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Christmas is very important to Dominicans, and this is evidenced by the outstanding decorations of businesses, malls and large stores, streets and homes in Greater Santo Domingo and Santiago, the second largest city.<\/p>\nChristmas is very important to Dominicans, and this is evidenced by the outstanding decorations of businesses, malls and large stores, streets and homes in Greater Santo Domingo and Santiago, the second largest city.<\/p>\n
It is family time in the Dominican Republic, with most city restaurants (with the exception of most hotel restaurants) to be closed for Sunday, 24 December 2017. But expect many to be open for the Christmas day celebration.<\/p>\n
Building up to the holiday, there are many parties into the late evening, as friends and visiting relatives come home for Christmas. Try to program shopping and outings off peak times to avoid the traffic jams that are at their worse this time of the year.<\/p>\n
Worthwhile weekend events include:<\/p>\n
Thursday, 20 December:
\nAt the Jaragua Renaissance: Singer-composer Pavel N\u00fa\u00f1ez will be the lead singer for the Big Band N\u00fa\u00f1ez performance at the Teatro La Fiesta of the Renaissance Jaragua Hotel on Thursday, 21 December 2017. With him will be many leading Dominican singers as guest performers, including Danny Rivera.<\/p>\n
At the Hard Rock Live: Dominican singer-composer Wason Brazob\u00e1n will be at Hard Rock Live at Blue Mall in Santo Domingo on Thursday, 21 December 2017 for the presentation of his concert “De viaje por la vida.” This is a repeat of the 20 October concert that lasted over three hours and was a total sell out many days before.<\/p>\n
Friday, 22 December:
\nIn Puerto Plata: The Puerto Plata Amphitheater announces the presentation of merengue queens, Miriam Cruz and Milly Quezada in an evening long concert on Friday, 22 December 2017. Tickets are for sale at the Amphitheater box office and at the front desk of many of the hotels and resorts in Puerto Plata.<\/p>\n
Sandy Gabriel\u2019s \u201cJazz Christmas\u201d at Blue Jack Tar
\nDominican saxophone player Sandy Gabriel and Pop Jazz Ensemble are presenting the \u201cJazz Christmas\u201d concert on Friday, 22 December 2017 starting at 9:30pm in Blue Jack Tar of Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata. Performing as part of the band are Rose Matteo (guest singer); Emil Pimentel (keyboard); Daniel \u00c1lvarez, (bass); Ezequiel Francisco (drums) and David Almengod (percussion).<\/p>\n
Saturday, 23 December:<\/p>\n
At the Downtown Center in Bella Vista: Teatro The Alley presents “Navidad Fuera del Caj\u00f3n” on 16, 17 and 23 December 2017. The story is about school children who open the boxes with their costumes for their traditional Christmas play and find they have been sent the wrong costumes. There is no time to exchange these, so the Christmas show is a marvelous show of creativity for the entire family.<\/p>\n
At Casa de Teatro in the Colonial City: Freddy Ginebra and Diomary La Mala promise a great show at Casa de Teatro this Saturday, 23 December 2017. Diomary La Mala has one of the best voices in the country. She is also a great show woman. Freddy Ginebra as host will be telling jokes. Casa de Teatro. 9pm. Tickets RD$1,500 inside the theater, and RD$1,000 outside watching on the big screen.<\/p>\n
Ramon Orlando, Henry Garcia, Dionis Fernandez and Charlie Rodriguez have come together for an evening of Dominican Christmas Classics at Lucia 203 in the Colonial City. You can order dinner and you can dance the night away. From 10pm. Saturday, 23 December and a repeat on Saturday, 30 December. Tickets RD$1,000 for sale online at Ticket Express and at the door.
\nIn Punta Cana: The ballet, The Nutcracker, with music by\u00a0Tchaikovsky will be performed on Saturday, 23 December 2017, at 6pm at the Punta Cana Blue Mall amphitheater.Choreography and direction by Carlos Veitia.\u00a0Tickets are RD$2,200 (front stage) and RD$800 general admission.<\/p>\n
In San Cristobal: Anthony Santos will be singing bachatas at the El Viajero explanade on Autopista 6 de Noviembre, the highway to San Crist\u00f3bal, this Saturday, 23 December 2017. The concert is a benefit for the Asociaci\u00f3n Mujeres Solidarias Incorporadas (AMSI). The benefit helps survivors of breast cancer. Santos is donating 1% of the ticket prices to the women’s support group.<\/p>\n
In Puerto Plata: The Puerto Plata Amphitheater presents an evening of merengue with Conjunto Quisqueya, Alex Matos, Mark B. Divas by Jim\u00e9nez and Pochy Familia y la Coco Band. Tickets are for sale at the Amphitheater box office and at the front desk of many of the hotels and resorts in Puerto Plata.<\/p>\n
Monday, 25 December:
\nChristmas story presentation on 25 December 2017
\nDon\u2019t miss the last presentation of the Christmas Story at the parking lot of the Torre Popular on Av. John F. Kennedy. This is a Dominican tradition. Sunday, 25 December at 6:30pm. Free admission.<\/p>\n
Santo Domingo Cathedral Christmas concert
\nIn the Colonial City: The traditional Christmas Concert with the Choir of the Santo Domingo Cathedral will happen this Monday, 25 December 2017. This year a children\u2019s choir will be performing, too. Highlights of this 27th Christmas concert include the participation of sopranos Natalie Pe\u00f1a Comas and Paola Gonz\u00e1lez, and tenor Enmanuel Vargas. The general production is by Professor Jose Delmotne Peguero, working with Wanda Guzm\u00e1n, Andres Capell\u00e1n, Fernando Herrera and Rafael Calderon. 8pm. To get a seat inside, you need to queue no later than 6:30pm. The concert can be seen on Channel 4 (CRTV). Free admission.<\/p>\n
Tuesday, 26 December:
\nUrbanova show at Casa de Teatro
\nOn Tuesday, 26 December 2017, Urbanova presents \u201cA Son de Fuson\u201d, a production of Johnny Ventura y Asociados that includes repertoires of Dominican music legends Fernando Echavarrria y la Familia Andre, Chich\u00ed Peralta, Jandy Feliz and Carlos Vives among others. Six musicians and the vocals of Cristian Allexis promise a memorable evening at Casa de Teatro in the Colonial City.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Christmas is very important to Dominicans, and this is evidenced by the outstanding decorations of businesses, malls and large stores, streets and homes in Greater Santo Domingo and Santiago, the second largest city. It is family time in the Dominican Republic, with most city restaurants (with the exception of most hotel restaurants) to be closed … <\/p>\n