2020 HAVANA JAZZ FESTIVAL for EXIT ZERO JAZZ FEST GROUP

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2020 HAVANA JAZZ FESTIVAL For EXIT ZERO JAZZ FEST GROUP

 The 35 th annual Havana Jazz Festival will be held from January 14 to 20, 2020 , with events occurring mostly in the evenings. Opening ceremonies will occur in the evening of January 15 th . A detailed schedule of events has not yet been published, but will be forthcoming. More than 125 world renowned artists and groups from the United States, Europe, Cuba and other Latin American countries performed at various established music venues throughout Havana in 2019 , one of the most compelling small cities in Latin America. Favorites included:

 Preservation Hall Jazz Band  Omara Portundo  Harold Lopez-Nussa Quartet ( playing the 2019 Fall Exit Zero Jazz Festival )  Pedrito Martinez ( played Exit Zero Jazz Festival three times, returning in 2020)  Arturo O’Farrill (played 2018 Exit Zero Jazz Festival )  Dayme Arocena  Ernan Lopez-Nussa  Cimafunk  Horacio Hernandez  Dafnis Prieto  Los Van Van  Dennis Chambers & David Sancious

Our program will begin with arrival in Havana on January 14 th , and will include a city tour beginning on the morning of January 15 th . This experience will include a motor tour of some of Havana’s most appealing districts, including the famous seaside drive, the Malecon , as well as the municipalities of Playa, Miramar, and Vedado , culminating in the culturally rich Habana Vieja (Old Havana).

On our first full day in Havana, we will enjoy a city tour of various points of interest, including a walking tour of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most unique destinations in the Caribbean. Havana is loaded with interesting historic sites, museums, art galleries, and now several excellent restaurants. Old Havana is among the most well preserved and dynamic colonial cities in the New World. This district of the city is undergoing rapid change, which fortunately includes ambitious historic restoration combined with modern improvement of what are in many examples UNESCO World Heritage Site restored and protected buildings.

Pedestrian walkways connect a variety of museums, art galleries, fine restaurants, renaissance hotels and guest houses, balanced with active, authentic residential neighborhoods, offering both touristic appeal and authenticity to the curious visitor. Lunch in a high quality paladare , or privately owned (as opposed to Government run) restaurant. Havana avoided rapid development and the loss of scores of historic residential and commercial properties during the last half of the 20th century. Many buildings have been recently refurbished, some dating back to the 17th century.

The harbor in Old Havana is presided over by Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana (El Morro), which is among the largest and best preserved Spanish Colonial fortresses in the world. The Malecon, Havana’s historic and scenic ocean drive, winds several miles along the coast from the harbor in Old Havana to the mouth of the Almendares River, defining the northern limits of this once opulent and attractive city. If Cuba is to change radically in the coming years, most changes will be evident in Havana. Our hope is that future development here focuses on historic preservation and renewal, but this outcome is not guaranteed. We hope you take this opportunity to enjoy historic Havana while you can!

Additional day time excursion options are available at a nominal extra cost, and may include visits to el Morro, Havana’s 16 th century fortress, among the largest and best preserved in Latin America , Ernest Hemingway’s former estate and favorite Havana haunts, various museums, galleries, and historic landmarks in and around this small but fascinating city.

Your experience in Havana will include both structured and unstructured time. Your first days will include an introduction, after which you may explore on your own, or with the help of professional guides that we can help arrange for small group and individual excursions.

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS Costs below include 6 nights accommodation and breakfast, airport transfers, guided Havana city tour with lunch; 1 dinner (final evening). Your stay in Havana will begin on January 14 th , with departure from Havana on January 20 th .

Accommodation options are as follows:

1) PREMIUM $ 1,795.00 per person sharing; $ 650.00 single supplement in a 4 star hotel in Havana, such as Hotel Capri: https://www.nhcaprilahabana.com/

2) V.I.P. $ 1,545.00 per person sharing; $ 525.00 single supplement In a 3 star hotel in Havana, such as Hotel Presidente: https://www.roc-hotels.com/en/la-habana/roc-presidente Capri Presidente

FESTIVAL TICKET PACKAGES Jazz Festival ticket packages are additional, and can be combined with either accommodation package:

(1) PREMIUM – ( $ 575.00 US) Includes the access to all venues, with preferred seating. Also included is participation in 3 special activities related to Cuban music, including a dinner featuring traditional Cuban music; as well as a visit to recording studios with live music performance included. A gift bag with event souvenirs is also included.

(2) VIP -–($ 425.00 US) Includes the access to all venues, with regular seating. Also included is a single event such as one of those described above. A gift bag with event souvenirs is also included.

Performance Locations Primary performance venues include but are not limited to:

Teatro Nacional (National Theater) http://www.teatronacional.cu/

Teatro Mella & Jardines del Mella Pabellon (Mella Theater & Mella Gardens Pavilion) https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=teatro+mella+%26+jardines+del+mella+pabellon&qpvt=Teatro+Mella+%26+Jar dines+del+Mella+Pabellon&FORM=VDR

Casa de la Cultura, Municipio Plaza (Cultural House - Plaza Municipality *) http://enfoquecubano.blogspot.com/2016/12/casa-de-la-cultura-de-plaza.html

Havana National Theatre ( TEATRO NACIONAL) Cuba’s National Theater was started in 1959, completed in 1979, and renovated in 2012. The building’s ultimate design and completion occurred at a time when austere soviet influenced design typified the last building spree of that era. The history and culture of the city is reflected by the decor inside the building, where many works by Cuban artists can be found on many of the walls.

The National Theatre is made up of two separate auditoriums, called the Sala Covarrubias and the Sala Avellaneda. Combined, the two theatres can hold just under 2,400 people, about half the capacity of Havana’s largest artistic venue, Karl Marx Theater (capacity 5,000 people).

Teatro Mella Refurbished in 2000, this 1,500-seat theatre has a Gaudi-esque feel–a meringue-shaped balcony wraps around the auditorium. It’s used for dance, folklore (home to the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba), circus and variety shows, and for seasons for comedy and dance.

Casas de Culturas – Houses of Culture – are community venues for music and the arts. In Havana, most municipalities have a casa de cultura. These venues are commonly simple and Spartan in terms of décor and creature comforts. Once we see a detailed program guide to the festival, we will have a clearer picture of which other casas de cultura will host festival events. Municipalities in Havana that have casas de cultura include Vedado (Plaza), Habana Vieja, Centro, Miramar, and Playa.

Meals - All breakfasts are included, as is at least 1 lunch & 1 dinner. Premium Jazz Festival passes include an additional lunch and dinner. Otherwise, lunches range between $ 10 and $ 25 USD per person per day. Dinners range from $ 15 - $ 40 per person per day, and can range between basic to gourmet dining experiences. Meals need to be paid for in cash – in Cuban Convertible Pesos, which trade at a fee of 13 % in Cuba, and are not available outside of Cuba. The estimated costs are in U.S. dollars, after consideration of exchange fees.

BASIC PROGRAM FORMAT You are expected in Havana by late afternoon on January 14 th . Direct flights to Havana are available from Newark, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Airlines offering these flights include JetBlue, Southwest, United, American, and Delta Airlines. We will provide all of the information necessary to make booking these flights and obtaining your Cuban visa simple and secure. Airport transfers are included for 1 afternoon arrival (on the 14 th), and 1 morning departure ( 20 th ), timing to be determined based on the arrival and departure times of the majority of participants.

After breakfast on January 15 th , a motor tour of Havana and walking tour of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage site, will be included, culminating with lunch in Old Havana (included). Opening ceremonies for the Jazz Festival begin that evening, with other events throughout the festival described in program brochures, which will be provided in your festival packet. We will provide daily programming information prior to departure to help with individual planning. Unless decided by consensus, there are no other formal plans until dinner on the last evening (Sunday, January 19 th ) to attend any function as a group. Havana’s north coast and El Morro fortress

Depending on your festival package, there may be festival related activities for you to attend during the day. Otherwise music performances occur typically after 5 pm each evening of the festival. You may attend any music event you choose, but preferential seating is only available to PREMIUM PASS holders. Seating may otherwise be limited depending on the event venue, performance, and timing.

Transportation We will provide group transportation from the airport to your accommodation on the 14 th , and between your hotel and the airport on the 20 th , at a designated time based on the majority of arrival and departure times for the group. Transportation on Day 2 for your Havana orientation Tours is also provided. Taxis to and from music venues are reasonably priced ( $ 5 - $ 20 per car, depending on venue). Some music venues may be walking distance from your accommodation.

Program Leadership This program is being administered with the help of Gary Markowski , Founder and Executive Director of Caribbean Conservation Trust. Gary has more than 23 years experience working and organizing trips for U.S. Citizens in Cuba. This trip complies with United States Department of Treasury rules for legal travel to Cuba. Gary will Help with all aspects of arranging travel, U.S. Government licensing, and Cuban Visas.

Exit Zero Jazz Festival Founder / Director Michael Kline will accompany the group to Havana, and act as the point person at the festival. Michael has contracted the services of Caribbean Conservation Trust (CCT), a U.S. based agency with 23 years experience managing ecological and cultural based tourism in Cuba. CCT has full time employees in Havana and in the U.S., and since 1996, has managed more than 200 groups in Cuba for more than 2,700 U.S. Citizens. This trip is entirely legal under U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) rules. CCT staff will help arrange direct flights between the U.S. and Havana, Cuba, as well as Cuban visas and any additionally required travel documents. This trip is privately offered to Exit Zero Jazz Festival clientele only, and will not appear on the Caribbean Conservation Trust web site ( http://www.cubirds.org ). The trip is open to a limited number of participants, and is held on a first come, first served basis. Reserve your space as soon as you can with a $ 500.00 per person deposit .

Registration, Trip Costs, Terms, and Conditions Land costs for the 7 day / 6 night day program start at $ 1,545.00 per person for the V.I.P. Accommodation option in a shared room (as described previously). Single supplements are an additional $ 550.00 per person.

Premium Accommodations are $ 1,795.00 per person in a shared room. Single supplements are an additional $ 650.00 .

Jazz Festival Package options are either PREMIUM - $ 575.00 per person or V.I.P. - $ 425.00 per person.

Be sure to indicate your choice of accommodation and Jazz Festival Package (PREMIUM or V.I.P.) You may mix and match accommodation and Jazz Festival options.

What is included: The EXIT ZERO HAVANA JAZZ FESTIVAL Program includes the following: all accommodations, all meals as described in your itinerary option in Cuba beginning with dinner on day 1, ending with breakfast on the last day of the program, guide services as described, ground transportation as described in your selected package option, bottled water, some drinks, admission fees as described in your festival package option, U.S. Department of Treasury authorization documents, and program management services which include the provision of all pre- trip materials, a Cuban bilingual guide for your Havana orientation tour (Day 2). Program fees also include a per person donation to the non-profit educational & cultural outreach arm of the Festival - Music Connects Cape May . https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/sponsored/music-connects-inspires-and-educates-cape-may-students-swing- into/article_141cf3de-4f63-5c20-baf3-ce1a6c7fba4a.html

Not Included: Travel to Havana, Cuba (estimated at $ 200 - $ 250 from Florida); Cuban Visa ($75) personal expenses such as laundry, phone calls, additional beverages, bar and housekeeping tips, etc., meals not covered in Cuba, or other fees not listed in the program. Cost estimates are as of summer 2019 and are subject to change.

Travel Insurance Protection Any U.S. citizen traveling internationally these days should consider insurance protection. Reasonably priced coverage is available to provide protection against financial loss due to trip cancellation or delay, as well as lost baggage. Although uncommon, cancellations due to illness, accidents, work related schedule changes, and other un-planned or un-welcome events have happened. Unforeseen travel related events which you have little or no control over can also impact travel plans. All of these factors make trip cancellation insurance a very important consideration. For information about Travelex insurance, go to: http://www.travelex- insurance.com/index.asp?location=07-0067 or call 1 800-228-9792. Be sure to use the agency location code 07- 0067 to access coverage explicit to this program.

Payment Regarding payment for the land portion of the tour, a $ 500.00 deposit is due as soon as possible to reserve space on these programs. This can be paid by wire transfer, check or money order payable to:

Caribbean Conservation Trust 353 West Todd Street Hamden, CT 06518

Please do not write Cuba on the check memo.

Balance Payment and cancellation and refund policy * Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure. You will receive a detailed receipt/invoice following receipt of your deposit and reservation form. All cancellations must be done in writing and are effective upon receipt in the CCT office. Should it become necessary for you to cancel, all payments will be refunded after a deduction of our cancellation fee outlined below:

More than 90 days prior to the tour...... $ 150.00 per person (land only) Fewer than 89, more than 75 days prior to the tour… FULL DEPOSIT Fewer than 75 days prior to the tour………. NO REFUND (unless we can fill your place)

In the unlikely event that we must cancel the tour, a full refund less a $ 35.00 processing fee for your license application will be forwarded to you, should cancellation occur after your license has been processed. * Please be aware that the refund policies apply only to the land portion of the trip, and that airlines may have different policies that exist beyond our ability to control. Additional registration fees may apply. As with all international travel programs, we highly encourage trip cancellation and travel insurance policies .

Caribbean Conservation Trust and its agents and constituents reserve the right to make changes to the itineraries. Land and air arrangements may be subject to price increases beyond our control.

http://www.exit0jazzfest.com/ www.cubirds.org 203.733.1162 [email protected]