Baracoa Events, Things to Do and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Baracoa, Guantánamo, Cuba)

Festivals in Baracoa and across the island mostly focus on the soul of the Cuban people in their fascinating genres of music and dance, a vibrant mix of the varied cultures in modern-day Cuba.

The island has innumerable fiestas, festivals and cultural events, especially in the capital, Havana, as well as the heritage cities of Santiago de Cuba and Trinidad de Cuba. Remote Baracoa has its share of things to do, with the most popular being its colourful and joyous Carnaval, held each year in April.

Baracoa Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• Liberation Day - January 1st, celebrated all over Cuba, Liberation Day, also known as the Triumph of the Revolution (Triunfo de la Revolución), commemorates the Communist revolution led by Fidel Castro in 1959, and takes over from the riotous festivities of New Year's Eve as a reason for ongoing celebrations

February

• Feria Internacional de Libro - started as a small book fair and now Cuba's premier literary event, travelling to all provincial capitals after it stint in Havana. Expect poetry readings, book launchings, craft and children's events

March

• Baracoa Festival of Culture - a week-long event celebrating the diverse culture of the city, with traditional dance and music including the vibrant mix of African percussion and guitar known as 'son' music
• Havana Carnival - Cuba's most spectacular annual event and a don't miss experience. Traditional to a T with Latin American dancing, every kind of music, fantastic costumed parades, amazing fireworks, joyous street parties and lashings of beer and rum. Check the carnival dates on Havana's events, as they tend to jump around between months
• Pepe Sanchez Trova Festival - takes place in Santiago de Cuba, with generations of 'trova' musicians arriving from all over the island to play their unique styles. Trova music originated in Santiago in the 19th century, with travelling players known as 'trovadores'

April

• Baracoa Fiesta del Kiriba - the annual farmers' festival, concentrating on coffee growers
• Baracoa Carnaval - kicks off in the first week of May with all the usual delights of fireworks, parades, street festivities, eating, drinking, dancing, music and staying up all night
• Easter - the main religious festival in Cuba, celebrated on Good Friday in Trinidad de Cuba with the 'Way of the Cross Procession', beginning at the foot of the hill and winding upwards on a route marked by crosses. The traditional began as a way of tricking looting pirates, as the route changes every year
• Ciego de Avila Pinya Colada Festival - well worth the longish bus trip from Baracoa, with salsa, rock and trova music, as well as traditional dance, art exhibitions, street theatre, documentary screenings and craft and art markets

May

• Labour Day (Dia de los Trabajadores) - May 1st,
• Baracoa Crab Festival - a unique conservation event aimed at the protection of the blue freshwater crabs that live in the cocoa plantations. As well as seminars and conservation information, expect games, contests and lots of crab-based delicacies
• Independence Day - brings festivities across the island and commemorates May 20th 1902, the birth of the Cuban Republic

June

• Festival Internacional Boleros de Oro - kicks off at the end of June across Cuba and celebrates the much-loved Bolero musical genre first developed in the 19th century. Music and dancing predominate

July

• Carnaval Santiago de Cuba - celebrates the sugar cane harvest and is a lot closer to Baracoa than Havana, if carnivals are your thing. Expect yet another annual riot of fun in a city which doesn't sleep during the festivities at the end of July. Concerts, lively and vibrant costume parades are everywhere across the city and culinary delights, including roast pork, are amongst the highlights

August

• Baracoa Fiesta de las Aguas - commemorating the founding of the city in 1511. Events include conferences and seminars on traditional cultural themes, environmental events, traditional handicrafts exhibitions, and lots of music and dancing

September

• Matanzas Festival of Origins - a must-attend for any visitor curious about Cuba's heritage. For the academics in the field, Haitian, Spanish, Chinese and African influences on the island's culture are discussed at seminars - for visitors it is all about costumed parades, infectious drum rhythms, cultural events, street parties, handicraft displays, and more beer and rum

October

• Independence Day (Dia de la Independencia) - October 10th, a national Cuban holiday
• Holguin Fiesta of Latin American Culture - all about music, dancing and remembering the arrival of Christopher Columbus on the island. Expect cultural exhibitions, arts and craft fairs, and yet more street parties

November

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

December

• Guantanamera Festival - held in Guantanamo and celebrates Changui, the origin of Cuban 'son' music, (a mix of African percussion and Spanish guitar) and the Tumba Francesca dance created by slaves to imitate the stately French ballroom dances. French-Haitian folklore and legends feature strongly, as does the region's unique culture
• Las Parrandas de Remedios - December 24th, a unique festive gathering held in the charming little town of Remedios on Christmas Eve. Expect street parties, lots of music and dancing, fireworks, friendly contests between neighbourhoods and a heartwarming, truly Christmassy atmosphere