Festivals in Sights

The Excellencies Group’s Travel Division is taking issue 61 of the Caribbean Tourist Excellencies magazine to launch a new section, “Festivals in Sights,” aimed at promoting upcoming festivals and fairs scheduled for both Cuba and the Caribbean. For further and more updated information about travel packages and registration fees related to these events, send an email to festival@excelenciastravel.com

Tenth International Fair Cubadisco 2006 May 21 to 28, Havana Dedicated to Music and Dancing

This is indeed a special occasion to take a look at Cuba’s finest music, to enjoy presentations staged by the best Cuban musicians, sign up for an interesting colloquium, share experiences with outstanding dance and show companies, hold meetings among collectors and experts from the recording industry, and cut deals among entrepreneurs linked to the music industry.

The fair’s program includes the opening ceremony on May 21, the Misa Cubana (Cuban Mass) by Jose Maria Vitier on the 22nd, a colloquium entitled Music and Dancing: Two Supreme Arts of Cuba’s Cultural Heritage from May 22 to 25, the Cuba-China Cultural Gala on the 24th, the Caribbean Gala (Bahamas and Cayman Islands) on the 25th and 26th, the Tradeshow from May 24 to 28, and the closing ceremony on the 28th, this time around setting the stage to pay tribute to Alicia Alonso. The weeklong celebration will also include artistic performances, workshops on dancing and music, film and video presentations, concerts and pop music shows.

Sixteenth Heineken Jazz Festival in Puerto Rico June 1 to 4, San Juan Dedicated to Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Band

Over the past 15 years, this festival has turned out to be one of the Caribbean’s top jazz events, featuring some of the best performers on the face of the earth. The Tito Puentes Amphitheater, the festival’s venue, will spare four nights of concerts and presentations in which Latino Jazz and its many local shades will be stealing the limelight. Famous musicians will delight the audience with their scatting skills, especially a new breed of jazzmen that will certainly cash in on this opportunity to put on a good show in the world scenario.

Twentieth International Golden Boleros Festival June 22 to 25, Havana (*) Dedicated to great bolero crooners and UNEAC’s 45th anniversary

Penciled in as one of the world’s most prestigious and important popular musical events, this is no doubt a fine meeting ground for sharing experiences and knowledge, as well as for listening to top performers from everywhere under the sun. Both seasoned and young singers will share the spotlight in theaters and nightclubs around Havana. A festival devoted to Cuban and universal music full of feelings for the lovers of romantic music.

Emotion-packed shows at the Mella, America, National and Karl Marx theaters, as well as the halls of Dos Gardenias and El Gato Tuerto. The patio of the Huron Azul House at the UNEAC’s headquarters will feature nightly jam sessions. Cuban artists like Cesar Portillo de la Luz, Marta Valdes, Omara Portuondo, Beatriz Marquez, Manolo del Valle, Rolo Martinez, Raquel Hernandez, Pedrito Calvo, Lourdes Torres and Hector Tellez have scheduled presentations.

Other major attractions will be the nonstop performance of a group of bolero singers that intend to set a new world record, plus a contest and a cuisine exhibition related to boleros.

(*) There’ll be other venues for the festival, like Villa Clara and Cienfuegos from June 8 to 11; Santiago de Cuba, Camaguey and Holguin from June 15 to 18; Guantanamo, Moron and Pinar del Rio from June 29 to July 2.

26th Caribbean Festival (The Fire Party) July 3 to 9, Santiago de Cuba Dedicated to the Caricom’s member states

Top figures of singing and dancing, scholars and fine artists from the Caribbean nations and other parts of the world, as well as over a hundred artistic groups from across Cuba will invade parks, theaters and squares of Santiago de Cuba to send a passionate cultural and folkloric message. In the face of so many pop artists and thinkers, the people of Santiago de Cuba are going to roll out their endless hospitality that will also reach out to those traveling to the city to take a firsthand look at the event.

Within the framework of the festival, attendants will take part in the Caribbean Binds Us Colloquium, targeting topics linked to the history and culture of the Caribbean nations, regional integration, cultural identity and artistic creation.

35th Fort de France Festival July, stretching for two weeks

Presentations of the performing arts, dancing and music at the Grand Carbet in Parc Floral, and the Fort de France Municipal Theater. This event comes around every year organized by the Service Municipal d’ Action Culturelle (Sermac).