Here are the 2024 holidays and long weekends
The Ministry of Labor has announced the official holidays for calendar year 2024, and there are 12 holidays and six long, three-day, weekends. Take note that unofficial extended long weekends are created also depending on the day of the week of the holidays. Holidays mean less traffic in the city, but vacation areas see peaks in domestic travel.
Here are the official holidays in 2024:
January is the month of the most holidays. Monday, 1 January is a holiday. This creates a long weekend when combined with the festivities leading to the 31 December New Year celebrations.
Next comes Saturday, 6 January, Three Kings Day.
Sunday, 21 January is the Feast of Our Lady of High Grace (Altagracia). It is a religious holiday and there are no changes of date.
On Friday, 26 January, the country honors the birthday of nation founder, Juan Pablo Duarte, with the celebration moved to the following Monday, 29 January, making for a long weekend.
In February, Dominicans celebrate Independence Day on Tuesday, 27 February. The event will take place on 27 February. For those who can take off the previous Monday, a long weekend is created.
Good Friday, 29 March will be celebrated on 29 March. School is off since the previous Friday and most people will be in vacation mode from Wednesday, 27 March. This holiday marks the start of beach season for locals in the Dominican Republic. It is a peak time for domestic travel.
Labor Day follows on Wednesday, 1 May and will be celebrated on the previous Monday, 29 April, making for another long weekend.
The religious holiday of Corpus Christi always falls on a Thursday and is a holiday. Here again, for those who can take off Friday, a long weekend is created.
16 August, Restoration Day, falls on a Friday and remains a holiday on that day. In 2024 it marks the start of the new term of government.
In September, Tuesday, 24 September is the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy and will be celebrated on Tuesday. This makes for an extended long weekend for those who can take the previous Monday off.
Constitution Day, 6 November falls on a Wednesday and will be celebrated on the previous Monday, 4 November, another long weekend.
Christmas will fall on a Wednesday and nothing changes. Take note that Dominicans take Christmas holidays very seriously, and it is a month for office parties and friends and family gatherings any day of the week.
Read more in Spanish:Listin Diario Diario Libre
7 November 2023
