The 19th edition of the Drum Festival Guillermo Barreto in memoriam will be held March 23rd through the 29th in Havana, sponsored by the National Center for Popular Music.

The venues of this year’s event includes the Karl Marx theater, the Salón Rosado de la Tropical dance hall, Plaza Vieja in Old Havana, Palco hotel, El Sauce Culture Center, América theater and Memories Miramar hotel, among others.

Giraldo Piloto, president of the organizing committee, said highlights include three new contests: international percussion, Casino dance, and Rumba dance contests. The jury is made up of outstanding percussionists who are entitled to grant as many prizes as they deem appropriate.

There will be Master Percussion, Casino and Rumba Dance classes, as well as personalized classes of these specialties.

This year’s drum fiesta is dedicated to Africa, as a way of going back to the roots of Cuban music and to the drum -- an essential component of Cuban popular music.