Young people celebrate Halloween at Havana cultural space
Costumes and decorations marked the evening at El Proyecto in Vedado while the area was affected by lack of electricity.
Costumed young people gathered Friday, October 30, at El Proyecto, a Havana cultural space, to celebrate Halloween. Attendees included a young man wearing a Joker mask and a young woman in a nun's veil and heels. The activity took place before October 31 and brought people together while the area lacked electricity.
El Proyecto occupies an old house at 11th and 14th streets in Vedado. The property, converted into a cultural space, hosted the celebration on a day when darkness affected that part of the capital. Attendees used Halloween-themed outfits, including recognizable references to characters and religious figures.
The celebration coincided with electricity-supply difficulties in Havana. Parts of the capital had spent more than a day without power amid the energy crisis, and the corner housing El Proyecto also lacked service. The celebration continued in the cultural space despite the conditions.
Halloween is not a deeply rooted Cuban cultural tradition, and the date is not commonly associated there with practices such as trick-or-treating. Even so, decorations had appeared on streets and homes in preceding days. The El Proyecto gathering forms part of those visible expressions without implying that the celebration has become a widespread custom.