Big Cuba Fiesta comes to North London
Campaign News | Wednesday, 5 July 2006
Rise Festival
Big Cuba Fiesta at Rise festival on Saturday 8th July 2006 at Finsbury Park
London’s biggest free music festival, Rise, returns to North London this year and the Cuba Solidarity Campaign will again be running the hugely successful Big Cuba Fiesta.
This year we will be working alongside other campaigns to bring the spirit of defiance and change that is sweeping across Latin America to the UK. Packed with all the vibrancy of Cuban and Latin American music, dance and culture with a political message Big Cuba Fiesta is definitely one not to be missed.
Local MP, Jeremy Corbyn, who will be speaking at the Big Cuba Fiesta said
"Cuba's given us music, literature, hope and health. This fiesta is a fantastic opportunity for people to come together to celebrate the progressive political changes that are sweeping across Latin America bringing such hope to millions"
Headliners, Raíces Cubanas, led by Omar Puente, have been dubbed part of Cuba’s ‘nueva generacíon’. With their roots in Cuban Son and Charanga infused with Afro-Cuban jazz, they have developed an exciting new dance sound in Cuban music.
Stylo Prohibido were one of the first Urban Latin collectives in the UK, pioneering Cuban hip-hop in London. Roly, from Havana, and Green, AKA Greenpapi, from Guatanamo, deliver funky, heavy beats with a charisma that oozes raw Cuban street flavour.
Manos Negras Afro-Peruvian roots percussion and dance group bring a taste of Peru's ancient and rich culture - powerful, soulful music and intoxicating dance rhythms.
Big Cuba Fiesta also features Cuban artist, Kid Afrika, mixing Latino rap with smooth soulful vocals, Paseo Malanga, the UK’s first Cuban Carnival band and DJs from Club Clandestino.
There will also be an all day Cuban and Latin American carnival arts open workshop for kids to make carnival hats, decorations, shakers, flags of Cuba and Latin America with face painting and lots of fun - culminating in a carnival parade around the site.
Rob Miller, Director of Cuba Solidarity Campaign said
"The Big Cuba Fiesta has become a great annual festival for all those interested in celebrating Cuba and Latin America's cultural diversity. At the same time it is another way for us to develop a unique solidarity with the people of the region."
This is the sixth year that the Mayor of London has organised this free festival as a celebration of London’s diversity and to oppose racism. In 2005, over 80,000 young people and families attended the festival, which also brought together Londoners from all communities in the wake of the bombings on 7 July.
Make a date in your diary - July 8th- you won’t want to miss it !
Notes:
Artists performing at Big Cuba Fiesta include:
Raíces Cubanas
Raíces Cubanas, led Omar Puente, have been dubbed part of Cuba’s ‘nueva generacíon’. With their roots in Cuban Son and Charanga infused with Afro-Cuban jazz, they have developed an exciting new dance sound in Cuban music.
Stylo Prohibido
Stylo were one of the first Urban Latin collectives in the UK, pioneering Cuban hip-hop in London. Roly AKA Roll.X, from Havana, and Green AKA Greenpapi, from Guatanamo, deliver funky, heavy beats with a charisma that oozes raw Cuban street flavour.
Manos Negras
Afro-Peruvian roots percussion and dance group bring a taste of Peru's ancient and rich culture - powerful,soulful music and intoxicating dance rhythms.
Kid Afrika
Cuban artist, Kid Afrika, mixes Latino rap with smooth soulful vocals laid down over a backdrop of hip-hop, reggaeton and Afro-Cuban beats, creating a unique fusion of poppy salsa and rumba hooks with a tight hip-hop flow.
Paseo Malanga
Paseo Malanga, the UK’s first Cuban Carnival band, take their music from the streets of Santiago de Cuba. They weave amongst the crowd, who are invited to join the parade and dance to all the famous Cuban congas. At Rise they will be joined in the parade by the children (and carers) from the kids’ Carnival workshop plus other dancers.
Celebrate Latin American unity with Digame & Artery Arts children’s workshop
All day Cuban and Latin American carnival arts open workshop for kids to make carnival hats, decorations, shakers, flags of Cuba and Latin America with face painting and lots of fun - culminating in the carnival parade around the site.
Club Clandestino DJs
Spinning the latest and hottest Cuban dance tunes: salsa, charanga, merengue, rumba, timba, reggaeton and more.
Big Cuba Fiesta is organised by Cuba Solidarity Campaign (with thanks to TGWU)
Cuba Solidarity Campaign works in the UK to support an end to the illegal blockade of Cuba, an end to interference in Cuba’s affairs by foreign governments and towards respect for Cuba’s sovereignty and independence. CSC also publishes a journal and organises conferences, cultural events in the UK, specialist study tours and working holidays to Cuba.
For more info:
www.cuba-solidarity.org.uk
Tel: 020 7263 6452
