(8.7) The Dominican Festival Rhode Island will be taking over the Temple to Music at Roger Williams Park this Sunday, following the parade from Broad and Thurbers which kicks off at 10am. Judging from these outfits, I think the parade participants will be glad for an early start. The festival has been organized for the past thirty-two years by Quisqueya En Accion, a non-profit Dominican cultural organization. (Quisqueya is believed to mean “mother of all lands” in the Taíno language.)
Go to the Festival site to see photos of last year’s event with dancers in colorful outfits and more parade pix. You can also find info about the performers, Miriam Cruz, Karlos Rose and EhShawnee. And of course the big news will be the appearance of Grand Marshall, former Red Sox phenom and notorious free spirit, Manny Ramirez! (One of my favorites.)
The characters seen here, known as Diablo Cojuelos, will be appearing courtesy of the Asociacion Carnivalesca de Massachusetts (ACM) who just posted these pictures to the QEA page. The first comment underneath? “Ojala no haga mucho calor.” Translated . . . Hopefully it’s not too hot.
Parade, 10am, Sunday, August 7, Broad Street at Thurbers.
Festival, noon, Sunday, Temple to Music, Roger Williams Park.