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Take a selfie at the Malecón or see a show at the Tropicana at this celebration of Cuba

To remember is to live again. That is the premise of Cuba Nostalgia, which reopens its doors this weekend after its cancellation in 2020 due to the pandemic.

This year, the oldest “nostalgia party” in South Florida will have shows by Albita, Amaury Gutiérrez, Los 3 de La Habana, Carlos Manuel, Lucy Grau, Luis Bofill, Boncó Quiñongo, Carlos Oliva and Los Sobrinos del Judge, Hansel and Raúl and the Universal Group, among others.

Albita
Albita

Continuing with tradition, the celebration will include 14 thematic pavilions that will replicate the facades of iconic buildings and streets of Havana, plus art exhibitions, painting and photography, memorabilia, food of the Island, as well as a variety of cocktails like refreshing mojitos and Cuba Libres.

More than 30,000 people are expected to gather in the 160,000 square foot space. Among the must-sees are El Floridita, the emblematic Havana restaurant famous for the daiquiri that writer Ernest Hemingway loved so much.

Another icon of Cuban gastronomy that cannot be missed is La Bodeguita del Medio, whose walls in Havana were signed by celebrities and regular folks who stopped in to drink a mojito, its signature drink since opening in 1942.

A popular attraction is the gigantic photograph of the Castillo del Morro and the mini replica of the Malecón, a five-mile seawall built in 1901 that lines the Havana coast to protect the city from the tide.

The Malecón in Havana is a popular selfie spot at Cuba Nostalgia.
The Malecón in Havana is a popular selfie spot at Cuba Nostalgia.

Don’t miss the Tropicana, a cabaret under the stars celebrated worldwide for its music and beautiful models; as well as the Payret theater cinema pavilion, very close to the Paseo del Prado, and the famous Woolworth store, popularly known as the “Ten Cents.”

The list of attractions includes the Partagás tobacco factory, founded in 1845, and the National Capitol, where a sample of historical objects belonging to collector Orestes Chávez valued at $10 million will be exhibited.

Enjoy the Cathedral of Havana, the Paseo del Prado, the capital’s first paved street, a boulevard lined with important buildings and mansions that imitate the styles of Madrid, Paris and Vienna, as well as El Solar, a large mansion from the 19th century converted to a tenement.

The exhibition of vintage cars will return, which is always one of the most popular attractions in Cuba Nostalgia.

Cuba Nostalgia

When: Sept. 17-19

Where: Miami-Dade County Fair & Expo Center, 10901 SW 24th St., Miami

Cost: $10-$15

Info: www.cubanostalgia.org