Children’s Carnival 2026: A Celebration for Matanzas Children

Joy, color, and creativity took over the streets of Matanzas this Wednesday with the celebration of the 2026 Children’s Carnival «For a Happy Childhood,» a community initiative developed as part of the «Summer with My People» program.

From early morning, Matanzas children enjoyed a spectacle conceived especially for them, with the participation of sociocultural projects, artistic and community groups, theater and circus companies, as well as art instructors and amateur artists.

The parade took place along Milanés Street, from the Sauto Theater to Libertad Park, with different areas designated for choreographic performances, including the vicinity of the Provincial Council of Performing Arts, the area around Cathedral Park and ETECSA, and the central area in front of Libertad Park.

Giant puppets, marionettes, stilt walkers, decorated tricycles, clowns, congas, and children’s comparsas filled this city space with movement and fantasy, in a day where the little ones were the main protagonists.

Participating in the carnival were, among others, the sociocultural projects Tocororo, Corcel de Esperanza, Maravillas de la Infancia, Cultivador de Sueños, Academia de Ballet Español Donaire, Reparadores de Sueños, and X Amor a mi raíz; the community initiative ASHE; the artistic units Alas y Raíces en Crecimiento and Travesía Mágica; the Children’s Band; and the Academy «La Rumba Soy Yo.»

Also joining were Compañía Noria, Teatro Icarón, Teatro Las Estaciones, the Circus Variety Company La Rueda, and the folkloric group Los Matanceros.

The celebration was dedicated to International Youth Day, the centenary of Fidel Castro Ruz’s birth, and the 70th anniversary of the creation of Pelusín del Monte, an emblematic character of Cuban children’s culture.

More than a parade, the Children’s Carnival became a cultural gift for Matanzas families and a showcase of the artistic talent of our children, who enjoyed a morning marked by music, traditions, imagination, and the festive spirit that characterizes the Athens of Cuba.