CubaPLUS Magazine

Conjunction of rhythms that unite brother peoples, salsa, that tasty  and diverse music that has been conquering the world for decades to listen. and dance to it, celebrates in Havana the eighth edition of a festival that appears each year among the most anticipated events in the country.

The Salsa Festival in Cuba fills the intense days from February 20 to 25 of 2024 with around twenty concerts that make the body and soul enjoy at its headquarters at Club 500, in the central neighborhood of Vedado. Every day four famous orchestras and performers act there, including: Maykel Blanco and his Salsa Mayor, Los Van Van, Manolito Simonet and his Trabuco, Adalberto Álvarez and his Son, Alexander Abreu and Havana D'Primera, Manolín the doctor of salsa, Mayito Rivera, Alain Pérez, Issac Delgado, Haila Mompié, David Calzado and his Charanga Habanera, Chispa and The Accomplices, Maykel Dinza and Soneros de la Juventud, Lazarito Valdés and Bamboleo, El Noro and First Class, Paulito FG and his Elite, Elito Revé and his Charangón, as well as the Puerto Rican Giro, accompanied by the group Eight and More.

On this occasion, the emblematic group from the east of the island The Original from Manzanillo, which this 2024 celebrates its 60 years of foundation. Renowned DJs have joined the event, such as Javier (Cuba), Timbalero (France), Ray García and Massimo Roger Greco (Italy), and Ratón Rabioso (Belgium). And for those who want to learn to dance, or improve their art, the Maykel teachers Fonts, Yanet Fuentes, Fredy Clan and Jennyselt Galata teach workshops in a day at the Alejo Carpentier Provincial Dance School.

This year highlights the link between the festival and artistic education, through master classes and workshops between professional participants and students, in enriching exchanges for the next generation of Cuban musicians.

The program of this cultural festival also includes visits to rehearsals of groups and a music school, among other actions. The creator and president of this now traditional event, Maykel Blanco, has explained that Cuban and foreign attendees will find in it a wealth and variety of styles, such as son, timba, songo... “because that is Cuban music.”

The Salsa Festival, a commercial term used internationally, emerged in 2016 due to the need to expose and show good popular Cuban music  from its home, from the place where it is made and with a more perspective current, precise, and asserts that those who reach Club 500 may be sure that they will find good Cuban music in any of its danceable aspects.