Procigar 2025 Gets New Host Hotel, Registration Opens

There are a number of notable changes coming to Procigar 2025, the Dominican Republic’s annual cigar festival.

Most of what is planned will sound familiar to those who have previously attended the festival. It will begin Sunday, Feb. 16, in La Romana, the eastern part of the island. This is an optional part of the festival that most people do not attend. However, those interested in staying at Casa de Campo—a luxury resort—and/or visiting Tabacalera de García, the largest cigar factory in the world, should attend that segment, which will take place Sunday-Tuesday. On Tuesday, those who do the La Romana portion will make the drive towards the center of the island to Santiago de los Caballeros, the Dominican’s cigar capital.

Image via Marriott

On Tuesday night, a welcome party will be had to kick off the main portion of Procigar and that is where the most notable change will be obvious. After many years of planning and construction, a new Residence Inn by Marriott has opened in Santiago, the first hotel from a major international change. It will serve as the main hotel for the festival, replacing the Hodelpa Gran Almirante, which had served as the host hotel. The Residence Inn will host the Tuesday night welcome cocktail. In addition to the Residence Inn, Procigar will also use the Hodelpa Garden Court.

The next two days will be fairly familiar: daily tours to a cigar factory or tobacco field as well as evening parties, including traditions like the White Party, held at Santiago’s most famous monument, and a closing gala that features a humidor auction and was attended by President Luis Abinader this past year. Each day, attendees can choose a different cigar factory or field to visit. Some companies like La Flor Dominicana tend to visit both fields and factories in a single tour, while other companies like Arturo Fuente split their tours into separate days. Another change is that Friday will include tours instead of the Procigar Field Day event that has been held for the last few festivals. Procigar 2025 will conclude on Friday, Feb. 21.

Procigar is more than just a cigar festival, it’s actually a group of most of the prominent Dominican cigar manufacturers. In addition to hosting the Procigar festival, the group works with the Dominican government and governments around the world to promote Dominican cigars. Procigar members include:

• Arnold André
• De Los Reyes
• General Cigar Dominicana (General Cigar Co./STG)
• La Aurora
• La Flor Dominicana
• PDR Cigars
• Quesada
• Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia (Arturo Fuente)
• Tabacalera de García (Altadis U.S.A./Tabacalera USA)
• Tabacalera La Alianza S.A. (E.P. Carrillo)
• Tabacalera Palma (La Galera)
• Tabadom Holding, Inc. (Davidoff)

The cost to attend the Santiago portion is $2,250, which includes all events, meals, alcohol, cigars, transport and a hotel room from Tuesday-Saturday. Procigar also allows people to pick and choose the activities and events they would like to attend a la carte. Registration is now open and those who complete registration by the end of October will get additional cigars and swag.