it is worth remembering that at this time places of interest are packed with locals. The peculiarity of Dominican celebrations is that local people believe Easter is the only day of the year when Jesus Christ is not watching ordinary mortals’ actions.

Other Catholic festivities include Espíritu Santo, which takes place seven weeks after the celebration of Easter. Traditionally, religious processions are held at this time in the surrounding city of the capital of the Dominican Republic, Villa Melya. In mid-September, starting from the 15th, tourists will be able to enjoy another Catholic celebration in honor of the Virgin of Mercy. The place of worship is the settlement of Mata Los Indos, where the most picturesque religious processions take place. On September 29th a holiday dedicated to another saint – San Miguel­­ – is traditionally held. The peculiarity of these celebrations is that religious processions are accompanied by African drums and music.