So, after missing it last year unfortunately due to a work-related scheduling issue, I’m super psyched to be going back again for this year’s Partagas Encuentros festival (held the third week of every November).

And yay – the event schedule with pricing is now released finally.  Sounds great to have the opening dinner (the only main event that some choose to attend) at the “Plaza de Armas”, a gorgeous location for something like this…

To me, this event is the ying for the yang that is the main Habanos Festival (held every February), which has seemed to have gotten too commercial, too busy, too full of facades and not “real faces”, real hearts and minds there solely for the love of Cuban cigars and the friendships that are gained through and with them.  Granted, the Partagas Encuentros, and it’s related events can still be somewhat contrived and commercial – but cigars are a big business after all, and part of this event is catering to the gathering of business people that are part of bringing fine Habanos cigars to all of us.  The icing on the cake is this – this event simply helps to bring us all together; cigar distributors and merchants, collectors, smokers, cigar newcomers, torcedors, industry insiders, Cubans, Canadians, Brits and Das Germans, other various Euros, Yanks, and even unfortunately those crazy Aussies!!!

It’s a great time.  If you’ve even been on the fence about going to Cuba, and deciding on when to take the leap, these are the types of events to break the ice with.

I’m going yet again with a great core group of Canadian travel companions, and will no doubt be part of hijinks with the rest.

Let’s just hope I can get home in one piece afterwards!!!!

Cheers all.