Samaná province is hosting the 6th Whales Festival (27-28 January 2017) and Quelonios Warm Up (29 January 2017). The activities seek to raise local awareness of the conservation of the seas and its biodiversity. They are sponsored by the Caribbean Program for Marine Biodiversity that is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC).
As part of the Whales Festival, this year, on Friday, 27 January a humpback whale statue will be unveiled on the Samaná Malecón, the bay-facing city boulevard. There will be artistic presentations and a 3D mapping.
On Saturday, 28 January, there will be activities for young people, including a paint contest and a children’s rally. A panel on humpback whales will be held, a cooking show, folklore ballet presentation and more artistic presentations in the evening.
The Quelonios Warm Up on Sunday, 29 January seeks to create awareness of the importance of preserving the marine turtles in the country and avoiding the contamination of their habitat, the Caribbean Sea. This event will take place at Playa El Valle. A panel with biodiversity experts from the Foro Ambiental de Samaná, Ecotopía, Cebse, and others will participate. There will be sports events, yoga, gastronomy events and music, and artistic presentations.
17 January 2017
