Dominica Carnival aka 'Mas Domnik 2025' hailed as big success

Mas Domnik 2025: The Real Mas! – Dominica’s annual carnival which was held on March 3 and 4, 2025, has been hailed as a thumping success, culminating with the costume parade and street jump-up which concluded at 10 pm.  

On the first day, the festivities saw the extension of fun activities till 11 in the night, leaving the revellers ecstatic and organizers delighted with the successful execution and response from the people. 

What visitors said 

One of the visitors in Dominica, who goes by the name of afroxdutch on Instagram, said the carnival was nothing short of magical. 

“Mas Domnik 2025 🇩🇲 was nothing short of magical! From the moment I touched down, I felt celebrated, welcomed, and completely embraced by the energy, the people, and the spirit of The Real Mas! The vibes were unmatched, and I had the absolute best time throughout the week,” she said. 

Several participants posted pictures, videos and reels wearing unique and colourful dresses and dancing and enjoying on the streets. Many of them wore decorative items and also waved flags. 

Discover Dominica Authority calls Mas Dominik 2025 ‘massive success’ 

Government officials were equally pleased with the carnival’s success. Marva Williams, chief executive officer of Discover Dominica Authority, Dominica’s government agency that looks after the development of its key tourism sector, emphasized the rise in international visitors while speaking on local radio about the success of Mas Dominik 2025. 

She also gave credit to extensive promotion campaigns that projected the carnival as the “most authentic, safest, and most diverse” in the Caribbean region. 

“We saw this as a reality on Monday and Tuesday and the week leading up to those days with a massive success in terms of visibility and being able to draw local and overseas patrons…this sets us apart from other Caribbean carnivals,” Williams told state radio. 

Housing, Land and Urban Development Minister Melissa Poponne-Skerrit shared reels from the carnival and said in a Facebook post, “The Real Ole Mas!! If you haven't experienced Carnival in Dominica then you are missing out on one of the best Carnival experiences!! Don't wait, start planning for 2026 today!!” 

Tourism Minister Denise Charles-Pemberton also shared a video of the carnival’s events accompanied by dance, song and colourful parades. 

The Mas Dominik festivities are held annually in March, specifically on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday which marks the start of Lent. The months leading up to the carnival witnesses Calypso shows, village feasts and pageants. The carnival season officially kicked off on January 18. 

International personalities also attended the colourful events of Mas Dominik 2025. British actress Nathalie Emmanuel, who has Dominican roots and appeared in films such as Fast and Furious, participated in the carnival this year, helping it to hog the limelight more. 

Event was incident-free, says police chief 

Dominica’s Acting Chief of Police Davidson Valerie said the carnival did not witness any untoward incident and only six arrests were made across the island while it happened and those too for minor offences. He thanked the public for cooperating with the law-keepers and praised the officers for their dedication to ensure that the event happened peacefully. 

“The support of the carnival organising committee and the public who were generally very cooperative must be commended,” he said in a statement to local media. 

On Wednesday, March 5, another ritual took place to mark the conclusion of the carnival season. Traditionally called “Tewe Vaval”, it marks a symbolic burial of the spirit of Carnival, involving a mock funeral procession, bonfire and burning of clothes and costumes, implying the return to daily life till next year’s festivities. The Vaval ceremony usually begins at 3:00 pm in the western community of Dublanc and in the eastern community in the Kalinago Territory. 

“Tewe Vaval” faced strong opposition from the religious people, especially the Catholics of the Kalinago community, but the celebration became normal since the mid-1990s when people turned up in big numbers to participate.