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Festivals and Special Events
Carnival
The feast more representative in Santiago de Cuba is without doubt the Carnival, which is not celebrated in the pre-Lenten period (February or March) such as at the rest of the world. Here the carnival is celebrated in July when in Cuba it is summer.
Nevertheless the carnival was brought to Cuba by Spanish colonists and at the beginning it was celebrated in winter, but the actual feast began to celebrate in the XVII century and it is related with the religious holidays of St. John (June 24th), St. Peter (June 29th), St. Christine(July 25th), St. James Apostle the patron of the city (July 25) and St. Anne(July 26).
Since that time the feast also has been called “Fiesta de los Mamarrachos” (party of crazies) and it was a good excuse to dance and drink large quantities of alcohol. In that time the feast was supported mainly by black slaves who found in the carnival a perfect excuse to enjoy few days of happiness. Then the white men of Santiago began to call to the carnival Fiesta de los Mamarrachos” because of the participation of the black people.
In the XIX century the carnival of Santiago was already the main feast of the city and many of the actual traditions like eating “ajiaco”, “empanadas”, “roast pork” or wearing costumes and masks were already installed.
Now the parades and the street performance of “Comparsas” (groups of dancers and musicians) are the main traditions of the Carnival. Although today the samba and others features of the Brazilian Carnival have influenced so much the Santiago’s Carnival. Then it is common to see beautiful girls with tiny garments dancing in the streets such as the carnival of Rio de Janeiro. Nevertheless American traditions like the Mardi Grass and Spring break also have influenced the feast, but the Cuban flavor continues to be the trademark of this carnival.
The carnival lasts three days (officially) and it serves also to commemorate the beginning of the revolution on July 26. During this time you can see since traditional “barrio congas” and “masked devils” until rock concerts, in addition to colored costumes and representations of Orishas (Gods of African descent). The main activities of the carnival are organized along “Jesús Mendez” and “Victoriano Garzón ” avenues.
Fiesta del Fuego (Fire Festival)
This is a festival in honor to “Caribbean Culture” which is a prelude of the carnival. The fire feast usually is celebrated the first week of July. Every year the feast is dedicated to a Caribbean country, so artists from this nation travel to Santiago and present their show in the feast. The feast offers a great variety of entertainment like traditional bands and music, sound systems playing, processions of decorated cars amongst others. During this feast the entire city seems as a big dance party.
Others festivals are:
- Festival de Rumba (mid January)
- Day of St. John (on June 24th)
- Festival Bolero de Oro (a music festival after carnival)
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