Cienfuegos Events, Things to Do and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Cienfuegos, Cuba)

Cienfuegos, as with the rest of Cuba, is not big on festivals, events or public holidays. Most of the national holidays are directly associated with the Cuban Revolution and events leading up to it. They celebrate both Che Guevara and Fidel and include parties, flag waving and various things to do, suiting tourists and visitors alike.

The most popular festival in Cienfuegos combines the three public holidays in late July to commemorate the national rebellion. Independence (from Spanish rule) is remembered in October, while Cuba's Catholics are allowed to celebrate Christmas Day as a public holiday.

Cienfuegos Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Triumph of the Revolution - January 1st, marking Liberation Day in Cuba, while elsewhere in the world this day is all about the new year. This event is known locally as the 'Triunfo de la Revolución'
• New Year - January 2nd, New Year's Day is celebrated the day after Liberation Day, with a party atmosphere all over Cienfuegos
• Birthday of Jose Marti - January 28th, remembering the birth of the father of Cuban independence, a truly historic and important day in Cuba

February

• There are no notable festivals and events during the month of February

March

• Tempo con Caturla' National Chamber Music Festival - held in Santa Clara every March, this fun music fest sees the arrival of orchestras from across Cuba and is staged in a variety of venues around the city

April

• Bay of Pigs Victory Day - April 19th, this special day is held every year to mark the victory of Cuba over US-backed Cuban exiles in a bid to overthrow the Socialist Government
• Festival de Camaron - a popular day in Cienfuegos for foodies, and particularly for lovers of prawns and seafood
• Foundation Day - April 22nd, remembering the official founding of the city in 1819

May

• Labour Day - May 1st, the 'Dia de los Trabajadores' is a public day all over Cuba, as it is for much of the world

June

• There are no notable festivals and events during the month of June

July

• Commemoration of the Assault of the Moncada Garrison (Dia de la Rebeldia Nacional) - late July, an important three-day event (from 25th to 27th) commemorating the events that ultimately led to the Cuban revolution. Specifically - the 25th is the day before the Commemoration of the Assault of the Moncada Garrison, the July 26th is the actual Day of the National Rebelliousness (or Commemoration of the Assault of the Moncada garrison), and July 27th is the Day after the Commemoration of the Assault of the Moncada garrison

August

• Overthrowing of Machado - August 12th, this day remembers the overthrowing of dictator Gerardo Machado in 1933. Machado rests in Woodlawn Park Cemetery, Miami, where he died
• Carnival (Carnaval) - with a colourful procession through the streets of the city

September

• Benny Moré International Music Festival - mid-September (every other year), the Festival Internacional de Música Benny Moré offers a chance for visitors to experience some of the best Cuban singers and musicians

October

• Che Guevara Day - October 8th, the Argentine and Fidel Castro's chief lieutenant is remembered on this day of his execution by the Bolivian army in 1967
• Independence Day - October 10th, the 'Dia de la Independencia' is another popular public holiday all over Cuba and marks the day of the start of the drive of independence from Spanish colonial rule

November

• There are no notable festivals and events during the month of November

December

• Christmas (Navidad) - December 25th, Christmas is now celebrated in Cuba today, even though it was not for many years in revolutionary Cuba. This day is now treated as a public holiday
• End of the Year - December 31st, New Year's Eve is a nationwide holiday, with lots of eating and drinking in Cienfuegos and throughout Cuba. Of note, New Year's Day is unusually celebrated two days later, January 2nd