Camaguey Carnival (San Juan Camagüeyano)
Much like the Trinidad carnival on the same dates, the Camaguey event starts on June 24 - San Juan day. It is a very traditional and long standing festival and probably one of Cuba’s oldest of this kind, with historians knowing of its existence since the 1700’s.
Despite, or perhaps partly because of its conventional nature, the carnival is celebrated every year in Camaguey with great energy and fervour with highly adorned floats, costumes, and musical groups playing the traditional conga rhythm. Much like the Festival of Fire in Santiago de Cuba, the San Juan Camagueyano culminates in the burning of a statue of St Peter.
