Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

, is a host city to numerous events and festivals.

Festivals and events

Havana International Jazz Festival

Many festivals held in Cuba revolve around the arts such as music, dance, art, and even film making. One such festival is the annual Havana Jazz Festival, founded by several Cuban jazz musicians, which includes Cuba's Bobby Carcasses Afro-Cuban jazz "Havana Jazz Festival." The first venue for this jazz concert was the Casa de La Cultura Plaza in downtown Havana, which is still home to many music and jam sessions that take place to this day.

The International Havana Ballet Festival

The International Havana Ballet Festival (Festival Internacional de Ballet de La Habana) is an event dedicated to the art of dance. Created in 1960 by a joint effort of the

Ballet Nacional de Cuba The Cuban National Ballet ( es, Ballet Nacional de Cuba) is a classical ballet company based at Great Theatre of Havana in Havana, Cuba, founded by the Cuban prima ballerina assoluta, Alicia Alonso in 1948. The official school of the company is ...

, the Instituto Nacional de la Industria Turística and the cultural organizations of the government, the International Ballet Festival of Havana was added to the plans of massive diffusion of arts started after the

Cuban Revolution The Cuban Revolution ( es, Revolución Cubana) was carried out after the 1952 Cuban coup d'état which placed Fulgencio Batista as head of state and the failed mass strike in opposition that followed. After failing to contest Batista in co ...

on 1 January 1959. This Festival, which currently is held in alternate years, is one of the oldest worldwide, and meets at different venues in the Cuban capital and in other cities. The event is non-competitive and its objective is the fraternal meeting of artists and other specialists. The International Ballet Festival of Havana attracts prestigious dancers from around the world, who perform along with artists from the country's own National Ballet of Cuba."International Ballet Festival of Havana". World Events Guide. Ministry of Tourism. Web. 12 February 2010. The first ever International Ballet Festival of Havana was held in 1960 and became a biannual event from 1974. To this day, the event continues to be one of the most prominent ballet festivals in Cuba and attracts audiences from all over.

Havana's International Film Festival

The Havana's International Film Festival or (The International Festival of New

Latin American Cinema Latin American cinema refers collectively to the film output and film industries of Latin America. Latin American film is both rich and diverse, but the main centers of production have been Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. Latin American cinema flou ...

) was founded on 3 December 1979 as a way to pay tribute to Spanish-language film makers. As a tradition, the festival takes place every December in the city. The event organizes several contests in categories such as fiction medium- and short-length films, first-timers, documentary, animation, scripts and posters, though the major attraction of the whole event is the Official Section Contest, in which some 21 feature films compete for the Coral Award.ELVIS, MITCHELL. "CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK; Films in Land That's Ready For Revolution Of the Mind." ''New York Times'', 16 December 2002: 3. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 1 March 2010. The festival has been the starting place for many now mainstream films includings the critically acclaimed movie '' City of God'', which was

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

's official film submission for the festival in 2002.

Habanos Cigar Festival

Every year Havana plays host to the Habanos Cuban Cigar Festival in the month of February. The festival is usually held over five days, with activities including: tours of cigar factories, a trade fair, various seminars focused on the production, distribution and history of Havanos cigars, cigar tastings, Habanosommelier contest, an instruction class on how to roll a Habano, and visits to tobacco plantations. Attendees of this event include distributors, “La Casa del Habano” managers from all over the world, production and sales executives, producers and marketers of luxury and smoker products, tobacco producers, dealers of the tobacco industry, artisans and collectors, smoker clubs, and amateur smokers.Torres, Oscar Basulto. "XII Festival del Habano". Festival del Habano. Habano Cigar Company. Web. 2 March 2010.

Others

*Love in Festival (every year with a different social theme) * The Havana International Book Fair * International Percussion Festival * Cuba Pista Cycling Cup * May Theatre * Havana International Guitar Festival and Competition * International Ernest Hemingway White Marlin Fishing Tournament * International Boleros de Oro Festival * The Havana Carnival * The Festival of Caribbean Culture * The Havana International Theatre Festival * The Havana Festival of Contemporary Music * Havana International Festival of University Theatre

References

{{Reflist

External links

at Cuba Debate newspaper Culture in Havana