It’s carnival time again, and the La Vega Carnival organizers have announced the start of the traditional Sunday parades by the costumed Diablo Cojuelos pranksters in the central valley city. The La Vega carnival is organized by the Union Carnavalesca and the La Vega municipal authorities. Carnival has been celebrated in La Vega since 1510. That year, the Spanish settlers under priest Alvaro de Castro organized a re-enactment of the Spanish “Moors and Christians” tradition.
This year’s La Vega Carnival starts off with an inaugural parade on Sunday, 28 January, but the first run by the devils will be on Sunday, 4 February, followed by runs on 11, 18 and 25 February. Traditional groups including Los Broncos, Las Mazones, Las Fieras, Las Hormiguitas, Las Panteras, Los Cavernarios, Los Bestias, Los Tigres, Las Plagas, Los Pieles Rojas and Los Rocky, will take part.
Other highlights are on Friday, 23 February, when a Children’s Day will be held in the Diablodromo in La Vega at 6pm, and on Saturday, 3 March, when La Vega’s finest take part in the Muestra Nacional del Carnaval, or the grand carnival parade in Santo Domingo.
The organizers have also booked performances by leading merengue bands and bachata groups, including Rubby Perez, Hector Acosta, Hermanos Rosario, Fernando Villalona and Tono Rosario.
For more on Dominican carnivals and their colorful costumes, see http://dr1.com/articles/masks.shtml