28th CARIBBEAN FESTIVAL FIESTA OF FIRE
July, 3rd to 9^th
Organizer: Provincial Management Office of Culture in Santiago de Cuba and the House of the Caribbean. 
Venue: Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo provinces
Genuine Caribbean traditions in a great popular festival of dance and folklore. The Festival program, specially designed for historians, artists, ethnologists and sociologists interested in Caribbean culture, includes magic religious rituals, concerts, workshops, colloquies, fairs and exhibits.

2CND TRAVELLING CARIBBEAN FILM EXHIBITION
July 14^th to the 20^th
Host: Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and the Industry (ICAIC)
Venue: Chaplin cinema in Havana, and Cuba cinema in Santiago de Cuba.
The Caribbean and its islands take us to a plural universe, but at the same time to a shared identity as the result of the odds of a common and difficult history. Kingdom of the unexpected and the metaphor, a bridge of islands where races and cultures have intensely intertwined in constant migrations. A showcase of cinema from English, Spanish and French-speaking countries could be enjoyed in its diversity of fictional genres, on this occasion dedicated to the children.

CUBAN HIP-HOP MEETING AND FESTIVAL
August, 19^th to 24^th
Organizer:  National Council of Culture Houses
Venue: Havana
A space for discussion, learning and redefinition of concepts about themes related to Cuban Hip-Hop. In the event, the best groups of this genre will perform;   other foreign groups will also take part as a point of reference for the interchange of experiences with Cuban groups.

CUBADANZA - INTERNATIONAL PRACTICAL WORKSHOP OF MODERN DANCE
August 6^th to 17^th
Organizer: National Council of Performing Arts
Venue: Contemporary Dance of Cuba, National Theatre
It shows the techniques of the Cuban School of Modern Dance, sponsored by one of the most prestigious Latin American companies – the Contemporary Dance Company of Cuba - founded in 1959 by an outstanding group of artists. This workshop will show and teach the techniques reached by the Cuban School of Modern Dance to those interested in this artistic expression.
All course participants from all over the world will enjoy the combination of the universal modern dance with the Cuban folklore to give dancers a distinctive character.

JAM SESSION FESTIVAL
September 11^th to 14^th
Organizer: Cuban Institute of Music
Venue: Varadero, in Matanzaz
Presided over by prestigious Maestro Chucho Valdes, this Festival will bring together the most important Cuban jazz players of all generations to create a true fiesta of improvisation in September.
Different stages at Varadero tourist resort will host these extraordinary jam sessions which characterize our most brilliant jazz players and other genres of Cuban music. The Festival will also be used to promote the resort as a destination for cultural tourism.

23cnd INTERNATIONAL HAVANA CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL 
October, 1st to 10th
Organizer: Association of Writers and Artists (UNEAC)
Venue Amadeo Roldan Theatre
An event which promotes new and famous contemporary musical works as well as new Cuban and foreign groups, composers, conductors and soloists of high artistic level.
The audience will be able to enjoy symphonic and choir concerts. Composers, interpreters and musicologists will give their views regarding the most recent aesthetic trends of contemporary music.

INTERNATIONAL MATAMOROS SON FESTIVAL
October, 16 th to 20 th
Organizer: Cuban Institute of Music and Santiago de Cuba´s Municipal Management Office of Culture
Venue: Heredia Theater, Santiago de Cuba
The meeting favours the development of dancing popular music through its Cuban expression in the genre of Son which is a permanent part of the Cuban culture and its constant evolution and enrichment. An assessment of the development of the dancing popular music in our country and the fostering of couple dancing. Concerts, workshops, theoretical events, exhibits, meetings among groups will be held. The Festival pays homage to Miguel Matamoros, one of the most representative musician of Son and one of its top cultivators, a genuine Santiago citizen who, with the Matamoros Trio greatly  contributed to make Son be known inside and outside Cuba. The beautiful Santiago de Cuba city is the main venue of this event that summons artists of popular and traditional Cuban music and its most famous interpreters. The Festival - presided over by the Maestro Adalberto Alvarez, a famous Cuban musician and composer- yearly offers a space for an exchange among soneros and for the presentations of the best interpreters of this Cuban musical genre.

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON THE ORGANIZATION OF CINEMATOGRAPHIC PRODUCTION
October 20 - November 21
Organizer: Association of Writers and Artists, (UNEAC) and the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC)
Venue: Cinemateque of Cuba - Chaplin cinema
The workshop has been conceived for people interested in knowing about the main aspects of the organization of cinematographic production as well for those who already work in some of these activities without having a wide experience or academic formation.

 IBERO-AMERICAN CULTURE CELEBRATION
October, 24^th to 30^th
Organizer: The Spanish American Center and Holguin´s Provincial Management Office of Culture.
Venue: The Spanish  American Center, Holguin
A wide program of concerts, exhibits, workshops and artistic performances in an attractive popular fiesta which beautifies its venue - the known City of parks. In the event, topics such as Iberian-American Thinking and Culture and From Columbian Modernism to Neo-liberal Iberian-American Post-modernism will be discussed. The celebration of Iberian-American culture is an event that rescues and promotes the Hispanic roots and backgrounds of the Cuban nation.
The streets and parks of the city of Holguin are a live, joyful and natural setting during a week, for undertaking a wide-ranged program of concerts, exhibits, workshops and popular celebrations. Important soloists, creators, domestic bands and guests from the entire Iberian-American area will take part. The hospitality and the cultural and tourist facilities in Holguin guarantee the fully enjoyment of these meetings.

INTERNATIONAL BALLET FESTIVAL OF HAVANA
October, 28^th to November 6^th
Biennial periodicity
Organizer: Ministry of Culture and the National Ballet of Cuba
Venue: Grand Theatre of Havana
One of the oldest and most prestigious events in the world of dance founded over 40 years ago. The leading figures and companies of ballet will take part in this non-competitive festival. The Festival, organized by The National Ballet of Cuba, one of the most prestigious companies of dance in the world, has a prominent place in the contemporary Iberian-American culture. The artistic and technical strictness of its dancers and diversity in the aesthetic conceptions of the choreographers give the Cuban Ballet Company a relevant place among the great institutions of this genre in the international scene.

ANFORA FESTIVAL OF MAGIC
November, 19^th to 25^th
Organizer: Las Tunas´ Provincial Management of Culture and the National Council of Performing  Arts
Venue: Raúl Gómez García concert hall, Tunas Theatre.
A meeting for stage magic, manipulation techniques, small and big illusion and theoretical events will be held.

AUTHOR´S WEEK
November: 20^th to 23^rd
Organizer: Casa de las Americas
Venue: Casa de las Americas
Annual meeting with a prestigious personality of the Latin-American literature and researchers of his works. Round tables, presentation of books and films, among other activities will take place. A tradition for which the House of the Americas has received many of the most prestigious writers of the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century.

JO JAZZ CONTEST OF YOUNG JAZZ PLAYERS  
November, 27^th to 30th
Organizer: Cuban Institute of Music
Venue: Havana,  Amadeo Roldán Theatre
A contest for young jazz players that favours participants to experiment not only in the traditional styles of jazz, but also in the search of their own style of creation. The event promotes new talents who play jazz in Cuba and allows knowing the contribution of the Cuban musicians to this genre.

CUBADANZON FESTIVAL
November 20^th to 23^rd
Organizer: Cuban Institute of Music and Matanzas´ Provincial Management Office of Culture
Venue:  Sauto Theatre
A dance contest of Danzón for children, young people and adults. Danzon in Matanzas: Movies where Danzon in the main theme, people’s dancing halls of Danzon and meetings among Danzon fan clubs. Matanzas has the privilege to be “the cradle of Danzón” and the Motherland of his creator. Thus, to keep, to know and to make this genre stay; to preserve the identity of Matanzas, to make every fellow-citizen of Matanzas feel they belong in their city- for future generations to inherit, to exchange experiences and brotherly feelings with Danzon players in Cuba and abroad, these CUBADANZON Festivals were created.

DANCING IN CUBA
November 23^th to 28^rd
Organizer: Travel Agency PARADISO y ARTEX S.A
Venue:  Havana – Cuba
The World Meeting for Dancers and Casino & Salsa Dance Academies.
An special occasion, where people interested in participating will have the chance to deeply learn about Cuban salsa as well as about other rhythms such as mambo, cha cha, conga, son, merengue; to attend classes and master conferences, short-term courses and choreography workshops; to enjoy dancing sessions with the best musical groups and presentations of guest dance academies and, at the same time, to enjoy the charm of a city full of music and color.

A FIESTA FOR GUANTANAMERA
December, 1^st to 4^th
Organizer: Guantanamo´s Provincial Management Office of Culture
Venue: “Guaso” Theatre, Guantanamo
This event has a popular character showing the cultural blending of the Eastern region of country: the changüi, the French tumba and the French- Haitian folklore. Also, the event develops scientific activities, contests, exhibits, fairs, solemn commemorations and the Guantanamera nights. On this occasion, it is included a Colloquium dedicated to the Cuban music and a Symposium on the Patrimony of the Caribbean people. Besides, the Symbol and the Seal of the City will be presented.

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF THE NEW LATIN-AMERICAN CINEMA
December, 2^nd. to 12^th
Organizer: Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry,  Ministry of Culture and the Festival House
Venue: Havana and other cities of the country
One of the most prestigious film Festivals which offers a wide panorama of this continent’s audiovisual production. It shows the main fictional and documentary films of the world. The event also includes a contest on scripts and posters; seminars about cinema and new technologies; a seminar about Latin cinema in the USA; and a space dedicated   to the audiovisual world of the Latin-American childhood.

INTERNATIONAL HANDICRAFT FAIR 2008
December, 5^th to 14^th
Organizer: Cuban Fund of Cultural Assets
Venue: PABEXPO
This edition offers a wide panorama of the most relevant of the Cuban handicraft with   varied international samples. Exhibits, wholesale and retail sales of handicrafts, reproductions as well as their export. The event will also offer conferences and workshops  by recognized experts on development and marketing of Visual and Applied Arts. The UNESCO Prize for Handicrafts and the Picasso Medal has been presented in two occasions in the Fair and it has been acknowledged by the World Organization of Intellectual Property (OMPI).