March 26, 2025
On Sunday the National Carnival Parade in Santo Domingo drew more than a hundred and fifty participating groups and many thousands of spectators to the Capital. Dressed up in colorful costumes, marchers delighted big crowds of onlookers on Santo Domingo’s Malecón, which runs along the seashore here. The weather was perfect…until it wasn’t. Late in the afternoon the sky suddenly darkened and a massive tropical downpour sent everyone running for cover.
Half an hour later the rain tapered off but by then a lot of people had left. Soaking wet Carnival groups continued marching and dancing along the route. Participants represented the best carnival troupes from around the country, and they were eligible for a big prize worth thousands of dollars. The Parade is a cultural highlight here, and this year it was dedicated to San Cristóbal and many of the costumes used recycled material in support of the environment.
