Procigar Festival 2024

Procigar, the Association of Dominican Cigar Manufacturers, celebrated their sixteenth annual Procigar Festival.

The world-renowned cigar makers of Procigar announced the sixteenth annual Procigar Festival, where over 1000 guests from more than 20 countries were welcomed to Cigar Country, The Dominican Republic. This six-day destination event featured a variety of experiences that brought together suppliers, retailers, consumers, producers, and industry associates from all over the world to celebrate the pride and passion of Dominican Cigars.

On Sunday, February 18th, we started at the luxury destination, Casa de Campo, known as the best golf resort in the world, where attendees enjoyed the warm Caribbean sun, go for a tour of the spectacular countryside by horseback, relax on the beach, play in the surf —the list goes on.

The next day a catamaran to Catalina Island took place followed by a sunset bonfire dinner at Minitas Beach Club hosted by Grupo de Maestros of Tabacalera de García.

On Tuesday, February 20th Tabacalera de García, the biggest cigar factory in the world, hosted a tour with a guided visit to their facilities. In the afternoon, guests departed to Santiago, the Cigar Capital of the World, for three days, where they were able to participate in guided tours of the following cigar factories and tobacco fields: Quesada Cigars, La Aurora, General Cigar Dominicana, Tabacalera Palma, De Los Reyes Cigars, Tabacalera A. Fuente, PDR Cigars, Casa Carrillo, La Flor Dominicana, Davidoff Cigars, Arnold André, Montecristo, as well as a visit to the Chateau de la Fuente, Cigar Family Charitable Foundation and House of Dreams. An exclusive gift bag was offered to festival guests upon their arrival, including special items such as a limited-edition cigar box, ashtray, cutter, lighter and others cigar accessories, followed by an exquisite welcome cocktail hosted by Procigar members and their staff. While in Santiago, attendees had the opportunity to attend one more time to the Procigar Field Day, an activity exclusively designed for one-on-one interactions with the icons and gurus of the Dominican cigar industry. Additionally, a seminar called “Cigar Wrapper Influence” was offered by Michael Herklots and David Perez.

On Wednesday February 21st, after the tours, the Welcome Dinner Party was held at the Parque Central, where all guests received an exclusive cigar box manufactured by Zanwill International and enjoy Dominican a remarkable culinary experience together with live music by local performers. Afterwards, the traditional Dominican music contest occurred, where the winners received two special edition cigar boxes from Procigar.

The famous White Party followed at Santiago’s Monumento a los Héroes de la Restauración on Thursday, February 22nd. Attendees enjoyed a unique atmosphere with a majestic set up that highlights the beauty and welcoming atmosphere of our beloved city. Those present at the event received a very special cigar box and art piece manufactured by International Packaging.

The Gala Dinner Party on February 24th was celebrated at the Centro Español, a private club founded in 1965, and, for the very first time in the Procigar Festival history, the President of Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader accompanied us in support of the tobacco industry of the country, together with others state important figures such as ambassadors, ministers, senators, among others. On this night, guests were welcomed with a special cigar box manufactured by Vrijdag Premium Printing.

The guests experienced a delightful dinner and a spectacular show featuring live music as well as several recognitions were presented.

In recognition of Procigar’s unwavering commitment to passion, tradition, and excellence within the Dominican Republic Tobacco Industry, we are happy to present them with the prestigious The Luxury Network Award. This esteemed award celebrates Procigar’s exceptional contributions to the luxury sector, showcasing their dedication to crafting unparalleled experiences and setting the standard for excellence in their field.

Procigar Association recognized Don Manolo Quesada and Michael Herklots for their dedication to Procigar’s charitable efforts and leading the auctions with so much success over the years. The traditional auction of unique items filled with either special, rare or Limited-Edition cigars raised over US$ 530,000.00, benefiting Voluntariado Jesús con los Niños (a nonprofit organization for ill children), Sociedad San Vicente de Paúl (senior retirement home for low-income elders), Procigar’s charitable initiative “A Home for My Family” (housing program for disadvantaged yet deserving employees of the members companies), among others nonprofit organizations.

The event culminated with an after party featuring DJs, performances by dancers, and the official presentation of new passive and active members of Procigar Association. Procigar Festival is a truly unique experience catered to cigar lovers worldwide. It features on site educational experiences and tours of the Dominican Republic’s world-renowned cigar factories led by the legends of Dominican cigars themselves. Attendees can enjoy the festival in any number of ways, from nightly entertainment to leisure activities, all with a fine cigar in hand.

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