Samaná celebrates coconut gastronomy and culture festival

Samaná, DR – Santa Bárbara de Samaná kicked off its long-awaited Gastronomic and Cultural Coconut Festival this Thursday evening, which will run until Sunday.

Sponsored by the Special Fund for Agricultural Development (FEDA), the festival is taking place in the park located between the Saint Peter Evangelical Church, known as “La Churcha,” and the Santa Bárbara Catholic Church.

The event’s agenda includes live cooking demonstrations, showcasing the diverse culinary creations of local coconut producers. Additionally, visitors can expect to find artisan exhibits, agricultural product displays and various art and cultural performances throughout the weekend.

On Saturday, the festival will feature a cooking competition centered around fish, a staple ingredient in the region, combined with coconut. The first, second and third-place winners will receive cash prizes of RD$25,000, RD$15,000, and RD$5,000, respectively. There will also be a special RD$5,000 prize for the most visually appealing dish. Throughout the day, visitors can browse and purchase coconut-related products.

The festival’s inaugural day will feature a religious celebration, with Christian groups and cultural ensembles performing. In the evening, a traditional Dominican music festival will take place, featuring popular artists such as La Barbie de Santiago and Maestro Ramón Orlando. Local bands will also perform nightly.

On Sunday, a special dish called “Mar y Tierra” (Sea and Land) will be prepared for approximately 1,000 people. “We’ll be making a large pot for a thousand people of a dish we’ve named ‘Mar y Tierra,’ combining seafood and meat,” explained Chef Solangel Velázquez, head of Consume Lo Nuestro at FEDA and a member of the festival’s organizing committee.