What’s up in Havana to start July?

Question: I plan to be in Havana from 1-6 July 2010. Can you please let me know if there are any cultural events during this period.

Answer: 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.

Among the activities taking place in Havana during the first week of July (2010) are the following:

  • A nationwide book fair will be held on Friday, July 2, with thousands of titles for sale at subsidized prices in 15 cities (including Havana) and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud. This will be the first of a series of activities, mainly organized by young Cuban artists and art instructors, that will be carried out throughout the summer holidays. Consult local newspapers for times and places.
  • The Art at La Rampa Craft Fair, which began in the year 2000, is an annual event that opens its doors at the Pabellón Cuba, an emblematic building of Havana’s 1960s architecture located in the Vedado neighbourhood. The Fair, which goes from July 1st to August 31st, offers for display and sale a wide range of books, music, handicrafts, serigraphs, engravings, clothing, ornaments, etc. all made by national handicraft artists. Fashion shows, concerts and children’s activities also take place during the Fair.
  • The Festival Nacional del Humor Aquelarre 2010 (National Humour Festival), which takes place from July 4th to 11th, provides exhibits, lectures and performances from the best comedians in the country. Activities take place in a number of locations around Havana: Teatro Karl Marx, Teatro Mella, Teatro América, Café Teatro Bertolt Brecht and Cine Acapulco. There were also be presentations of various books at the Palacio del Segundo Cabo in Habana Vieja on Saturday, July 10th.