Music And Merrymaking At The Fiesta del Fuego, Cuba

Every summer, on an unconfirmed week in mid-July, a week-long street party known as the Fiesta del Fuego or, Festival of fire takes place in Santiago on Cuba’s east coast.  Santiago is Cuba’s second-largest city and holds a special place in Cuban history as it was the city where Fidel Castro proclaimed victory of the Revolution in 1959.  Laid back and relaxed, its pastel coloured buildings, overhanging telephone lines and hilly, coastal terrain give it a ‘San Francisco’ feel.

Like all good revolutionaries, the Santiaguerros know how to throw a good party and for a week, the laid-back vibe of the city is overthrown as thousands of people from all over the Caribbean visit to join in with the day and night-long merrymaking,  fuelled by a steady supply of rum.

Fiesta del Fuego celebrates the music, dance and other various cultural intricacies of each of the countries in the Caribbean and each year the festival is dedicated to one a particular country.  The highlight of the festival is the parade, in which each country participates.  Last year’s country of honor was Mexico but the country of choice for 2009 hasn’t yet been confirmed.  What is certain is that Fiesta del Fuego is an event that no visitor to Cuba should miss!

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