Light for Life Dance Party for Cuba ft. José González & The Criollo Clásico Band

Come Dance with us and La Banda Criolla for the Women of Cuba! Cuba is under siege and at risk pregnant women and their unborn babies are paying the price. A U.S. blockade is preventing all fuel shipments from reaching the Island, including those needed by maternity homes for at risk pregnant women. In Cuba’s maternity homes provide round the clock care for at risk pregnant women. These maternity centers are needed even more urgently as the fuel blockade means at risk pregnant women at home have just 2-3 hours of electricity a day – no lights, no refrigeration, no airconditioning. The Light for Life project is raising money to help these women by completely outfitting as many maternity homes as possible with solar systems and back up batteries so they can continue to provide the needed care. And what better day to raise money while we dance than Sunday July 26, a day that celebrates the start of the Cuban rebellion against tyranny and for a better world – the one they have created with equal and free access to education, health care, gender rights, art, culture, music – and joy. Yes, joy. Even in the midst of the hardships, on a Sunday evening people in Cuba will be out dancing – at the Casas de Cultura in every barrio that somehow manage to find generators and keep spirits up and people moving forward. Let’s join them. And who better to have for dance music than the well known Cuban-Puerto Rican-Dominican dance band, José González and La Banda Criolla. Their mix of Timba, Salsa, Merengue, Casino is just what people in Cuba will be dancing to on this special Sunday night, July 26. Can’t come? You still can donate: https://bit.ly/4dtHXOU https://marigold.org/store/thecriolloclasicoband/ José González, a virtuoso guitarist, composer, and master of the Puerto Rican cuatro, leads Banda Criolla, a vibrant, dance‑driven ensemble that fuses the island’s traditional rhythms—bomba, plena, jíbaro—with Latin jazz, salsa, merengue, flamenco, and global musical influences. A celebrated figure in Puerto Rico and beyond, José has released over 20 CDs, four of which have featured on Putumayo World Music compilations and one on the Bose “World Music” series. His music has been showcased on major platforms like NBC, PBS, and CNN, and he’s received prestigious honors such as Puerto Rico’s Top 150 personalities award by BBVA and the Hispanic Excellence in Music accolade. Sunday, 7/26 José González & The Criollo Clásico Band 6PM - 9PM $15-25 [ sliding scale ] Marigold Theater - Easthampton, MA