Are you going to be in Cuba in 2018? Here are some of the main cultural events due to take place during the coming year
JANUARY
22nd Longina National Festival of Trova artists (9-14 Jan, Villa Clara) Named in memory of the greatest Cuban trova singers, Manuel Corona, bringing together all generations of trova musicians.
59th Casa de Las Américas Literary Awards (15-25 Jan, in Havana and Cienfuegos) One of the most prestigious literary prizes in the continent, including poetry, novels, essays and testimony writing.
33rd Jazz Plaza International Festival (16-21 Jan, Havana and Santiago de Cuba)Concerts with Cuban musicians and guests, bands, ensembles and soloists. Plus a colloquium and other cultural activities related to jazz on the island.
FEBRUARY
27th International Book Fair of Havana (1-11 Feb) The Fair gives a space for participation and exchange for all connected with reading, writing and publishing, including international publishers. The fair moves on through the country finally ending 13 May, in Santiago de Cuba. This year its special themes are China and the Historian of the City of Havana, Dr. Eusebio Leal Spengler.
Parrandas de Chambas (23-24 Feb, Ciego de Ávila) Popular traditional festival of music, dance and crafts with a strong sense of participation by the local community.
MARCH
Drum Festival (6-11 Mar, Havana) Including a wide range of percussion instruments. Competitions, theoretical meetings, lectures, master classes and concerts.
Musicology and International Musicology Colloquium Award (12-16 Mar, Havana) This prize aims to stimulate and promote the most recent symphonic, chamber and choral music in Cuba and Latin America.
International Reading Congress (12 -16 Mar, Havana) Inspired by the ideas of José Martí, this Congress will discuss reading as a reflective and emotional act as communication.
APRIL
24th International Meeting of Ballet Academies and 3rd International Choreographic Contest (8- 18 Apr, Havana) Exchange of experiences among specialists, professors, students and dancers from all over the world to promote and develop the study of the ballet.
17th Muestra Joven ICAIC (3-8 Apr, Havana) Showcase and competition of films by young Cuban filmmakers, screenings of international films, theoretical meetings, debates and seminars.
13th International Workshop of Puppet Theatre (24-29 Apr, Matanzas) Conferences, masterclasses, exhibitions, presentation of books, tributes, theoretical events about puppet theatre, workshops, performances and premieres of works.
23rd International Meeting of Dance in Urban Landscapes (Havana) Performances, acrobatics, music and parades invade the streets of Old Havana. The event is part of the international programme ‘Cities that Dance’.
MAY
25th Romerías de Mayo (2- 8 May, Holguín) These festivities make Holguín the capital of youth culture with concerts and meetings, with important moments for social reflection.
22nd Cubadisco International Fair (13-20 May, Havana) Cubadisco is the annual fair for the music recording industry, with prizes for best albums etc. with the aim to promote exchange, collaboration and knowledge for the development of the recording industry.
Latin American and Caribbean theatre season: ‘Mayo Teatral ‘(19-28 May, Havana)Presentation of varied work from the region, bringing together actors, directors and all working in theatre.
JUNE
Festival del Changui (23-27 Jun, Guantanamo) Performances and exchanges relating to the Cuban music and dance form Changui which comes from Guantanamo.
17th Circuba Summer Festival (24- 29 Jun, Havana) Circus acts from all over the world are invited to join with the acrobats and gymnasts of Cuban circus.
13th Corhabana International Choir Festival (26-30 Jun, Havana) Festival of choral singing, with performances in the main concert halls and opportunities for choirs to exchange experiences.
Jornada Cucalambeana (28 Jun- 2 Jul, Las Tunas) Celebration of traditional Cuban country music, with its characteristic improvisation.
JULY
37th Caribbean Festival (3-9 Jul, Santiago de Cuba) Brings together all cultural manifestations and the scientific and literary work of the peoples of the Caribbean.
24th Aquelarre National festival of Humour (Havana) A competition with categories of comedy theatre, Literature, cartoon and video.
Art on La Rampa (Jul- Aug, Havana) Live music and dance projects, exhibitions of visual arts, art for sale, videos and films and exchanges with makers in different art forms.
AUGUST
Timbalaye International Festival: The Route of the Rumba (17-31 Aug, Havana, Pinar del Rio, Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Ciego de Ávila, Camagüey, Guantánamo and Santiago de Cuba) Major festival which aims to promote folklore and popular expressions, in particular Rumba, that shape Cuban culture, and its ethical and aesthetic values through song and dance.
Jornada de la Canción Política (Guantánamo) Presentation of the young exponents of the political song movement.
SEPTEMBER
National Festival of Rock and Heavy Metal Music HG (Holguín) Meeting of rock groups from all over the country, with concerts and theoretical panels.
OCTOBER
Fiesta de la Cubanía (17-20 Oct, Granma) preserves the roots of the Cuban nation.
26th Alicia Alonso International Ballet Festival of Havana (28 Oct – 7 Nov) Bringing together stars of dance, companies and important figures of the history of ballet.
Fiesta de la Cultura Iberoamericana (24-30 Nov, Holguín) extensive program of concerts, exhibitions, workshops and popular festivals in the streets and parks, with the presence of important artists.
National Theatre Festival (Camagüey) The best shows produced in the two years prior to the Festival are presented, as well as workshops, colloquiums, exhibitions and presentations of publications.
NOVEMBER
Magicuba: Conference of the International Association of Magicians (7-11 Nov, Havana)Meeting of members of the International Association of Magicians that includes debates, conferences and artistic presentations.
21st JoJazz Young Jazz Musicians Competition (Havana) encourages participants to play not only in traditional jazz styles, but to search for their own style. With prizes awarded, including the recording of an album, to be produced by maestro Chucho Valdés.
National Fair of Popular Art (Ciego de Ávila) Exhibitions of crafts, presentation of music and dance groups of traditional popular culture and theoretical meetings.
DECEMBER
40th International Festival of New Latin American Cinema (6-16 December, Havana) Not only presenting Cuba’s best and latest films and documentaries but also a wide panorama of the continent’s audiovisual production.
22nd Fiart International Handicraft Fair (7- 23 Dec, Havana) promotion and sale of works by artisans and artists from Cuba and mainly Latin American countries.
Cuba 50 
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