DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The La Vega Carnival, the most popular in the Dominican Republic, kicked off on Sunday, 1 February 2026 with the parades of the carnival characters and music events. The parades are set for all Sundays in February. The La Vega Carnival Union organizes the most traditional parade in the country and is the organization that has made carnival popular in the Dominican Republic.

For 2026, La Vega Carnival Union has brought together 230 groups called “ diablos cojuelos” (either ‘naughty’ or ‘limping’ devils), which are basically costumed groups dancing to merengues, or bachata music. Folklorists attest the origin of these dancers to legends of the Devil being thrown to the ground and limping away. They are perhaps the most colorful elements of the Carnival festivities.

La Vega also offers a more tradition carnival celebration at the Central Park where costumes from the 70s, 80s...