The Dominican Festival made a vibrant comeback in Philadelphia on Sunday, August 17, after an eight-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other circumstances. Organized by the Duartiano Institute of Philadelphia, the event took place at the plaza of the Council of Hispanic Organizations, located at 141 E. Hunting Park in North Philadelphia.

Despite the intense heat, Dominican families began gathering at 3 p.m., proudly dressed in national colors and waving their flags. The official program kicked off at 4 p.m. with the presence of representatives from the Dominican Republic’s Consulate General, the Duartiano Institute, the Institute for Dominicans Abroad (INDEX), La Mega, and other organizations.

Consul General Lourdes Herrera, appointed by President Luis Abinader in August 2024, sent a message through her representative encouraging the Dominican community to enjoy the festival.

Among the attendees were State Representative Danilo Burgos (District 197), Enerolina Meléndez (President of the Dominican Bodega Owners Association), Tomasina Sosa (INDEX’s Co-development Coordinator in Philadelphia), and Engineer Félix Santana, who has led INDEX Pennsylvania since 2018. Sosa highlighted the opening of a new INDEX office in Allentown in November 2023, the second city with the highest concentration of Dominicans in Pennsylvania. With this expansion, INDEX Pennsylvania now operates two offices—one in Philadelphia and one in Allentown—offering support and assistance programs to the Dominican community.

According to the second edition of the Sociodemographic Registry conducted by INDEX, out of 2,835,593 Dominicans living abroad, 2,393,718 (84.4%) reside in the United States, with 181,156 living in Pennsylvania.

The Dominican community plays a vital role in Philadelphia’s economic development, owning and working in businesses such as bodegas, tire shops, restaurants, supermarkets, taxi bases, beauty salons, barbershops, bars, nightclubs, multi-service agencies, and mental health clinics.

The musical lineup featured performances by Alex Alex (bachata), Carmelito Mezquita, Wylin Swager, Liebre Liricai, and El Poeta. The event also received support from Councilwoman Quetcy Lozada of District 7.