Culture, Sports, Events

What’s up in Havana to start July?

To find out what’s happening in Cuba – dance, music, art, theatre, etc. – there is no one website that provides all the information. Still, some sites do exist that can be consulted. For a list of several sites and an explanation of what they cover, please consult the answer to the question How can I find out when the Cuban National Ballet are performing? which you will find by clicking on the “Culture-Sports-Events” page of the Havana Times Cuba Travel section.

Any Travel Tips on visiting Santiago de Cuba in July?

The month of July is a great time to be in Santiago de Cuba, if you can take the stultifying heat and humidity that typifies that time of year. The two great festivals during July are the traditional Festival del Caribe, also known as the Festival del Fuego or Festival of Fire, and El Carnaval.

How do you take salsa classes in Havana?

It is really an individual preference whether one wants to learn salsa in organized classes or make one’s own arrangements, upon arrival, with a private teacher. It is our policy to recommend official Cuban structures and sources of information for arranging one’s visit inside the country. For information on organized salsa classes in Cuba, following are some Cuban organizations and websites that you might want to check out.

How can I get tickets to the Cuban Baseball Championship Series?

Some of the final games of this year’s 2010 baseball series in Cuba – between the Industriales (Havana) and Villa Clara – will be taking place in Havana on March 26th, 27th and 28th (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). Tickets (for tourists) are available for purchase at the stadium itself (Estadio Latinoamericano), costing CUC 3 per person. The Estadio advises that they be purchased at 9am on the day of the game. The phone numbers of the Estadio are (537) 870-6752 and (537) 870-8175.

Do you have any info on the whereabouts of guitarist Manuel Galbán?

Manuel Galbán is a Grammy-winning Cuban guitarist, pianist and arranger, notable for his work with the legendary doo-wop vocal quartet Los Zafiros, which he founded, and the world famous Buena Vista Social Club with its repertoire of son, bolero, danzón and guajiro. In 2001 he recorded Mambo Sinuendo with Ry Cooder, winning the 2003 Grammy for Best Post Instrumental Album.

How can I find out when the Cuban National Ballet are performing?

To find out what’s happening in Cuba – dance, music, art, theatre, etc. – there is no one website that provides all the information. Still, some sites do exist that can be consulted, although the list below is by no means definitive.

To find out the schedule of performances by the Ballet Nacional de Cuba, check out their Spanish-only website atwww.balletcuba.cult.cu On their homepage click on Presentaciones and their full program of performances for both 2009 and 2010 appears, including date, time, theatre, city and, in many cases, dances to be performed.