Dominican holidays

Official holidays 2009 [2008]

  • Thursday, 1 January: New Year's Day.
  • Wednesday, 21 January: Our Lady of Altagracia Day.
  • Monday, 26 January: Duarte Day.
  • Friday, 27 February: Independence Day.
  • Sunday, 16 August: Restoration Day.
  • Thursday, 24 September: Our Lady of Mercedes Day.
  • Friday, 25 December: Christmas Day.

The following holidays are being celebrated on the closest Monday to the actual date:

  • Tuesday, 6 January: Three Kings Day. To be celebrated on Monday, 5 January.
  • Friday, 1 May: Labor Day. To be celebrated on Monday, 4 May.
  • Friday, 6 November: Constitution Day. To be celebrated on Monday, 9 November.

Rotating days as per the Roman Catholic Church calendar:

  • Friday, 10 April: Good Friday.
  • Thursday, 11 June: Corpus Christi Day.

Not a holiday, but observed by many:

  • Wednesday, 8 and Thursday, 9 April. The Wednesday afternoon and Thursday before Good Friday that falls on 10 April.
  • Wednesday, 26 April. National Secretary Day.
  • Sunday, 31 May. Mother's Day. Last Sunday in May.
  • Sunday, 26 July. Father's Day. Last Sunday in July.
  • Thursday, 24 December. Christmas Eve Day.
  • Thursday, 31 December. New Year's Eve.

Note that December is for Dominicans, what August is for Europeans. Do not expect to much major done in December. Too many parties going on.

Long weekends in 2009 (with Monday's falling on a holiday):

  • Expect a very very long weekend when celebrations for Wednesday, 31 December 2008 merge with the long weekend created by Monday, 5 January being a holiday (Three Kings Day). Thus, for many, the 31 December, 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 January will be time off.
  • Friday, 27 February (Independence Day), Saturday, 28 and Sunday, 1 March long weekend.
  • Easter long weekend. School is out from Monday, 6 April through 10 April.
  • Friday, 1 May through Monday, 5 May. Labor Day long weekend.
  • Friday, 6 November Constitution day to be celebrated on Monday, 9 November, making for a long weekend of Friday 6 Nov, Saturday 7 Nov, Sunday, 8 Nov and Monday, 9 Nov.
  • Friday, 25 December is a holiday, making for a Christmas long weekend, especially because celebrations start on Thursday, 24 December, with many taking off from Wednesday, 23 December for preparations.
  • Thursday, 31 December 2009 through Thursday, 1 January 2010. New Year long weekend.

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