Top 5 Cuban Festivals

As anyone who has been lucky enough to go onone giant conga line in July each year, and the carnival
holiday in Cuba will probably tell you, the Cubans reallyin this city attracts the biggest crowd on the island.
know how to throw a party! The island is a vibrantThe street parties go on all night, and music, dance,
centre of dance, art and music, and the blend oftraditional Cuban food and spectacular street displays
Spanish and Caribbean cultures has given rise to aare all there to be enjoyed by visitors on their Cuban
number of international festivals and annual carnivalsholidays.
that are a real treat for visitors and locals alike.Las Parrandas de Remedios
There are numerous great events going onThose who go on Cuba holidays at Christmas are
throughout the year in Cuba; holidays to the island willrewarded with a unique experience - Las Parrandas
usually coincide with a festival or two if you arede Remedios, a festival on the 24th of December
lucky. But there are some events that it is well worththat has been running for almost 200 years. Legend
planning your holiday in Cuba around: here are five ofgoes that a priest in 19th century Remedios sent
the biggest and best...children into the streets of the city to make as much
International Jazz Festivalnoise as they could and drive the locals to mass. The
There are plenty of jazz festivals that you can go toresidents took it as a cue to take to the streets and
while on holiday in Cuba, but the biggest is thehave a good time! Nowadays the festival takes the
International Jazz Festival, held every February inform of a "parrandas", or competition between the
Havana. Starting out as a little local event at the Casatwo neighbourhoods of El Carmen and San Salvador.
de la Cultura de Plaza in 1978, the festival now holdsEach neighbourhood competes to construct the most
events in theatres and nightclubs all over Havana,spectacular float, surrounded by lanterns and kites,
with the famed Chucho Valdes as its artistic director.and on the evening of Christmas Eve the two sides
Havana Carnivalgo head to head in a parade, accompanied by a
July is Carnival season in Cuba; holidays to the islandspectacular fireworks display.
in this month are very popular for just this reason.International Havana Ballet Festival
Carnivals in Cuba mean street parties, floats,Cuba may be more famous for Salsa and Mambo
processions, dancing, music, and plenty of Cuban rum!than for ballet, but the International Havana Ballet
Every neighbourhood in Havana has its own CarnivalFestival, which runs from the 24th of October to the
float and practices for months to perfect their6th of November every two years, is a major
routine, and visitors to the island at this time of yearinternational event for ballet lovers. The best
are treated to a riot of colour, sound and all nightcompanies come from all over the world to perform
parties.at the Great Theatre of Havana, which has seen
Santiago de Cuba Carnivalalmost 200 world premieres since the festival began
The Carnival in Havana is a massive event, but itsin 1960. If you have any interest at all in ballet, a
counterpart in Santiago de Cuba is potentially evenCuban holiday at this time of year is a must.
bigger and better. The whole city seems to turn into