Santo Domingo.-With a shot of confetti, Mayor Carolina Mejía, along with Colí, the mascot of the Central American and Caribbean Games, began the 2026 National District Carnival parade yesterday Sunday on the Santo Domingo boardwalk.
After the opening, hundreds of volunteers who will participate in the games scheduled for July paraded with the flags of the countries that will be present at the regional event. “We are giving an early opening to the celebration of the games. Here we have all the flags of the Central American countries that will participate from July 24 to August 8. I am excited that we are the hosts,” said Mejía.
The Capital’s boardwalk was transformed into a popular festival scene where color, music, dance and tradition brought together thousands of capital residents and visitors in a family atmosphere.
The troupes
More than 70 troupes paraded along George Washington Avenue, showing creativity, rhythm and folklore.
The day began around 4:30 in the afternoon and took place with high attendance, supported by an extensive security device and inter-institutional coordination that guaranteed order throughout the event.
The mayor highlighted that the carnival represents a living manifestation of the capital’s identity and an opportunity to strengthen the cultural traditions of the city.
This edition was dedicated to Dr. José Guillermo —Pepe— Mieses, doctor, athlete and folklorist, founder of the Los Leones del Diablo troupe and key figure in the strengthening of the capital’s carnival.
The parade was led by the king of the carnival, Francisco Taveras Benítez, recognized for his career in this tradition, along with the queen, Santa Valdez, distinguished for her years of dedication and awards in this cultural expression.
The music band of the National District Fire Department and Los Guloyas de Propagas also participated, providing rhythm and symbolism at the beginning of the route.
During the parade, troupes and individual characters captivated the public and the jury, competing in categories such as great troupe, best floats, Alibabá, traditional and fantasy devils, historical and traditional troupes, as well as fantasy and traditional individuals.
The inclusion
Inclusion was also present at the National District Carnival, with adapted spaces that allowed the full participation of people with disabilities.
Access ramps, reserved areas, sign language interpretation and adapted logistics were part of the event setup to guarantee equal conditions.
The president of the National Disability Council (Conadis), Benny Metz, positively valued the measures implemented and highlighted that the carnival became an example of social inclusion.
He pointed out that the applied policy made it possible to observe facilities such as ramps, sign language interpretation and other elements necessary for accessibility.
He stressed that these actions contribute to raising awareness among the population about the importance of guaranteeing equal participation in society and stated that people with disabilities were able to enjoy the event without barriers. He added that, although there were efforts in previous years, in this edition more visible advances were seen in accessibility and organization of the space.
Ferlannys Cuevas, in charge of Inclusion of the Mayor’s Office of the National District, explained that accessibility has been part of the municipal vision since the beginning of Mejía’s administration.
He indicated that the objective has been to build a city for everyone, progressively incorporating facilities for people with visual, motor, hearing and cognitive disabilities, on this and other days.
Collective support
—1— Rating
The event was attended by municipal authorities, councilors, cultural managers and personalities from social, political and artistic life, who valued the organization and level of the participants.
—2— Closing
Music closed the day on an afternoon dedicated to celebrating culture.
