Carnival, also known as Mas Domnik or Real Mas in Dominica, is a public holiday in the Commonwealth of Dominica, and it takes place on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.
Dominica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea. Christopher Columbus first sighted the island in 1493. The island became a colony of France in 1727. In 1763, the French ceded the island to Britain after the French lost in the Seven Years' War in Europe. Dominica gained full independence from the United Kingdom on November 3, 1978.
Different from other Caribbean countries celebrating Carnival in July or August, the Carnival celebrations in Dominica take place before the traditional pre-Lenten time, normally between late February and early March. Carnival Monday and Carnival Tuesday are the two days before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of the Lenten period leading up to Easter, another important Christian festival celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Carnival season in Dominica is formally opened with a parade and ceremony a month before the holiday. Shows, feasts, and all kinds of events are held across the country in the following days. Carnival Monday and Carnival Tuesday are the last two exciting days of celebrations with traditional music, dances, and costumes.
The following is the list of Carnival in Dominica from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Monday | Tuesday |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival | Feb 28, 2022 | Mar 01, 2022 |
| Carnival | Feb 20, 2023 | Feb 21, 2023 |
| Carnival | Feb 12, 2024 | Feb 13, 2024 |
| Carnival | Mar 03, 2025 | Mar 04, 2025 |
| Carnival | Feb 16, 2026 | Feb 17, 2026 |
Please check more public holidays in the Commonwealth of Dominica: