Calendar of Events

Cuba has a packed schedule of festivals, congresses, and carnivals, and it seems like more are being offered each year. If no specific contact information is offered below, you can contact Paradiso (tel. 7/832-9538; paradis@paradise.artex.com.cu), the tour agency arm of the national arts and cultural organization ARTex. Paradiso organizes theme tours and escorted trips based around most of the major festivals and cultural events occurring throughout the year. You can also find pretty good information at www.cubatravel.cu, www.cult.cu, and www.loseventos.cu (the last two are in Spanish only).

February

International Book Fair, Havana. This large gathering of authors, publishers, and distributors is really only of interest to those who can read in Spanish. But if you can, this is an excellent Latin American book fair. Second week of February.

Habanos Festival, Havana. Cigar smokers won't want to miss this annual celebration of the Cuban stogie. Run by the official state cigar company, Habanos, S.A., events include lectures, factory visits, tastings, and a gala dinner with an auction of rare cigars. For more information, visit www.habanos.com. Late February.

March

International Festival of "La Trova" Pepe Sánchez, Santiago de Cuba. If you like the sounds of traditional Cuban folk music, you'll want to hit this festival. Buena Vista Social Club member Eliades Ochoa was charged with organizing a recent version. Local Santiagueros are the heart of the festival, but singers and groups come from the entire island and throughout Latin America. Mid-March.

Celebration of Classic Cars, Havana. Recognizing the appeal of its huge fleet of classic American cars, Cuba has organized a weeklong celebration of these Detroit dinosaurs. Events include lectures, mechanical workshops, and parades. Owners from other countries are encouraged to bring their wheels to Cuba, and a caravan from Havana to another colonial city is usually orchestrated. Mid-March.

April

International Percussion Festival PERCUBA, Havana. This large meeting of percussionists draws national and international scholars and players working in genres ranging from classical to fusion. Lectures, workshops, concerts, and colloquiums are all part of a dense bill. Call tel. 7/203-8808 or visit www.cult.cu for more information. Mid-April.

May

May Day parades, nationwide. If you're in Cuba for May Day, the traditional socialist celebration of Labor Day, you'll want to join (or at least watch) one of the many parades and public gatherings. The big daddy of them all takes place at the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana, where over 100,000 people usually gather to listen to Fidel's annual May Day speech. May 1.

June

International Festival "Boleros de Oro," Havana. You'll be crying in your mojito . . . and lovin g it. Theaters, clubs, and concert halls across Havana will be filled with the sweet and melancholy sounds of bolero. Concerts are also staged in Santiago and other major cities. Late June.

July

Fiesta del Fuego, Santiago de Cuba. This event features lectures, concerts, parades, and street fairs celebrating Afro-Caribbean culture. Speakers, guests, and musical groups from around the Caribbean are usually invited. For more information, e-mail caribe@cult.stgo.cul.cu. July 3 to July 9.

International "Old Man and the Sea" Billfish Tournament, Playas del Este, Havana. Marina Tarará is the host to this annual big-game fishing tournament. Call tel. 7/897-1462 for more information. Mid- to late July.

Carnival, Santiago de Cuba. The most "African" city in Cuba throws an excellent annual carnival. Street parties and concerts are everywhere, and the colonial city is flooded with masked revelers and long conga lines. Second half of July.

August

Carnival, Havana. Although not nearly as colorful or charismatic as Santiago's Carnival, there's still a good dose of public merriment, street parties, open-air music concerts, and the occasional parade. August 3 to August 15.

Beny Moré International Festival of Popular Music, Cienfuegos. Although he was actually born a few kilometers away in the little hamlet of Santa Isabel de las Lajas, he is celebrated here with a heavy schedule of concerts throughout most of the latter part of August, and sometimes into September.

Carnival, Matanzas. If you're looking for a good time, try to get to Matanzas during the third week of August. Although not as massive or elaborate as Carnival celebrations in Havana or Santiago, Matanzas still puts on a good party. The town has strong Afro-Cuban roots, and you'll experience this in body, flesh, food, and song throughout the week. Third week of August.

September

Fiesta de la Virgen del Cobre, El Cobre, Santiago de Cuba. Cuba's national saint, the Virgin of Cobre, is revered by Roman Catholics and Santeras alike. There are pilgrimages to her altar in the small town of El Cobre, and celebrations in her honor nationwide. September 8.

International Blue Marlin Tournament, Havana. The Marina Hemingway is the fitting site for this annual big-game fishing tournament. For more information, call tel. 7/204-6848 or check www.cubanacan.cu. Late September.

October

Days of Cuban Culture, nationwide. In yet another show of Cuba's omnipresent anti-colonial spirit, the period traditionally marking Christopher Columbus's stumbling upon the New World are given over to celebrations of Cuban and Afro-Cuban culture. October 10 to October 20.

International Festival "Matamoros Son," Santiago de Cuba. The silky sounds of Cuban son fill the streets and theaters of Santiago. Organized by the reigning champion of the genre, Adalberto Alvarez, this is a great chance to hear a solid week of some wonderful music. Visit www.cult.cu for more information. Mid-October.

Havana International Ballet Festival, Havana. Alicia Alonso, amazingly, is still going strong, and the Cuban National Ballet is still one of the most highly regarded troupes on the planet. Alicia uses this cachet to stage a wonderful annual international festival in the Gran Teatro de La Habana. For more information, call tel. 7/855-3084 or visit www.balletcuba.cu. Late October.

November

Havana Biennale, Havana. This is one of the premier Latin American art shows, bringing together and exhibiting a wide range of contemporary Latin American artists working in a broad range of mediums and styles. Occurring in even-numbered years from mid-November to mid-December.

December

International Festival of New Latin American Film Festival, Havana. This is one of the premier film festivals in Latin America. A packed schedule of films is shown in theaters over a period of 10 days throughout Havana, but predominantly in Vedado. For more information, check out www.habanafilmfestival.com. Early December.

International Jazz Festival, Havana. This festival has had its ups and downs, and has struggled to find its annual slot. It seems to have found its groove, dovetailing with the film festival and organized for the past couple years by none other than Chucho Valdés. The festival usually draws a handful of top international bands and soloists to share the stage and billing with a strong stable of Cuba's best jazz talents. Mid-December.

Las Parrandas, Remedios. This extravagant public carnival features late night parades with ornate floats, costumed revelers, and a serious amount of fireworks. The big event occurs on December 24, but between the preparations, practice runs, and smaller imitations in neighboring towns, you'll be able to catch some of the excitement throughout most of late December.

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Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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				Frommer's Cuba, 3rd Edition Author: Eliot Greenspan Pub Date: January 03, 2007 Price: $19.99				Related Titles: Bahamas For Dummies, 4th Edition Caribbean For Dummies, 4th Edition Frommer's Bahamas 2008