LGBT+ Pride Week in Havana May 2018
About Us Cuba Educational Travel (CET) is a leader in cultural travel to Cuba. CET unlocks the best of Cuba by providing access to the country s top artists, academics, tastemakers, and cultural figures. CET s tailormade programs enable clients to experience Cuba s vibrant culture and gain a deeper understanding of the island, while ensuring full compliance with all U.S. regulations. CET has been on the frontlines of cultural collaboration, helping to bring Cubans to the U.S. and Americans to Cuba. From Yoga retreats to concerts to dance performances, CET has wide-ranging experience and contacts. Recent highlights include organizing the Diplo Major Lazer concert in Havana, which drew a crowd of over 500,000 people and bringing Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba, the country s top dance group, to perform at the Latin Grammys. www.cubaeducationaltravel.com LGBT+ Pride Week Cuba has gone from being one of the most repressive countries in the world on LGBT+ issues to one of the most progressive. Each year the LGBT+ community comes together to celebrate progressive policies and increased social and political space achieved in recent years in addition to discussing ways to continue moving forward. The week is filled with important forums and educational events, but also rich cultural activities and great parties.
Wednesday, May 16 TBD Afternoon Arrival to Havana. (pending flight information) Check-in at lodging. 5:30 pm Discussion with Dr. Alberto Roque, an Internal Medicine Specialist and Assistant Professor and Researcher at the Medical University of Havana. Dr. Roque is as an LGBT+ activist and one of Cuba's best-known advocates on transgender and sexual health, human rights, and gender and sexuality studies. 7 pm Welcome dinner at Paladar San Cristobal. Located in the heart of Central Havana, this paladar has a reputation of excellence in both atmosphere and local cuisine. Enjoy great food while the local takes you back to the 1940s and 50s. Nightlife suggestion: Go Clubbing at Las Vegas, a fun nightclub celebrating the LGBT+ scene with nightly drag shows. Be sure to also check out the surrounding neighborhood, where guys and gals of all ages hang along the Havana seawall to chat and network. Thursday, May 17 International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia Morning & Early Afternoon Celebrate LGBT+ Pride in Cuba, including a parade through downtown Havana, workshops and festivities. 7 pm Rum and cigar tasting at Café Madrigal. A local expert will explain the qualities and traits of fine Cuban rum and cigars, pairing them together for the perfect match. Café Madrigal, is LGBTI friendly and a popular hangout spot for the LGBTI community. 9 pm Dinner at Tierra, Havana s newest international dinning spot. Located inside a container in the Fábrica de Arte Cubano, the restaurant mirrors the eclectic crowd, serving dishes from around the world. Friday, May 18 Following dinner, enjoy live music, art and dancing at La Fábrica de Arte Cubano. Rock star X Alfonso has turned this into meeting spot for a young, eclectic crowd of Cubans and foreigners. 9:30 am Visit the National Center for Sex Education (CENESEX), directed by Mariela Castro Espín. CENESEX has made headlines on and off the island for its innovative work in LGBT+ rights and success in keeping HIV-infection rates low. 11 am Visit to the National HIV Prevention Center, founded to design, implement and coordinate all educational and prevention activities across the country. 1 pm Lunch at Doña Eutimia paladar. Famous for its ropa vieja and frozen mojitos, this cozy paladar made Newsweek Magazine s top 100 restaurants in the world in 2012. The restaurant s location in the beautiful cathedral square is unbeatable.
2:30 pm Walking tour of the Old City. Explore Plaza de la Catedral where the famous Havana Cathedral is located, the best example of Cuban baroque style in the city. Visit the Plaza de Armas, a scenic tree-lined plaza formerly at the center of influence in Cuba. It is surrounded by many of the most historic structures in Havana as well as important monuments. See the Plaza de San Francisco, a cobbled plaza surrounded by buildings dating from the 18th century, dominated by the baroque Iglesia and Convento de San Francisco dating from 1719. Wander through the Plaza Vieja, the oldest plaza in Havana, dating from the 16th century. 5 pm Visit to the Lizt Alfonso Academy, a women-led dance company and school for local youth, specializing in various types of dance. We will watch a private performance by the adolescent dance group, and sit with the dancers afterward to discuss how they came to join the school and the impact it has had on them. The talent and work ethic at this school is impressive. Free evening nightlife suggestion: Saturday, May 19 Kingbar, an alternative space designed for the enjoyment of all the senses. It surprises the client with a bucolic environment, where under the shade of an immense mango tree and the whisper of the water of two modern fountains are located diners tables, flanked by a huge stone bench with soft cushions. Calle 23 No. 667 e/ D y E, Vedado. Plaza de la Revolución 10 am Visit a centuries-old mansion in Vedado neighborhood. Step inside this stately residence to discover what lies behind the crumbling facades of Havana s impressive mansions. Josie, who has lived in the house for over 60 years, will show us around and explain its rich history. 11 am Behind the scenes art tour: Visit different homes and neighborhoods to tour the studios and galleries of established and up-and-coming Cuban artists. 1 pm Visit to Mi Cayito, a popular, gay-friendly beach. It is a short ride form the city center. 7 pm Enjoy a performance followed by discussion with Cuarteto Habana, a drag queen quartet. 9 pm Dinner Reservation at La Guarida paladar, famous not only for its delectable dining, but also as the location for the film Strawberry and Chocolate. It is housed on the third floor of a large, old town house carrying the charming ambience of the early 1900s. Concordia e Gervasio y Lealtad, no. 418 altos, Centro Habana (not included to be paid on the ground) Nightlife suggestion: Escaleras al cielo, with innovative laser light technology to achieve the most incredible visual effects, and with an attractive cocktail list, drinks and snacks to resist six hours of dancing, this disco will make your night move. Zulueta # 658 e/ Gloria y Apodaca, Habana Vieja
Sunday, May 20 10 am Morning discussion with the Reina y Real, a female hip hop/jazz duo. The group s music focuses on breaking down stereotypes in Cuban society, including machismo, healthy relationships, gender relations and race. They will share info about their interesting musical journey and insight into the challenges and opportunities young Cubans face. 11:30 am Enjoy a performance by Habana Compás Dance, which encompasses the rich rhythm and flow of the island, performing traditional and modern dances born from their Spanish, Cuban and Afro-Cuban heritage. Lunch and early afternoon free 7:30 pm Sunset cruise on American convertibles from the 1950s along the Malecón, Havana s seawall and explore areas of the city we ve yet to see. Being recognized all around the world, if you have not seen them in person, you will have seen them on TV or in movies. Havana cars are iconic and classic; they are so recognizable that they have become cultural symbols of Cuban cities. 9 pm Farewell dinner at Paladar Atelier. This restaurant is equally known for its atmosphere and exquisite cuisine. The lighting and textures of the house, which was home to a prerevolutionary senator, coupled with walls adorned in modern art, create a cozy but modern setting. Monday, May 21 Morning Check-out and depart for the airport (2 ½ hours before your flight departs).