It’s carnival time in the Dominican Republic and if you have not been to La Vega, be sure to visit on any Sunday in February, starting 5 February. This year there will be a special parade on Monday, 27 February, Independence Day. While the climax is the last Sunday of the month when all the costumed-demons are out in force, every one of the preparatory runs on the previous Sundays is about just as much fun. The groups run down main streets, dancing, with parades of bladder-blasting pranksters trying to land a wallop on any viewer who may be in their way. Spectators are just as much of the show, as they dodge the diablos cojuelos.
The La Vega carnival brings together the largest number of dance and prank-making groups as well as the most elaborate costumes. What makes their costumes different from others around the country is that they have mastered techniques that allow the papier-mache masks to make movements and show teeth, giving them a more menacing effect.
The La Vega carnival is a joint effort by the Union Carnavalesca Vegana since 1988.