Habanos Cigar Festival Raises $1.7M for Cuban Healthcare

At least 700 humidors – cigar boxes – were handcrafted during the Friday event, bearing the coveted stamps of Cohiba, Montecristo, and Romeo y Julieta.

Cuba's 20th annual Habanos Festival in Havana has closed with an auction raising more than US$1.7 million, to be used to finance the Caribbean island's healthcare system.

At least 700 humidors – cigar boxes – were handcrafted during the Friday event, bearing the coveted stamps of Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo and Julieta, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey and H.Upmann.

The gala night was organized, as it is every year, by Habanos, known for its Cuban cigars.This year, Habanos launched a new line: the Maduro de Partagas.

Headlining were the Orishas, a musical trio offering a sample of the concert due later this month, their first on the island in more than nine years.

Big personalities were also in attendance, including Mexican actor Demian Bichir, nominated for an Oscar for his performance in "A Better Life." He also played late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro in the 2008 film "Che."

The five-day festival played host to more than 2,000 distributors, producers, collectors, artists and enthusiasts from 70 countries.