Havana International Ballet Festival 2026 in Cuba: Alicia Alonso’s Legacy on Stage, October 28–November 6

The Havana International Ballet Festival 2026 returns to Cuba's capital, Havana, from October 28 to November 6, 2026. This decade-long ballet event, organized by the Cuban National Ballet, returns to the Gran Teatro Alicia Alonso, the very theater named for its founder, the legendary Alicia Alonso. Alicia Alonso, Cuba’s prima ballerina assoluta, created the festival in 1960 and led its operations until her passing at the age of 98 in 2019.

The festival remains the only stage where Cuban and international ballet companies perform together.

The festival spans ten days, featuring galas, full-length classical ballets, and contemporary works in the Gran Teatro Alicia Alonso and satellite venues across Havana. Ticket sales are handled by Cuban cultural establishments and theater box offices, with gala nights selling out rapidly. The Gran Teatro Alicia Alonso, situated on the Paseo del Prado opposite the Capitolio in central Havana, serves as the festival's ceremonial center.

Ballet in Cuba is a widely celebrated mass art form, with school-trained dancers often becoming national celebrities. The festival, therefore, presents visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to witness a cultural tradition that Cuba has nurtured for over six decades. As the most internationally attended cultural event in Cuba, this ballet festival offers the most direct insight into this rich artistic heritage.