Business hours in the Dominican Republic are normally 8.30am-6pm Monday through Friday, and 8.30am-12.30pm on Saturday. About half of the stores still close for the midday siesta. Banks are generally open Monday through Friday 8.30am-noon and 2-5pm, with a few open on Saturday.
The Dominican Republic has a bewildering barrage of festivals . On every day of the year, there seems to be some kind of celebration somewhere, the majority of which are regional fiestas patronales , held in honour of the city's or town's patron saint. These traditional fiestas are one of the great pleasures of a trip to the DR.
Major holidays and festivals
JANUARY
Virgen de Altagracia
January 21, the most important religious day in the Dominican calendar, including a several-day pilgrimage to Higuey.
Duarte Day
Holiday in honour of the Father of the Country, with public fiestas in all major towns on January 26.
FEBRUARY
Carnival
The pre-eminent celebration of the year, held on every Sunday in February and culminating on February 27. The biggest festival is in La Vega, with Santo Domingo a close second.
Independence Day
Celebration of independence from Haiti and the culmination of the Dominican Carnival (Feb 27). The place to be is Santo Domingo.
APRIL
Semana Santa
The Christian Holy Week (variable, usually early to mid-April) is also the most important week of Haitian and Dominican vodú . Festivals take place in the Haitian bateyes and in Haina.
MAY
Espiritu Santo
Huge celebrations in the capital's barrio Villa Mella, pueblo Santa María near San Cristóbal and the El Pomier caves, and San Juan de la Maguana - held seven weeks after Semana Santa.
JUNE
San Pedro Apostol
A magnificent Cocolo festival in San Pedro de Macorís on June 29, with roving bands of guloyas performing dance dramas on the street.
AUGUST
Festival of the Bulls
Higuey's fiesta patronal (Aug 14), with processions coming into the city from all sides - some from as far as 30km - with cowboys on horseback and large herds of cattle.
DECEMBER
Christmas
Guloya festivals in San Pedro de Macorís, Haitian Voodoo celebrations in the Haitian bateyes and rural groups of Caribbean-style Navidad carollers in the campos (Dec 25).
Festival of the Bulls
Traditional cattle festival in Bayaguana (Dec 28)
