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38-412: Caibarién is known as "La Villa Blanca" ( lit.   ' The White Town ' ) for its sands and beaches. They are famous for their "Parrandas" (Carnivals) along with Remedios (the neighboring town located 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) west) and Camajuani . At the end of 1513, Pánfilo de Narváez las Casas and Grijalba explored the territory. Indigenous settlements were found in the region now occupied by

76-415: A reversal of this trend in the next few decades. As in the country as a whole, there has been a notable deterioration of public services and health and human development indicators in the municipality. However, it is important to mention that there are no official statistics in this regard, or at least they are not published in an accessible manner. The city is situated on the north coast of Cuba , bordering

114-399: A very similar structure of events based on their very roots and while they might look similar to carnivals they do not share much commonality. In the carnivals there are also floats, but instead of two representing districts there are as many as possible for the hosting city because the mayor even here is the float display and it takes hours and kilometres of city roads for all of them to finish

152-408: A way that once airborne they are almost soundless making them "invisible" among the ambient noise, they explode with a huge bang a few meters overtaking by surprise the people gathered in town. Immediately after this, the rumba starts with the purpose of "dragging" as many dancers as the people while they sign their polka. Once the first district is finished the other one makes its entrance as well. This

190-533: Is compiled at the Museum of Parrandas, which opened in 1980 in a 19th-century building in Remedios. It preserves photos, documents and hand-made objects linked to the festivities. Parrandas Las Parrandas de Remedios , a.k.a. Parrandas , are traditional carnival -like street fairs or block parties , with origins date back to the 19th century . They take place in northern and central cities of

228-736: Is joined to the mainland by a stone causeway . It was recently covered only by thin, dry pasture, however native plant species have resumed their original place. In 1948, the Asociación de Scouts de Cuba held its second national Jamboree in Cayo Conuco. Caibarién once served as a shipping point for agricultural commodities, such as sugarcane , tobacco , and fruit . It also served as a sponge -fishing center. Its hotels are now destroyed by lack of care, and most concrete houses are crumbling onto its streets. The piers that once served as shipping points for agricultural commodities have fallen into

266-462: Is leaking and closed until repairs are authorized by the government. The Central Plaza or Plaza Mayor was restored in 1970. It is surrounded by colonial buildings, beautiful monuments, trees, palms and a gazebo, like many towns in Cuba that were designed according to a Spanish urban standard. Many Cubans consider Remedios distinguished for its Christmas festival, Las Parrandas de Remedios, , one of

304-401: Is repeated several times until the next event. Second event: In Remedios city the second event is the lighting of the plaza works, in the rest of the cities is the float lighting. Floats are huge architectural structures filled with colours, light bulbs and fantasy décor hauled by a tractor. They have a theme each year and the characters on them have over the top fantasized outfits. In most of

342-696: The Bay of Buena Vista (Bahía de Buena Vista) of the Atlantic Ocean . It lies at the eastern extremity of the Villa Clara Province , close to the border with Sancti Spíritus Province . The town is served by the Caibarién Airport ( IATA : - , ICAO : MUCB ). The municipality is divided into the barrios of Primero, Segundo, Tercero, Cuarto and Quinto. Cayo Conuco is a tiny island located 7 kilometres (4 miles) from Caibarién, which

380-573: The "mortars" are lit as well. Mortars are the antithesis of palenques since this type of firework makes a loud "canon like" sound that announces the end of its district display. Modern parrandas also come associated with all sort of vendors and activities on the side. Snacks like candies, pork and ham sandwich, pizza, traditional rice with pork and yucca, handmade toys and craft can be found all over. Occasionally there are some rides like Ferris wheels, carousels and dragon boats. While every town possesses their own particularities, parandas in general, follow

418-530: The 1930s trumpets finalized the instrumentation. Even when the entire night is celebrated under a competition mood, the Parranda actually is a friendly display of two districts that separate each northern town in Villa Clara province. First event: Around 10:00 pm the district in charge of the first display of the night announces his first rumba with a "palenque"; palenques are fireworks designed in such

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456-843: The Baptist and the Virgin of the Buenviaje . Remedios is located about 4 hours by bus from Havana , and around 50 minutes from Santa Clara . It is less than an hour from here to beach resorts in the Santa María – Las Brujas cays, both situated north of the province. The municipality is bordered on the north by Caibarién , to the south by Camajuaní and Placetas , and to the east by Yaguajay (in Sancti Spíritus Province ). Remedios has 10 consejos populares which include: El Carmén, San Salvador, and Hermanos Herrada, in

494-567: The Parrandas with structure of events similar to what is today as far as 1875. This includes both districts rumba, the plaza works (light and fireworks structures), the fireworks competition and float display. By the 19th century the noisy children had developed into people’s rumba with rhythm, music and verses (usually instigating the other district). The first instruments used in the rumba were cencerro, bombo, repique, and one special local drum called "atambora". Later, tumbadoras were added and in

532-633: The bay. The two sugar mills that used to send their sugar exports through the harbor are now closed and crumbling. The major sugar mill (Reforma) is now a museum for tourists. The Parrandas carnivals take place twice a year in August–September and mid-December. They last usually for about two weeks at a time. The main center for tourists in Caibarién is "Los Cayos" (The keys) with such cays as Cayo Santa María , Cayo Fragoso , Cayo Las Brujas , etc. New Cuban reforms now allow Cuban citizens to enter

570-418: The beach were built and industry, commerce and the standard of living of the entire population developed. In the first two decades of the 21st century, the municipality experienced a marked decline, unprecedented since its foundation, due to the economic difficulties that affected the country in general. Among the most outstanding aspects of this period of decline were the destruction of the historical heritage,

608-587: The central highway, the port of Cienfuegos and the construction of the Tarafa railroad, together with the critical situation in the political order, meant that the period up to 1959 was not a flourishing one for the overall economy of the municipality. From 1959, with the revolutionary triumph, a new era began. Until 1965, the Ciudad Pesquera, the Marcelo Salado neighborhood, multi-family buildings on

646-417: The city of Remedios and nearby settlements, and Heriberto Duquesne, Buena Vista, General Carrillo, Zulueta , Tahón-Francisco Pérez, Remate de Ariosa, and Circunscripciónes Directas (Chiquito Fabregat or San Agustín). This is recognized as the eighth-oldest European city in Cuba, but its real date of foundation has been obscured over time. It may be the second Spanish settlement on the island. Historians place

684-485: The deterioration of infrastructure and the loss of population, especially the young majority, due to emigration to other countries, mainly the United States. Unfortunately, this process of deterioration still continues and there is no near horizon that indicates that this trend will be reversed in the next few decades. Unfortunately, this process of deterioration still continues and there is no near horizon indicating

722-514: The first place. They also are as over-the-top dressed as the characters in the floats and perform complicated routines. There is a small fireworks display announcing the last float just crossing the finish line, and this leads to the end of the competitive run. Most famous carnivals in Cuba took place in Santiago de Cuba, Havana and Santa Clara. From these only the last one is still celebrated properly. The other ones have been cancelled or have seen

760-764: The former Las Villas province (now divided into Villa Clara , Sancti Spíritus and Ciego de Ávila provinces) in Cuba . Most famous parrandas are celebrated in Remedios colonial city where these festivities were originated. Second most popular are celebrated in Camajuaní , followed in popularity by Vueltas , Zulueta , Chambas , Guayos , El Santo , Taguayabón , Buenavista, Calabazar de Sagua , Zaza del Medio , Falcón, Vega Alta and many more small town of this central region of Cuba . The celebrations in Remedios are held from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day. Testimonies place

798-471: The foundation date sometime between 1513 and 1524 by Spanish nobleman Vasco Porcallo de Figueroa . He was said to found the settlement on 13 April 1514. Documents reflect that this settlement had been preceded only by Baracoa (1511) and (Bayamo)(1512). Some believe that it was founded before Trinidad (1514). According to legend, Vasco, in order to avoid tax payments to the Crown, kept the village hidden from

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836-596: The knowledge of the King of Spain as long as he could. But the settlement grew and had to be recognized. Through his wife, the daughter of the Cacique of Sabaneque, Vasco received a huge land grant as a personal fief from Governor Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar , as stipulated by Spanish law. There was no municipal entity to govern the town. Upon Vasco's death in Puerto Principe in 1550, the town obtained its charter. It

874-415: The major beef suppliers to Spain's Florida colonies. By 1678 the demarcation between Remedios and Sancti Spiritus was established. Along with cattle raising, the sugar cane industry was developed, dependent on slave labor. By the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century, the cultivation of tobacco, coffee and cacao as commodity crops was also underway. In 1682 (1672?), a major dispute arose among

912-571: The most popular regional events It takes place annually between the 16th to the 26th of December every year. Considered the oldest festival in Cuba, the parrandas were initially promoted by Father Francisco Vigil de Quiñones, who used to officiate at the Iglesia Mayor of San Juan Bautista de los Remedios. The priest, who was concerned about the absence of parishioners at the Misa de Gallo (midnight mass), decided to encourage children to parade in

950-544: The municipality and in Cayo Conuco. In 1819, the port of Tesisco was closed and Caibarién was ordered to be opened. From 1822 onwards, neighbors from Remedios began to arrive and there was already a population center in the part of Parrado. Narciso de Justa gave land from his hacienda for the foundation of the town. On October 26, 1832, the town was founded based on a plan conceived by Estratón Bauza. It had 42 blocks of 10 lots each and 375 of them were sold. The rest were destined to government dependencies. On August 31, 1873 it

988-432: The nearby locations. Final event: The fireworks. When the float’s legend is finished and the structure has reached the end of its travel, which is no more than 40 meters, the pyrotechnics, which have rapidly placed lines as long as three or four blocks of rockets in the streets, use torches and running by the sides of the racks lit them. Once single run should use near 20 000 rockets. When the regular fireworks are finished

1026-408: The night of December 24, two neighborhoods make public their creativeness and efforts made during the entire year to participate in the competition. During the "parrandas", a fierce competition takes place between the neighborhoods of San Salvador, represented by the colors red and blue, and a rooster as a symbol, and El Carmen, represented by the color brown and a globe. The memory of those celebrations

1064-572: The northern coast of Cuba , in the center of the island. It is the oldest Spanish settlement in the former Las Villas province. It is now part of the province of Villa Clara . It was declared a City by Isabella II of Spain , when the island was still a colony. Remedios is known as the Cradle of the Parrandas , possibly the Caribbean's largest and oldest traditional festival. Its patrons are John

1102-671: The population number had dropped to 42,134. The main attraction in the Plaza Isabel II is the Iglesia Mayor of San Juan Bautista, containing 13 decorated gold altars. As the city was frequently raided by pirates and corsairs, the gold was hidden under white paint. The most famous pirate to attack the town was the French François l'Olonnais . In a renovation that took place between 1944 and 1954, with donations by Cuban millionaire philanthropist Eutimio Falla Bonet,

1140-412: The province of Villa Clara. The long history of Remedios is particularly evident in the city center (declared a National Historic Monument in 1980). There 17th-century Spanish architecture can still be found intact. In 2004, the municipality of Remedios had a population of 46,482. With a total area of 560 km (220 sq mi), it has a population density of 83.0/km (215/sq mi). In 2022

1178-456: The real gold under coats of paint was re-discovered. Falla Bonet was said to have traced his ancestors back to Remedios, where one was a founding member of the city and another was born in Remedios. On the north side of the square sits another church, Igesia del Buen Viaje. Remedios is the only town in Cuba with two churches on its main square, but the Iglesia del Buen Viaje has been abandoned. It

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1216-440: The resorts and beaches that were once exclusive to tourists. In 2022, the municipality of Caibarién had a population of 40,798. With a total area of 212 km (82 sq mi), it has a population density of 179.5/km (465/sq mi). Remedios, Cuba Remedios ( Spanish pronunciation: [reˈmeðjos] ), also known as San Juan de los Remedios , is a city and municipality located 3 miles (4.8 km) from

1254-497: The run. These floats are also big in size but smaller compared to the ones made in Remedios, Camajuani and Vueltas cities. Characters in the floats perform elaborate dances combining salsa, mambo, cha cha and all sort of tropical rhythms. There are as many rumbas as floats because in Carnivals they become a duo, and the rumba announces the float. Rumba performers do not expect the people in town to join them since streets are closed in

1292-411: The settlers, led by Father Gonzalez de la Cruz, who claimed that satanic forces had taken hold of the place. The Spanish Crown sent a Royal Decree dated 29 January 1684 transferring the settlement to another place in order to avoid the demons. Eighteen families left the town and on 15 July 1689 established the village of Santa Clara . Today this is an important city in the center of Cuba and the capital of

1330-508: The streets and wake up residents by using whistles, horns and tin cans, so that they had no other choice than to get up and attend Christmas Eve mass. That noisy initiative got deeply rooted among the people, and a festival developed around it. In 1871, the "parrandas" adopted a ritual that is still practiced. According to tradition, when the bells of the Iglesia Parroquial Mayor (Major Parochial Church) toll at 9 o'clock on

1368-402: The towns these characters should keep still like statues, they are not allowed to move while the float is moving forward and the legend is read to the public, failing to do so will demerit the district. In Taguayabon on the contrary while the legend is read the characters perform as in a theatre play. But this behaviour is rather new and been consider "un-tasty" and against the classic tradition in

1406-534: Was granted the title of Villa and on January 1, 1879 the town council was constituted, with Don Hipólito Escobar Martelo as its first mayor. Before the war of 1895 the town had obtained a sustained progress, exhibiting such an economic power that it constituted a true astonishment at the time. The first quarter of the 20th century was the one of greatest urban development. Along with the population increase, public and private buildings of great cultural, educational and industrial importance appeared. The construction of

1444-421: Was originally called Santa Cruz de la Sabana. Other names were Santa Cruz de Vasco Porcallo, Santa Cruz de la Sabana del Cayo, and lastly, by 1578, San Juan de los Remedios de la Sabana del Cayo. In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, land grants provided by the Crown to colonists allowed for a stable population settlement. The economic growth relied on agriculture and cattle raising, and this eventually became one of

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