Dominican Festival draws thousands to Providence on a hot August day
This story was edited to reflect broadcast reports that former Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez was unable to attend the festival.
PROVIDENCE – As they stood at the corner of Thurbers Avenue and Broad Street late Sunday morning, Carina Monge and Yannery Rodriguez spoke of the enduring significance of the Dominican Festival of Rhode Island.
The day-long celebration of Dominican culture was about to kick off with a parade that would wind its way through South Providence to Roger Williams Park, where music, food and fun awaited. The festival drew thousands despite the sweltering heat and humidity.
For years, said Monge, a member of Quisqueya In Action, whose objective is preserving traditional Dominican values in the state, the annual event has been a highlight of Rhode Island’sDominican and other Latino communities – so popular that this summer, as in the past, people from out of state traveled to Providence to participate.
Rodriguez, who also belongs to Quisqueya In Action, described an enduring tradition built on a foundation of caring. The festival’s dozens of sponsors – insurance companies, banks, restaurants, grocers, broadcast outlets, newspapers, tourism organizations and others – attested to the Dominican community’s contributions to city and state that Rodriguez praised.
Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré, one of the parade’s six grand marshals, also saluted the city's Dominican community – and the cooperation he sees between it and Providence police.
“We’ve always had a great relationship,” Paré said.
In a separate conversation, previous grand marshal Police Chief Hugh T. Clements Jr. agreed and he called the Dominican Festival one of his favorite events of the year.
Joining Paré as 2022 grand marshals were entrepreneurs Mercedes Mendez and Huascar Montilla, Providence Sports & Leadership director Kennedy Arias and Miss Rhode Island USA Elaine Collado.
Former Major League Baseball player Manny Ramirez was scheduled to be the grand marshal this year, but had to cancel due to a family emergency, according to abc6. A native of Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic, the 12-time All-Star played in the outfield for the Boston Red Sox from 2001 to 2008, during which time the Sox won two World Series titles.
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This being an election year, Sunday’s parade inevitably attracted candidates for congressional offices, governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, Providence mayor and Providence City Council.
According to a Quisqueya In Action news release, the festival “is put together with the participation of over 250 youth performers.…The groups focus their performances on folkloric and theatrical carnival themes. The parade [included] floats from different countries, Latino organizations, colorful folkloric dancers and more.”
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence Dominican Festival draws thousands on hot August day
