Dominican Independence Day celebrated in Reading
More than 200 people gathered Sunday for a ceremonial flag raising in City Park, followed by a reception with music, dancing and other displays of cultural pride at the WCR Center, 140 N. Fifth St.
Members of Reading's Dominican community prepare to raise the Dominican flag Sunday in City Park. (Courtesy of Councilman Jaime Baez Jr.)
Reading has a large Latino community with many people of Dominican heritage.
As of 2020, about 18,575 people in the city identified as Dominican. This made Reading, which had a population of 94,903 as of 2023, one of the top 25 U.S. cities with the largest Dominican populations, according to U.S. census data.
Gabrielina Lopez displays the flag of the Dominican Republic Sunday during a reception celebrating Dominican Independence Day at the WCR Center in Reading. (Courtesy of Councilman Jaime Baez Jr.)
Members of Reading's active Dominican community are found in all walks of life: professionals, artists, laborers, entrepreneurs and students.
The anniversary of the island nation's independence is traditionally celebrated on Feb. 27, the date in 1844 that it declared its independence from the Republic of Haiti.
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