Dominican Constitution Day – the reason for this long weekend

This year the day-off for this national holiday was moved to Monday the 4th of November – so that we could all enjoy a nice long weekend of celebrations!

THE FIRST CONSTITUTION DAY NOVEMBER 6TH, 1844

On the 6th of November in the year 1844, the same year in which the Dominican Republic was proclaimed an independent nation (on February 27th, 1844), the first Constitution was signed in San Cristóbal, a town nearby Santo Domingo, where it was (naturally) influenced by the laws of the Spanish, French, and North-America.

WHAT IS A CONSTITUTION?

A body of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is acknowledged to be governed.

Dominican National Holidays

The following is a summary of all the upcoming Dominican National holidays. Some holidays will be “moved” – this means that the day off and hence the celebration has been moved, usually to fall on a Monday to create a long weekend!

• Juan Pablo Duarte’s Birth –  Sunday, January 26th
• Independence Day and Dominican Carnaval – Thursday, February the 27th
• Semana Santa (Easter) – Sunday 13th April to Sunday 20th of April
• Labour Day – May 1st
• Mother’s Day – the last Sunday of May
• Corpus Christi – Thursday, June 19th
• Father’s Day – the last Sunday of July
• Día de la Restauración Dominicana – Saturday, August 16th
• Día de las Mercedes – Wednesday, September 24th
• Dominican Identity/Race Day – Saturday, October 12th
• Día de la Constitución – November 6th (moved to Monday, Nov. 4th)