Do you ever feel like you know just enough about Dominican Republic Holidays to be dangerous? Let’s see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Dominican Republic Holidays experts.

Dominican Republic does not only pride itself with its wonderful beaches. They also have great mountain ranges and national parks for those who want to experience an eco-adventure. Here are is a list of good places to visits and fun things to do on your Dominican Republic holiday escapade.

Take a Tour to the Nation’s Capital
Santo Domingo is Dominican Republic’s capital. You’ll find many historic places and monuments in this area. Some of the places that are worth including in your itinerary are the following:

? Columbus Park
? Puerta de el Conde
? Plaza de la Cultura
? Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center
? The Presidential Palace
? Paseo de los Indios
? Centro de los Heroes

You can also visit the colonial towns and have a peek of the country’s rich past and culture. A tour to the different cathedrals, the Alcazar de Colon, The Pantheon and Fortress Ozama would take your breath away. To see some of the country’s crafts, you can visit and shop at Mercado Modelo.

Columbus Lighthouse
Christopher Columbus reached the country in 1942. He made Santo Domingo the first capital of Spain in the new world. The remains of Christopher Columbus is said to be buried in this area. Don’t forget to visit the Aquarium when going to the Columbus Lighthouse. Here, you will see Dominican’s rich marine life.

Los Tres Ojos and Puerto Plata
Craving for some adventure? Take a tour of Dominican Republic’s four underground lakes. 3 of the four underground lakes are inside a big cavern. Appreciate nature by taking a tour to these lakes.

Puerto Plata, located in the North Coast, is one of the places that you should visit when you are in Dominican Republic. The Amber Museum and The Fortress of San Felipe are located in Puerto Plata. You can also experience riding the cable cars in Isabel de Torres.

So far, we’ve uncovered some interesting facts about Dominican Republic Holidays. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

Cave of Wonders
The cave of wonders has a very high archeological value as it is the first natural museum that showcases ancient art in the Antilles region.

Lake Enriquillo

Visit Lake Enriquillo at the country’s south coast near the border separating Dominican Republic and Haiti. Discover the country’s natural riches. In this area you will be able to see many endangered species like pink flamingos and iguanas. You can also take a dip at Las Barias and La Descubierta. Lake Enriquilo is located in Isla Cabritos National Park. They say the sulfured water of the lake can help cure some skin diseases.

Take a Tour at Cabral

Bird lovers will find the town Cabral very interesting. This is a town where you will see different bird species. Laguna de Ricon is also located in this area. Ride a boat and admire the wonderful lagoon. You can also visit Los Patos, the shortest river on Earth with a length of 200 meters.

You can also do an outback jeep safari, go biking on the countryside and have a helicopter tour over Puerto Plata.

There are many things you can do in Dominican Republic. Plan your trip well so you can get the best out of your Dominican Republic Holiday!

That’s how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

The more you understand about any subject, the more interesting it becomes. As you read this article you’ll find that the subject of Dominican Republic Holidays is certainly no exception.

To the outside world, La Quinceanera may not be as big a celebration as other Dominican Republic holidays and they are right. This does not mean though that this is less celebratory. What makes La Quinceanera a special event is that it happens all year round, more private maybe, but just as important.

Here is why.

In many countries, when a girl reaches 16 years old, the girl has approached womanhood. celebrated, well yes, but not as grand. In Spanish influenced countries, 15 or quince is the right time. It is the transition from being a child to a marriageable age. The celebration starts with the most important component, the thanksgiving mass or the misa de accion de gracias. The thanksgiving mass closely approximates a wedding where the girl will march the aisle flanked by godparents, dressed in full length fancy dress, a matching headdress and sits on the foot of the altar conducted in her honor. As many as seven maids of honor and chamberlains form part of the entourage selected among close family and friends. At the end of the mass, commemorative favors are passed to those in attendance and the girl deposits her bouquet at the foot of the Virgin Mary.

After the mass the partying begins.

Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Dominican Republic Holidays? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

The party is as opulent as the resources of the parents allow, although several padrinos and madrinos are usually invited to sponsor the dress, the band, table favors, the venue, the bar and other multiple expenses incurred in the celebrations. Visitors to one of the Dominican Republic holidays observing or invited to these celebrations will find out often that the opulence is often so grand compared to most birthday bashes in most countries. Here we are speaking of birthday cakes with decorations to match the celebrant’s dress and which might require removing the door from its hinges if the cake is to be brought inside the celebration hall.

All throughout the celebration, a raucous cumbia, salsa and banda tunes dominate. These stop only when the celebrant and her number one escort dance the obligatory waltz. Usually, when the parents are well heeled, a viaje follows the celebrations where the celebrant travels to European destinations.

Not every girl wants to celebrate her quinceanera in a spectacular fashion, in the manner that not all brides want a spectacular weeding. The tradition, though, is to please the parents and to have a celebration as much as resources allow. No matter, the purpose of the celebration is to remind the girl what the celebration is about and to remind everyone that the girl is now a woman.

If seen from the outside, the quinceanera is a celebration to advertise the daughter to possible grooms of good standing. The origin, however, is suggested to have come from ancient Aztec tribes where the community celebrates the passage from childhood to womanhood. Regardless, this rite of passage is one for those holidays and celebrations that has kept Latino culture and family firmly grounded with the community.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

A good vacation needs good planning. To get the most out of your Dominican Republic Holiday trip and avoid problems, make sure that you have prepared for the trip at least a month before your scheduled vacation. Planning includes getting a visa or tourist card, lodging, your trip’s itinerary, buying tickets and of course packing clothes.

Visa or No Visa
One of the most important things that you have to check is whether or not you need to get a visa to enter Dominican Republic. There are countries that are tied with Dominican Republic so that people coming from these countries don’t need to get a visa. A tourist card is required for people in some countries to enter Dominican Republic.

If you’re a citizen of any of these countries, you don’t need to apply for a visa or tourist card to enter Dominican Republic.

? Argentina
? Ecuador
? Japan
? South Korea
? Uruguay
? Peru
? Israel
? Chile

Here is a list of some countries whose citizens are allowed to enter Dominican Republic for tourism purposes with a tourist card only:

? Germany
? Australia
? Bahamas
? Brazil
? Brunei
? Croatia
? Greece
? El Salvador
? United States
? Spain
? France
? UK
? Italy
? Mexico
? Russia
? Thailand
? Taiwan
? Venezuela
? Norway
? United Arab Emirates

Listed below are some countries that are required to apply for a visa before entering Dominican Republic.

? Saudi Arabia
? Cambodia
? People’s Republic of China
? North Korea
? Cuba
? Philippines
? Haiti
? India
? Vietnam
? Oman

Requirements and Rules

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of Dominican Republic Holidays is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about Dominican Republic Holidays.

? Decree 691-07 states that citizens of the following countries: United States, European Union, Canada and Britain can enter Dominican Republic by presenting a tourism card.

? All visitors should have a valid passport.

?People who want to enter the country for business purposes must apply for a business visa, even if you are coming from a country which allows you to enter Dominican Republic with just a tourism card. Keep in mind that this card is for tourism purposes only.

? The approval of visa application is done by the Foreign Ministry which follows the established rules and regulations of the Consular Migration Department

? To extend your stay in the country, you can apply for an extension at the Offices of the Directorate of Migration.

Once you’re done fixing your visa, the next thing to do is to search for affordable travel packages to Dominican Republic. There are numerous packages that you can find online. The easiest way to get the best package is to decide on the places that you want to go. Check out the main tourist destinations of the country and choose the places that you want to visit. With these places in mind, you can easily narrow down travel agencies that offer packages to the places you’ve chosen.

It’s always easier to travel light than go on a trip with a bulky baggage. Dominican Republic is a tropical country. It’s advisable to bring light clothing and a poncho. If you’re going for an eco-trip, don’t forget to bring mosquito repellant and a pair of dependable sneakers.

Go to the Caribbean and have a taste of its very rich culture. Have a fun-filled Dominican Republic Holidays!

It never hurts to be well-informed with the latest on Dominican Republic Holidays. Compare what you’ve learned here to future articles so that you can stay alert to changes in the area of Dominican Republic Holidays.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

The people of the Dominican Republic are known to be devout Catholics, with almost 89% of its population submitting to Roman Catholicism. They honor several patron saints, and one of them is the Our Lady of Altagracia. In fact, most Dominican Republic holidays are in respect to religion.

Dia de la Altagracia, or Altagracia Day, is a feast day and annual holiday in the Dominican Republic that is being celebrated every January 21st. It was originally held every August 15th, but was later changed to January 21st to commemorate the country’s victory over the French in 1690.

Being regarded as the first country in the New World to be evangelized by the Catholic Church, the Dominicans see the image of the Lady of Altagracia as their spiritual mother, and as the one who watches over their land. They pay homage to the Lady by celebrating its feast day with a lot of vigils, church going, singing, dancing and candle lighting in many of the towns across the country.

THE PORTRAIT

The painting depicts the Nativity scene, where it shows the Virgin Mary looking over the baby Jesus sleeping in the manger. Her radiant eyes embody the warmth and affection that a mother gives a newborn child.

She is clothed with a starred blue robe, with a white scapular tied in front that seals the garment. The Dominicans distinguish the colors that are in the Blessed Virgin’s garment as the same ones in their national flag, thus, associating their national identity with the Blessed Virgin.

Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Dominican Republic Holidays? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?

HISTORY

Trusted sources say that the portrait of our Lady of Altagracia was painted towards the end of the 15th or the start of the 16th century. A school in Spain was said to have kept the image, but in 1502, the brothers Alfonso and Antonio Trejo brought it into Santo Domingo. These brothers were said to be among the first European colonizers of the island.

The brothers then moved to the city of Higuey, and they decided to hand over the image of the Lady to the parish church. Not long after, people from the island began revering the portrait of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Altagracia. The first shrine was completed in 1572 and was consecrated to the Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia in 1971.

A popular tale among the Dominicans exemplifies their faith on the Lady. According to the story, there was once a merchant whose daughter has wanted to have the portrait of the Our Lady of Altagracia.. Eager to give it to his daughter, the merchant searched for the portrait throughout the island of Santo Domingo, but to his dismay, he did not find it.

He continued his search, this time moving to the town of Higuey. He was still not successful. Not willing to go home to his daughter without the portrait in his hands, he spent the night in his friend’s house. As he recounts his unsuccessful journey, an old man suddenly gave him a painting and said, ?This is what you are looking for.? The portrait was indeed the image of the Our Lady of Altagracia. At the crack of dawn, the old man disappeared.

The Dominicans revere the Blessed Lady as the protector of their land. Their victory against the French in 1690 was celebrated in honor of her, thus making that day in January 21st as her official feast day. If you are a devout Catholic, spending the holidays in the Dominican Republic in homage to the Blessed Lady is a spiritual experience that should never be passed up.

When word gets around about your command of Dominican Republic Holidays facts, others who need to know about Dominican Republic Holidays will start to actively seek you out.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Current info about Dominican Republic Holidays is not always the easiest thing to locate. Fortunately, this report includes the latest Dominican Republic Holidays info available.

Any visitor new to the Dominican Republic will find a bewildering array of celebrations, festivities, holidays, and everything else in between. In fact, in the Dominican Republic, something fun is always happening somewhere every day of the year.

In most of the Catholic world, ‘Semana Santa’ or the Holy Week is a time for reflection, prayer, attrition and silence and other practices that generally encourage the faithful for time of quiet. This traditional practice has been going on for centuries at different degrees of relative silence in different Catholic countries all over.

The Dominican Republic with its own unique way of observing holidays practices, Semana Santa, a high point in Catholic worship, is celebrated in a way that only Dominicans could pull off. The general manner is very respectful, solemn, and prayerful. In fact, every tradition and method of worship is practiced and implemented by the Catholic hierarchy and observed by its people. But then again, why carry a sour countenance when this is the most important day of a people’s salvation? Off to the beaches we go.

Most of this information comes straight from the Dominican Republic Holidays pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you’ll know what they know.

As if conditions encourage it, the weather from March to April, the week in which Semana Santa is celebrated, is ideal. For a tropical maritime nation, in fact, there is little choice other than to sulk in a corner. The water is incredibly clear, the weather is warm, there is a lot of sunshine, offices are closed, the food is great, and tourism is at its peak. Except for motorized water equipment and water sports, which the government bans during the season due to past numerous accidents, everything is perfect, which brings us to the only downside of spending Semana Santa in the island.

The beaches are packed, hotels the same. This is the Caribbean Sea and there is just that thing in the Caribbean that lures people from everywhere, in the Dominican Republic, this is more so. To top it, Dominicans love their beaches and the well-heeled can get reservations in the hotels quicker than anybody can. If the idea is to spend Semana Santa in the island, bookings are to be done very early.

Otherwise, spending Semana Santa in the Dominican Republic is by all accounts the most colorful Holy Week anyone could experience. Catholic traditions and celebrations are the same everywhere except that in with the Dominicans, there is a twist. Processions are a tradition in the church anywhere but here, you will get to chase that jerk, Judas. It all starts on a Thursday. People will be dressing up like Jews, centurions and other outlandish colorful fun costume and chase a running man rattling a tin can representing the payoff from selling Jesus. These are all for fun though. The excitement is whether Judas could elude his chasers, (many times he actually does) or not. It is a wild, colorful, and noisy event full of action and excitement.

Of course anyone who tires of that could always have rivers to ford, beaches to get the tan, hills to climb and snorkeling to do.

When word gets around about your command of Dominican Republic Holidays facts, others who need to know about Dominican Republic Holidays will start to actively seek you out.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

In today’s world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

Thinking of a good travel get-away? Have a Dominican Republic holiday and experience culture and life in the Caribbean.

Dominican Republic prides itself with its rich culture and tourist destinations. If you’re planning to visit this great traveler’s haven, make your trip more meaningful by knowing the country’s background and profile. Here are some good-to-knows about Dominican Republic that will help you appreciate your travel to this country.

An Overview
Dominican Republic is in the island of Hispaniola, located in the Greater Antilles region in the Caribbean. It is a country influenced by Spanish, French, Haitian, and African cultures. Its population is very diverse, majority of which are Europeans and Africans. You would also see a number of Haitians, Asians and Americans. The official language of the country is Spanish and Castilian. English, Chinese, Italian and French are also used in different transactions especially in their popular tourist destinations. The government is a Representative Democracy and the currency they use is Dominican Peso. Majority of the population is Roman Catholic. Other religions in the country are Protestant, Seventh Day Adventist, Baptist and Mormon.

History
To appreciate a country more, it’s important that you know a few things about its history.

Christopher Columbus reached the area in 1942 and put up the first permanent European settlement in the region. Santo Domingo became the capital of Dominican Republic and the first capital of Spain in the new world. After the Spanish rule, French and the Haitian took over the country.

The country gained independence from Haitian rule in 1844. During this period, Dominican Republic faced numerous political strife and tyranny. Spain took over again in 1861. In 1865, Spain left the country after 2 years of fighting against the United States of America.

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about Dominican Republic Holidays. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

Government
The founding fathers of Dominican Republic are Juan Pablo Duarte, Ramon Matias Mella and Francisco Del Rosario Sanchez. The country follows a Representative Democracy type of government with 3 branches, which are the executive, legislative and judicial. The president and vice-president have a 4-year term. Their government’s legislature is bicameral. The senate has 32 members and the Chamber of Deputies has 178 members.

Election is held every 2 years alternating between the presidential elections and the congressional and municipal elections. Today, the president of Dominican Republic is Leonel Fernandez.

Society, Climate and Culture

Dominican Republic is a tropical country. The average temperature is 25 ° C. The coldest months are January and February while the hottest month is August.

Dominican Republic can be viewed as a melting pot of many cultures because of the mix of population in the country. Visiting the country would let you experience a blend of Spanish, French and African cultures. Dominicans love fast and lively music, which is represented very well by their music known as Merengue. They also excel and are passionate about baseball.

Eco tourism is one of the reasons that people want to visit Dominican Republic. They pride themselves with their lovely beaches and mountain ranges. Some of the most popular places in the country are the towns of Jarabacoa and Constanza, Pico Duarte, Baha de las Aguilas and Puerto Plata.

Have a Dominican Republic holiday and see for yourself what this rich country has to offer.

When word gets around about your command of Dominican Republic Holidays facts, others who need to know about Dominican Republic Holidays will start to actively seek you out.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

In today’s world, it seems that almost any topic is open for debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were settled are actually still being openly discussed.

What better time to travel to a new place than on a country’s holiday? Dominican Republic is located in the Caribbean region. Get to know the country’s people and tradition. Live a life of festivities and fun in this culturally rich country.

Dominican Republic has a good mix of Spanish, French and African cultures. Here is a list of holidays and a first quarter year calendar of the events that you might want to look into when planning a trip to this country.

? The feast of the Epiphany this year is on January 6th. The Epiphany is one of the most important holidays in the Catholic calendar. It celebrates God coming to us in the form of his son, Jesus Christ. When you come to Dominican Republic during the feast of the Epiphany, you will experience and see how Dominicans are passionate about their beliefs and traditions.

? January 21st is the feast of Our Lady of Altagracia. This is a national holiday for Mary. If you want to go to the country on this time, don’t forget to visit the largest Marian shrine in the country, located at Higuey.

? Duarte’s day is held on January 26th this year. This is a very important holiday for the country. Juan Pablo Duarte is one of the founding fathers of Dominican Republic.

? February 27th is the country’s Independence Day. This is a non-working national holiday. A visit to the country’s capital, Santo Domingo is bound to give you a holiday full of festivities.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

? Holy Week. One of the best ways to celebrate holy week is to visit Dominican Republic. Enrich your soul through its rich catholic traditions. Be a part of various events and celebrations that take place in all parts of the country.

? Restoration day, a non-working holiday, is on August 16th. On this day, the country remembers the Dominican restoration war that happened between 1863 and 1865.

? The feast of Virgen de las Mercedes is on September 24th. According to the locals, Virgen de las Mercedes appeared to a group of Spanish soldiers when they were fighting against the Taino Indians. The Lady also had several apparitions on Santo Cerro. A church was built in the area in her honor.

? Other holidays of Dominican Republic are constitution day on November, Christmas Eve and Christmas day on December.

Aside from the country’s holidays, you can also plan a trip to Dominican Republic and be part of some of this year’s events.

The Laser Midwinter Regatta is held yearly and starts on January. This event marks the start of the laser regatta calendar. The National Symphony Orchestra Season runs through the whole month of January at Eduardo Brito National Theatre in Santo Domingo, the country’s capital. The Humpback Whales Observation Season is a 3-month event that will be held from January 15 until March 15.

Dominican Republic has a very rich story and traditions. Plan your trip by choosing any of their holidays so you can experience a trip full of festivities and fun.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

The best times of the year to visit the Dominican Republic is during one of its holidays. Doing so will give you a good taste of the nation’s culture and people.

The Dominican Republic holidays are roughly divided into three ? the official public holidays, the festival holidays, and the fiestas patronales. National public holidays consist of secular holidays that are recognized by the Dominican Republic as its official holidays. Usually, these are non-working holidays, thus allowing the Dominicans to celebrate as a nation.

The secular holidays are the:

- New Year’s Day on January 1 (Celebrations begin on New Year’s Eve)

- Three Kings or the Epiphany on January 6

- Dia de la Altagracia or Our Lady of Altagracia on January 21 (Celebrations are held in honor of the Protector and Queen of the Hearts of the Dominican People.)

- Duarte’s Day on January 26 (Otherwise known as Duarte’s Birthday, this celebration is held in commemoration of one of Dominican Republic’s founding fathers, Juan Pablo Duarte.)

- Independence Day on February 27 (This marks the liberation of Dominican Republic from foreign rule.)

- Good Friday on April (As part of the Holy Week or ‘Semana Santa’, Good Friday is celebrated by
Dominicans to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ in the Cavalry.)

- Labor Day on May 1 (The nation joins the entire world in celebrating this holiday.)

- Corpus Christi, which is celebrated in June, on a Thursday (This is celebrated exactly 60 days after Easter to commemorate the institution of one of the Catholic Church’s sacraments ? the Holy Eucharist.)

- Restoration Day or Día de Restauración on August 16 (This holiday celebrates the freedom regained by the Dominicans after a brief period of Spanish occupation.)

Now that we’ve covered those aspects of Dominican Republic Holidays, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

- Our Lady of las Mercedes on September 4 (This is the holiday set part in honor of the nation’s Patron Saint.)

- Constitution Day on November 6 (This marks the day when the first constitution of the Dominican Republic was created and adopted.)

- Christmas Day on December 25 (Although officially starting with a Christmas dinner on December 24th, the Dominicans celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ as a nation on the 25th.)

These secular holidays are mostly celebrated by the entire nation. The next set of holidays in the Dominican Republic compose mainly of regional festivals. Some of them are:

- The Cocolo Festival on January 1. This honors the African-European traditions of the Cocolo tribe who migrated to Hispaniola during the 16th century.

- The month-long festival, called the Carnaval, that is celebrated by over 100,000 nationwide.

- The week-long observance of the ‘Semana Santa’ in March or April. Church services are held in most towns. This coincides with the Voodo festivals held by the Haitian in the country.

- The Puerto Plata Cultural Festival that is celebrated in June. It is a 3-day long festival that is dedicated to Latin music.

- The Merengue Festival of Santo Domingo from the third week of July and generally to the 1st week of August.

- The Festival of the Bulls in Higüey on the 14th of August.

- The Jazz Festival that is widely celebrated in Cabarete and Sosua. It is usually held on the first week of October.

- The All Saints Day, which just like in the rest of the world, is held on the 1st day of November.

Finally are the Fiestas Patronales, the celebrations held in honor of the Patron Saints of the various towns , municipalities and provinces in the Dominican Republic. There are hundreds of these celebrated in one year. A handful of the most popular patronage holidays are the: San Felipe of the Puerto Plata Malecon, San Fernando of Monte Cristi, San Juan Bautista of Bani, San Antonio of Bonao and Sosua, and Saint Andrew of Boca Chica.

Is there really any information about Dominican Republic Holidays that is nonessential? We all see things from different angles, so something relatively insignificant to one may be crucial to another.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about Dominican Republic Holidays? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about Dominican Republic Holidays.

The Carnaval is a colorful vibrant celebration in the Dominican Republic lasting the entire month of February culminating on the 26th or the 27th of the month.

This is one holiday in the Republic that is much awaited with anticipation very much like Christians counting the days ’til Christmas although in a different manner. A big part of the celebration are parades that convey in part the story of their traditions, with costumes and decorations, and electrifying upbeat music. The Carnaval holiday celebration in the Dominican Republic is one of those holidays that bring so much spectacle and fun that should never be missed. It is also one of those holidays that should be participated by every person at least once in his or her lifetime.

If the celebrations were focused mainly on the nation’s capital as most holidays and celebrations are done, it could be exhausting and the visitor may be tempted to have enough after a few days of rambunctious participation. In the Dominican Republic though, while the whole nation participates, each town has traditions particular to the town or locality promoting its own twists and variations. What results is a cacophony of localized presentation that there are as many twists to the celebrations of this holiday as there are as many towns in the nation. Little wonder why this is a one-month event.

In many cultures around the world, the use of masks and costumes has been used to symbolize spirits and other spiritual entities long before recorded history. The natives of the Americas and Africa, in particular, used these symbols either to hide themselves from spiritual entities, to supplicate or to emulate them. That is how it all started.

Now that we’ve covered those aspects of Dominican Republic Holidays, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

Then, natives of the surrounding islands called Tainos practiced festivities (called Arietos) as part of wedding celebrations, to commemorate a loved one, to honor the dead, to signify important events. But mostly, these celebrations were originally done to appeal to the spirits for a bountiful harvest and productive planting.

Even then, these celebrations were very colorful as natives decorate themselves with pigments, tattoos, trinkets, masks, feathers and whatever is naturally available to them, lending it a festive colorful event instead of the traditional manner of praying to the gods for which it was originally intended. The arrival of Africans to the Island during the height of the slave trade gave the festivities added variety by bringing in and incorporating their own traditions, thereby contributing more fun to the carnaval festivities.

The arrival of the Spanish conquistadores to the Island and its subsequent Christianization added more flavor to the celebration. The Spanish priests then, recognizing that the festivities were a pagan ritual tried Christianizing the event that only made it more colorful with additional vestments, costumes and images and where the natives of the Islands incorporated Christian beliefs with native traditions.

La Carnaval, as the people of the Dominican Republic calls, is an event that evolved through time, making it more colorful and eventful than today. The original meaning may have been lost to most, but the intent to celebrate life as it happens is still depicted in every movement, music, costume and interaction with everyone, natives and visitors alike.

This article’s coverage of the information is as complete as it can be today. But you should always leave open the possibility that future research could uncover new facts.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO

Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about Dominican Republic Holidays? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about Dominican Republic Holidays.

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.

See how much you can learn about Dominican Republic Holidays when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don’t miss out on the rest of this great information.

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.

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By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his top ranked GVO affiliate site: GVO