Latin American and Caribbean Culture Festival to Be Held in Moscow
The Latin American and Caribbean Culture Festival will take place in Moscow from July 18 to 26. It will be held in the Russian capital for the fifth time and will once again bring together music, dance, cinema, food, lectures, creative workshops, and family activities. The organizers are the Government of Moscow, the Department for External Economic and International Relations of Moscow, and the Moscow Center for International Cooperation, with support from the embassies of Latin American and Caribbean countries in Russia.
Latin America and the Caribbean are among today’s most important global regions and one of Moscow’s key international partners. The capital and the countries of the region share ties in economics, science, culture, and sports. The festival continues to develop this dialogue and introduces Muscovites and visitors to the rich cultural heritage of Latin American countries.
On July 18 and 19, the festival’s main venue in the Hermitage Garden will come alive with bright colors, live music, and the energetic rhythms of Latin America. Guests can look forward to a packed program that offers a closer look at the continent’s culture: its local flavor, traditions, cuisine, and carnival atmosphere. Workshops, contests, and lectures will help visitors discover Latin America from different angles, while themed photo zones will offer truly vibrant photo opportunities. Admission is free.
The official opening will take place on July 18 at 1:00 p.m. on the Main Stage of the Hermitage Garden. Representatives of the Government of Moscow and ambassadors from Latin American countries will take part. The program will continue with well-known performers and ensembles, who will present the region’s traditional culture through music, dance, and stage imagery. Singer Fantine will take part in the opening ceremony with a special program of Dominican repertoire, introducing audiences to the musical richness and cultural heritage of the Dominican Republic. She will perform a repertoire that blends global musical traditions with the rhythms and flavor of the Caribbean.
The event will also feature a vibrant performance by a dance company performing traditional Paraguayan dances, Paraguay Folk. The musicians of Tangovsky Project will sweep guests up in the rhythm of tango, playing world-famous Argentine tango hits by such celebrated composers as Carlos Gardel, Astor Piazzolla, and many others. Colombia will be represented this year by the group Marimbea. The region’s traditional music is included on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Listeners will take a musical journey accompanied by the national marimba de chonta, drums, and guasa percussion. The program also includes cumbia and bachata from the Nicaraguan music group El Ardo, sizzling Cuban music hits from Hot Havana Orchestra, and energetic pieces from Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Ricardo Rodríguez. A special place in the program will be given to the authentic dances for which South America is famous. The stage will welcome the Tonantzin dance ensemble from Mexico, the Jatari group from Ecuador, and Rhythms of the Planet from Colombia.
For guests who want not only to watch the dancing but also to try it themselves, leading dance schools will prepare a series of workshops. Professional instructors will introduce participants to the basic steps and rhythms of popular Latin American styles, help them feel the music, and teach simple combinations. Participants will encounter dances that each have their own character and rhythm: fiery salsa, romantic bachata, passionate Argentine tango, bold reggaeton, sunny merengue, energetic zumba, and distinctive Paraguayan polka. No special preparation is required. All you need is the desire to dance, try something new, and immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere. On the evening of July 18, all guests are invited to the sizzling Latin American party “Where Cultures Dance Together.” It will bring guests and professional dancers together in one space, where music from different countries, bright rhythms, and free movement create the atmosphere of a true carnival.
The list of workshops includes many other areas. Young visitors can make florariums, create stylish Cuban beads, and weave dreamcatchers. Professional artists will help guests decorate kaleidoscopes and sunglasses, paint vinyl records, eco-bags, Panama hats, and baseball caps in Latin American style. Children can unlock their creative potential in drawing workshops. Guests will have the chance not only to immerse themselves in the artistic culture of Latin America but also to take home unique handmade souvenirs as mementos of the celebration.
For those who want to learn more about the history, culture, and modern life of Latin American countries, a lecture program will be available. A highlight will be the lecture “Paraguay: Images, Stories, and Culture in the Heart of South America” by Oscar Rive, an official photographer for major national and international events and a foreign language teacher. Visitors will learn about Paraguay’s culture, traditions, landscapes, artistic heritage, tourism, and everyday life. Photographs will serve as visual material for getting to know one of South America’s least-known but most interesting countries. Yuri Pavel Santacruz Perdomo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of El Salvador to Russia, will speak about nature, coffee production, crafts, culture, and the modern image of El Salvador. Jose Manuel Vargas D’Oleo, Counselor and Head of Commercial, Investment, and Tourism Affairs at the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in the Russian Federation, will present the Dominican Republic’s cultural attractions and tourist routes. Dayans Melendez, Counselor at the Embassy of Nicaragua in the Russian Federation, will introduce guests to the distinctive features of traditional huipil costumes. Visitors can learn about the culture of Argentine mate, discover the region’s folklore and traditions, and find new facets of Latin American life. They can also test their knowledge of the region in a quiz organized by the Russian Geographical Society. In addition, guests can take a Portuguese lesson and an interactive workshop, “Brazil in 40 Minutes: Music, Language, and Culture.” The event requires no foreign language skills and is built around live interaction with the audience, quizzes, and musical activities. Participants will learn interesting facts about Brazil, learn to recognize popular Portuguese words and expressions, and get acquainted with one of the most famous Brazilian songs in the world.
Those who want to try national dishes will find plenty of culinary highlights at the food court. Here guests can sample popular Latin American dishes: refreshing ceviche, appetizing tequeños, hearty burritos, spicy fajitas, and fresh empanadas. The menu will also include refreshing lemonades made from exotic fruits, Venezuelan and Ecuadorian chocolate, and coffee and cocoa specially brought in for the festival. Another attraction will be Latina Market, a space with goods inspired by Latin American culture. Guests can buy festive accessories: Mexican masks, elegant fans, and traditional sombreros, as well as stylish jewelry in Latin American style. Themed stalls will also offer products from the region: chocolate, cocoa, tea, and spices. They will help preserve the taste of the journey and bring back memories of the festival.
A rich entertainment program has been prepared for festival visitors, and it will be interesting for both children and adults. It will add even more color to the celebration and make a visit to the Hermitage Garden a true family event. Every day from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., face painters will help create bright carnival looks. Face painting will be not just an addition to the image but part of the overall festive mood. Animators in bright costumes inspired by Latin American culture will appear at the venue. They will help create the mood of a big street celebration and draw guests into activities. With them, you can not only play and dance but also take lively, sincere, and truly joyful photos that will warm your heart and bring a smile every time you look at them.
One of the most dynamic events in the program will be football freestyle workshops on July 18 and 19. Professional freestylers from Freestyle Sport, a show group of Russian ball-freestyle champions, will demonstrate spectacular tricks. Guests can then try their hand as footballers and repeat some of the elements of the sport themselves. The atmosphere of the workshops will evoke the game of Latin American football legends known around the world.
For younger festival guests, engaging entertainment programs based on Encanto and Coco will offer children an immersion into the cultures of Colombia and Mexico. Bright emotions, fun games and relays, lively dances, and stories full of friendship and wonder await young festival participants. The programs are designed for children ages 5 to 12.
On July 18, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., on the dance square in the Hermitage Garden, the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in the Russian Federation will host a traditional Dominican Evening, which this time will be dedicated to the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo. This landmark district, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has exceptional historical value. The evening will give guests a wonderful opportunity to get better acquainted with the distinctive culture of the Dominican Republic: its rich history, sizzling traditional music, and colorful dances that will leave no one indifferent.
The Latin American and Caribbean Culture Festival will give guests not only unforgettable impressions but also the chance to send a colorful postcard with greetings from Moscow anywhere in the world through a special Russian Post campaign.
The celebration of Latin American culture will not end there. From July 20 to 25, cultural and educational events will be held at the All-Russian State Library for Foreign Literature named after M. I. Rudomino. On July 20 at 5:00 p.m. in the Grand Hall, the grand opening ceremony of the Festival of Latin American and Caribbean Culture at Inostranka will take place. The program includes concerts, book presentations, meetings with embassy representatives, lectures by diplomats, workshops, and film screenings. There will be open Spanish lessons, workshops on making Mexican masks and Guatemalan kites, performances by singers from Paraguay and Peru, lectures with the participation of the Ambassador of Mexico to Russia and the Ambassador of Argentina to Russia, a roundtable “Latin Americans in Russia,” and much more. The organizers will also prepare several exhibitions showcasing outstanding works of art. From July 20, the Book Club will host the exhibition “Voices of Latin America”; the Ibero-American Cultural Center will present “Illustrations for Brazilian Fairy Tales and Legends”; the Marble Hall will feature “Ancient Civilizations of Latin America and Their Descendants”; and the Exhibition Space of the BRICS+ Information and Cultural Media Center will host the painting exhibition “Uruguay Through the Eyes of Artists” from the Embassy of Uruguay. The program will cover various venues at the library, including the Book Club, the BRICS+ Media Center, the Ibero-American Cultural Center, and the Center for Slavic Cultures.
The festival program will once again include the Film Festival of Latin American and Caribbean Films, which will take place from July 21 to 26. The lineup features 14 films from 11 countries. Audiences will discover contemporary cinema from Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Ecuador. This year, Paraguay will take part in the film festival for the first time. The film program will be another way to get to know the region’s culture through stories, characters, national traditions, and the modern perspective of directors. Viewers will see documentaries and feature films exploring themes of family, love, creativity, personal choice, vocation, social change, and economic challenges. Special attention in the program is given to the diversity of Latin American cinema. Each country will present its own tone, visual language, and cultural context. Screenings will take place at the Illuzion Cinema and the Engineering Building of the Tretyakov Gallery, where audiences will discover Latin America and the Caribbean anew through the language of cinema.
This year, a new venue will join the festival: Moscow Zoo. It will take part in organizing two photo exhibitions dedicated to the natural diversity and unique wildlife of Colombia and Paraguay. The exhibition “Fauna of Paraguay: Symbolic Species” can be enjoyed near the new entrance on the second floor, while “Colombia — Land of Birds” will be located in the passage on the bridge between the old and new territories of the zoo until August 31, 2026.
For Muscovites and visitors to the capital, the festival will be a chance to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Latin America and the Caribbean for several days. Music, dance, cinema, lectures, national cuisine, and creative programs will help them see the region in all its diversity—bright, distinctive, and open to dialogue. The celebration will bring together different countries, cultures, and generations, continuing the tradition of cultural exchange between Moscow and the Latin American world.