People the world over come to the Dominican Republic to join in with the music and dance that has given the area a festive mood year round. Walking through the streets of the Dominican Republic you will soon realize that music and dance is a way of life here which can be seen and felt with the national dance, merengue. The origin of the dance is quite a mystery with varies renditions according to the person explaining the beginning. Some say it is strictly Dominican while others explain it is a mix of African and European movements. No matter where it originated or the reason it became popular you will see the dance at many of the Dominican Republic events. Many believe the merengue is a style of music; however, it is actually the dance that accompanies the groups that play music designed especially for the merengue.
Dominican Republic events encompass a variety of themes
including political, religious, and music. Many of the
Dominican Republic events are mainly for locals or those
that celebrate the religious days as well such as the
Day of the Dead, which is celebrated throughout Mexico,
Latin American, and the Caribbean.
This is a wonderful experience that is celebrated throughout
the Dominican Republic. This Dominican Republic event
is held annually as a remembrance of family members that
are deceased. On November 1st, children are honored and
on November 2nd, adults are honored. In many cultures,
these are the days that it is believed the deceased can
visit their loved ones. During this Dominican Republic
festival, the family begins at the gravesite and leaves
a trail of flowers to their home where they will prepare
a feast so the deceased person can enjoy the time spent
with family on this special day. In some areas, people
only visit the cemetery and bring offerings of food and
flowers.
There are quite a few Dominican Republic festivals that offer music as the main attraction such as the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival.
The Dominican Republic Jazz Festival is a huge event that is celebrated in three locations including Cabarete, Puerto Plata, and Sosua. The festival is an annual event that has jazz musicians and bands performing on the beach while guests participate by dancing, enjoying Dominican cuisine, and becoming a part of this unique festival.
Besides the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival, there
are other Dominican Republic festivals that attract visitors
such as the Santo Domingo Merengue Festival. The festival
is a weeklong event hosted at the Malecon during the last
week of July or the beginning of August. You will be able
to dance the night away with Dominican musicians and enjoy
all the delectable cuisine as well.
The Dominican Republic
is known for its colorful festivals and its Latin style
music attracting visitors from all over the world to join
in the fun.
