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- Bucharest of Old - celebration
of the city as it was 150-200 years ago, with traditional
costumes, horse-drawn carriages, food, music and special performances.
Bucharest, old section (every year, in June).
- Bucharest Festival of International Music - MultiSonic
Fest - Featuring live performances of "Fusion-Music
and Crossover-Art", this unique festival aims to fill
the gap between contemporary music and jazz. Combining traditional
Asian and African instruments with electronic sound generators
and melting classic musical textures with world music grooves,
the artists will stage for you original musical experiences
(September 21st - 24th).
- Bucharest-International Jazz Festival - The festival
is bringing to the capital city more than 33 bands for concerts
and jam sessions every night, during the 10 days of the event.
Musicians and jazz composers are holding workshops, along
with disk and book releases (October 14th - 24th).
- Bucharest, Museum of the Romanian Peasant Saint Demeter
Fair - The patron saint of Bucharest, Saint Demeter is
celebrated every October with special church services, but
also with the traditional fair at the Museum of the Romanian
Peasant. Craftsmen from all over the country, dressed in beautiful
traditional costumes, come and sell their handicrafts (October
the 20tn - 22nd).
- The Traditional Crafts Fair - Crafts enthusiasts
from all over Romania gather at the Village Museum in Bucharest
to offer free demonstrations of traditional woodcarving, rug
weaving, textile weaving and embroidering, pottery molding,
glass blowing, egg painting and more (the month of June).
- George Enescu International Festival - Classical
music festival dedicated to the Romanian composer George Enescu,
presenting an international classical and modern repertoire.
It takes place in Bucharest, usually in autumn. (for
more infos www.festivalenescu.ro)
- The Golden Stag Festival - is an annual international
music festival held in Brasov, Romania. The main organiser
is Televiziunea Româna, Romania's state-run (and largest)
television network. The festival has two main components:
an international contest and guest performances by both Romanian
and foreign stars. The Golden Stag was first held in 1968.
Well-known artists have performed at the festival over the
years, including Gilbert Becaud, Josephine Baker, Toto Cutugno,
James Brown, Christina Aguilera, Kenny Rogers, Ray Charles,
UB 40, INXS, Scorpions, Ricky Martin, Pink, Sheryl Crow, Kelly
Family, TATU and many others.
- The Jazz and Blues Festival - an international festival
as well, hosted by "Sica Alexandrescu" Theatre,
in autumn, in Brasov.
- The International Chamber Music Festival - held in
September, it is organized by the Philharmonic Orchestra from
Brasov;
- The Contemporary Drama Festival - held in Brasov
yearly, regulary in November, it is host to Romania's most
important theatre companies, together with those from countries
like France, Italy, the USA, Belgium, Sweden, Brazil and many
other;
- The National Lied Festival - was initiated in 2003
by the internationally famous soprano, Mariana Nicolesco.
Young artists compete against each other, while well-known
artists give recitals;
- The International Book Fair - hosted by the 'Transylvania'
University, in March, it is an opportunity of finding out
about the latest books and also to listen to quality music;
- The International Opera Festival - an annual event
since 2003. The first edition marked 50 years since The Opera
House in Brasov came into existence;
- The Beer Festival - a kind of local Oktober Fest.
It is smaller and more popular with the locals and tourists.
Usually held in the fall. Dozens of tents from several beer
companies offer their products. Also, you will be able to
get a taste of mici (Romanian grilled sausages) and other
traditional foods. Local and national bands and artists of
all persuasions take the stage;
- Etnovember - a cross between the words "ethnic"
and "'November", the name of Brasov's Etnovember
festival reflects both the cultural traditions of the communities
present, and the month in which the festival is held.
- The Juni of Brasov - it takes place in Brasov at
the end of May. Perhaps the largest and most colorful event
in the city, the festival begins with a gathering of people
at Unirii Square. From there, young men from the Schei neighborhood
of Brasov (formerly a traditional Romanian village), dressed
in folk costumes parade through the city on horseback followed
by bands of musicians and crowds of participants, ending at
Soloman's Rocks.Some of the costumes are over 150 years old,
trimmed with up to 4,000 spangles weighing close to 88 pounds!
- Santilia - Santilia is an age-old feast of the shepherds
connected to the celebration of the Sun and fire god. It takes
place in the town of Sacele, July 23rd - 24th (first week-end
after St. Elie's day) This pastoral day was tightly connected
to the life and activities of the shepherds of Sacele who
used to go across wide areas of land with their sheep herds.
The pastoral specificity of Santilia from Sacele was preserved
in the shepherd's tradition to make gifts to their beloved
whom they would marry distaffs and green cheese patterns they
had carved into wood during their tranquil solitude days in
the mountains. Shepherds had yet another reason for waiting
for the Santilia day- after going up in the mountains with
the herds they no longer had the right to come back to the
village or be visited by their wives or beloved. After a hard
life of continuously fighting against beasts and weather conditions,
isolated from those they loved, from the church and from the
vilage the Santilia day arrives when people come to them.
Over the years, Santilia has gained new features, especially
those connected to barter and to getting young people acquainted
to each other before marrying.
- The Holiday of the Csango - The Holiday of the Csango
(hungarian people established in Bacau county area) is held
on Saints Mihail and Gavril Day in Sacele, also called Harvest
Day. This autumn feast takes place at the headquarters of
the Association of the Csango in Sacele.
- Sinaia Forever Festival - "Sinaia Forever"
is the main festival of the Sinaia resort, held for 2 days
- 28th - 30th of September. During the weekend the city tries
to recreate an old fashion atmosphere as it was before 1944.
"Agentia de Vise", meaning the members of Vama Veche
band, in collaboration with Sinaia City Hall is offering us
three days and nights of fun in the Pearl of the Carpathian's,
Sinaia! During the festival there will be five main areas
of fun, which will differ through location and thematic. On
the main boulevard we will taste special dishes, specific
to different nationalities. The main garden of Peles Castle
will be the main stage for folk music. In Ghica park, recently
renovated, will be the main stage for rock, disco and latino
concerts. While the Casino will offer us great movies, long
and short projections. The three days of magic will end with
a spectacular fireworks.
- The International Festival of Classic Guitar Sinaia
- in May will join in its concert halls great artists, international
highest level competition, master classes, guitar builders
exhibitions and "aficionados" from all over the
world. They will all be here, in Sinaia, which for a week
will turn into the heart of the classical guitar world.
- The measuring of the milk festival - July 1st-2nd
at Bran, Stâna Zanoaga. Measuring milk is the annual
event marking the cattle and sheep herds departure to the
mountains. Sheep breeders gather in every village to decide
together where to set sheepfolds for the year, who the herdkeeper
will be and whom they will hire to look for the sheep during
the grazing hours. Mating sheep on specific criteria- neighbourhoods,
families or on other agreements- and the herd departing to
the folds, are significant moments in the rural Romanian comunities.
In the morning of the set day all sheep masters set for the
folds dressed in the festive clothes: men go first with buckets,
women follow them with baskets and knapsacks full of tasty
food and bottles of drinks. Apart from food, an ageold tradition
states that women have to bring "the sheep's ointment"
to the fold- a magic remedy against evil spirits that could
attack nursing or even the animals. After having milked all
ewes and having "measured" and "talled"
the milk, under the close supervision of the entire community,
shepherds bring the milk together ("gather it together")
and harden it. According to the"measurement" owners
will receive their share of diary products. This tradition
of "Sâmbra Oilor" is known by all sheep breeders-
with a few local variants and in various stages of evolution.
- The spreading of the sheep and the national cheese and
pastrami festival - September, the 30th - October, the
1st, Bran, Plateau"Queen's Heart". The National
Cheese and Pastrami Festival is organized by the Bran Town
Hall, ANTREC Brasov, and The National Association of Cooks
and Confectioners in Tourism (ANBTC). On this occasion the
participants will have the opportunity to taste from the variety
of local traditional cheese, as well as cheese from other
parts of the country such as Rucar and Sibiu. Popular craftsmen
from several areas of Romania will be present with handicraft
products such as rugs from Oltenia (in the south of Romania),
hand painted and beaded eggs, and popular costumes. This festival
marks the return of the shepherds from the mountains and the
time when farmers would get back their sheep and the cheese
produced over the summer. The annual festival will be the
best yet with over 20 types of cheese, plum brandy, fruit
& vegetable growers and local barbequed pastrami! There
will be live folk music throughout the day and local artisans
exposing traditional objects at the arts & crafts fair.
- Summer Fair Moieciu - the village of Moeciu, July
29th - 30th. It is a festival when country people, tourists
and craftsmen gather together. One of the attractions of the
summer fair is the contest with prizes for the owner of the
most beautiful animals in the garden - a sort of "Miss
Cow contest", where competitors are scored according
to their beauty and the quality of their milk. In the program:
exhibition from where one can buy agricultural devices specific
to the mountain area; animal and diary products exhibition,
arts and crafts objects exhibition.
- Sumedru's Fire - the village of Moeciu, October,
the 26th. Sumedru's Fire is a holiday with a strong funeral
character, which is celebrated on the night of October the
25th to 26th in the area of Bran.The pre-Christian roots of
this tradition are visible from the way death and rebirth
are celebrated, through cremation. Nowadays, Christian elements
add to the pre-Christian ones, one example being the reading
of Saint Dimitrie's Prayer for the Dead in the church and
attributing the name of the saint martyr to the sacrificed
deity. The significance of this holiday is that of a death
and annual rebirth scenario of a fitomorphic deity (represented
in the form of a plant), a ceremony that involves violent
death of the aged god at the end of the year by cutting down
a tree from the woods, immediately followed by his rebirth
by cremation of his inanimate body on the night of 25th- 26th
of October. In this case the fire is purifying and regenerative.
Ashes, embers and other scraps of the funeral pyre are taken
by the villagers in order to fertilize their gardens and orchards.
The remembrances as well as the blazing pyre and the ritual
vigil make up a ceremony whose purpose is to win the benevolence
of the ancestors who could, in this case, ensure good crops
for the next year.
- Nedeia of the Mountains - commune Fundata, August
27th. This festival celebrates the homehoming of the shepherds
who have been tending the sheep and cows in the mountains
for the summer. Upon their return, the shepherds have stocks
of cheese that they have made while in the mountains, and
are eager to trade with others for fresh produce and other
goods. As a result, area farmers and traders have been attracted
to the event. The tradition continues with large numbers of
traders of fruits, vegetables, pastrami, and shepherd cheese.
- Floare de colt (EDELWEISS) Festival - the city of
Zarnesti, August, 20th (first Sunday after St Mary's day)
This traditional Romanian music and dance festival takes place
in Zarnesti on the first Sunday after the Assumption of the
Virgin, around August 15, depending on the calendar. The purpose
of the festival is to promote the young artists in Zarnesti
who are keeping the musical traditions alive, and to showcase
traditional costumes from the area. The festival starts with
a young horse-rider's parade with riders wearing traditional
costumes and the horses decorated with beautiful ornaments.
There is then a traditional Romanian music and dance performance
in front of the Town Hall in Zarnesti. All the performers
and audience move then to a special place at " Tohan
Blocuri" and continue their performances there. In addition
to the music and dance, local artists present traditional
crafts, most notably egg-painting and sheepskin clothing.
- Poiana Marului Autumn Fair - the village of Poiana
Marului, September, the 15th. A traditional autumnal festival
celebrating the harvest. Situated 9 miles from the town of
Zarnesti, on the road to Sâmbata de Sus, the village
of Poiana Marului is a place to learn about traditions of
the typical southeastern Transylvanian village. German and
Hungarian influences are still present here, especially in
the traditional folk costume.
Poiana Marului is out of the way of most highways and roads,
perched on a hill, amidst a picturesque landscape, and has
been spared many of contemporary influence. In addition to
tasting traditional Romanian food in an authentic atmosphere,
visitors are welcome to participate in the rural activities,
such as milking the cows, scything, sowing, plowing and harvesting
- all using traditional methods.
- Prejmer harvest day - the village of Prejmer, October,
6th-7th. Harvest Day (Erntedankfest), which for the Germans
is a religious holiday, the fortified church is adorned with
fruit, food and wheat ears. A bread big as a car-wheel is
placed on the altar. The big branch lights of the church and
the inside walls of the fortress are adorned with grapes,
pumpkins and branches of apple trees and golden clusters.
After the religious ceremony, the villagers, dressed in their
traditional costumes walk from house to house and give away
fruit. The children, after leaving the church, climb up on
the fortress and sing German songs with joy and devotin.
- The Farsang it takes place every mid February, before
the Easter fast, in Apata, Prejmer and Bârsa Land. This
Hungarian version of Mardi Gras is 200 years old, borrowed
by the Hungarians from neighboring Saxons, marking the beginning
of the Easter Fast. During the celebration, young men who
are eligible for military service wear masks of bears, wolves,
gypsies, chimney sweeps, bridegrooms, brides, doctors, fortune
tellers or fantastic characters and ride through town on horseback.
Then, they present a tableau vivant on which they put a miniature
reed-roofed house, inside of which is a wheel with two puppets
sitting on it - boy and girl - in traditional Hungarian costumes.
Horses are trimmed with ribbons, sticks, and paper flowers,
and the parade of men and horses goes through the village,
knocking on gates and entering all houses to chase away the
evil spirits.
The tradition has changed somewhat over the years, and today
the gathering is mostly in the village square with, thin,
crepe-like pancakes served, and ending with the 'Farsâng'
Ball (a very scaled down version of Mardi Gras!).
- Shooting the rooster - first day of Easter in Apata,
Barsa Land. The 'Shooting of the Rooster' is a tradition within
the Hungarian community of Tara Bârsei performed on
the first day of Easter. The origin of the tradition is based
on a local legend of a Tartar invasion in the 14th Century
that forced villagers to take refuge in the fortress. The
invaders were retreating after having destroyed the village,
but they heard the crowing of a rooster from the fortress.
This gave away villagers hiding inside, and the fortress was
attacked. The remaining villagers shot the rooster for his
betrayal. Shooting the Rooster has become a symbol of the
village's survival. Today, the custom continues after church
on Easter Day with children dressed in folk costumes carrying
a very specific style of hand carved bows and arrows. Gathering
at a central point in the village, a brass band leads a parade
through town, to the old fortress, about a 20 minute walk.
The children recite a story about the occasion, and when given
the signal, release their arrows at a target with a drawing
of a rooster.
- The fortress festival at Rupea - September, the 24th
/October, the 1st at Rupea, on the plateau nearby the Rupea
Fortress. The Fortress Festival started in 1968 and became
a tradition, having been celebrated by the town of Rupea every
year ever since, except the first two years after the Revolution
in 1989. In 2006, the 36th edition of the festival was held.
Before the actual start of the festival, symposia and popular
art exhibitions take place. In the morning of the first day
of the festival a traditional costume parade takes place,
parade of the songs and traditional customs from various regions
of the country. The local folk hang traditional handmade towels
at the windows. In the centre of the village a stage is placed
for the show Ancient fortresses of Romania. After the parade,
the representatives of the fortresses are received in the
centre of the village by the mayor, each of them handing in,
as a present, the marks of the fortress they represent (a
key, traditional handmade tablecloths). The Festival of the
Fortress is then declared open. Artistic ceremonies take place
afterwards which include songs and popular dances performed
by bands from different folkloric areas, representatives of
other minorities included, (Germans, Hungarians, Gypsies).
The festival ends with the march of all fortress representatives
under torch light and fireworks.
- Fagaras days - Folk arts and crafts fair - August,
17th -20th, downtown Fagaras city. A folk arts and crafts
fair at the Fagaras citadel featuring folklore and crafts
from the area. Craftsmen from all over the country show a
large range of products including pottery and icons, wooden
tables and traditional costumes.
- "CASCAVEA" Festival - 16 -17 September
at Doftana Valley Parish, Prahova County. Cascavea Festival
is a rustic party where the authentic producers present their
products and fill the wooden tables and the flowered towels
counters with "cascavea" (a variety of smoked cheese
whose recipe is known only by the inhabitants), cottage-cheese,
soft cottage cheese, egg-cheese chunk, grills of mutton salt
meat, grilled minced meat rolls, corn mush boiled in clay
cast-iron kettles, snack jars, but also with traditional wines
and plum brandy. In addition to the astounding flavors and
fiddlers, the "cascavea" is celebrated with the
professional contest of the dairy producers and the top of
the most beautiful cows. This contest of bovine beauty is
one of the festival's attractions.
- The Wine Festival in Valea Calugareasca, 29th - 30th
September. The idea of organizing a Wine Festival at Valea
Calugareasca is not fortuitous. The city is the most important
national centre of production and research in viticulture
field in Prahova, being situated in the middle of the viticulture
region "Dealu Mare", also named "the land of
red wines". This is where premium wines such as: Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Feteasca Neagra, Pinot Noir are produced.
The festival reunites, besides the grape vine growers from
all over the country, other producers of fruits, vegetables,
flowers, bee products and of course, the never failing popular
craftsmen with wooden, willow, clay products. Famous Romanian
interpreters of popular music, folkloric choirs, teams of
popular, modern and even sport dance perform on the festival's
scene.
- The Folk Artisans Fair, takes place yearly between
the 6th and the 8th of September in Târgoviste, Dâmbovita
county. Gathered in Targoviste, the folk artists from all
the country present their merchandises manufactured in a traditional
way. At the same time they perform live demonstrations in
front of the public in order to present the work of their
hands, unique products made of ceramics, wood, cloths, and
forged iron. Also they paint icons on wood or glass and make
pieces of willow knitting.
- The International Festival of Vineyard and Wine -
Vrancea region is the first wine reservoir of Romania and
that was the reason for establishing in 1992 a representative
manifestation, designed to help exhibitors take advantage
of the opportunities created by changes in market conditions.
The competition has become increasingly popular each edition,
over 252 sorts of wine from 28 producers competed in 1996.
In the framework of this festival there are several sections
such as "The Show Room of Vineyard and Wine", "Specialized
information session for wine producing and viticulture activities"
and "Cultural events with vineyard theme" - painting
exhibitions, folk concerts, launching of books, poetry and
limericks contest.
- Stuffed Cabbage Festival - every month of September
in Praid, Harghita county. The International Stuffed Cabbage
Festival is a unique event, specifically connected to the
locality. Praid is a small village,50 miles away from Sighisoara,
located at the border of Harghita and Mures Counties, at the
feet of Gurghiului Mountains. The Festival takes place in
autumn, probably because of the harvesting of cabbages. The
event has a 12 years background, starting with a conference
focused on rural tourism, which took place on Praid; the idea
of organizing a festival of cabbages was proposed by Mr. Alexandru
Mironov, formal Youth and Sports Minister. He suggested founding
a gastronomic event, where local and regional and foreign
participants have the opportunity to compete on traditional
cooking. The program includes performances of folk dance,
folk musicians and a classical music concert, organized at
the chapel of the famous salt mine in Praid.
- Sheep milking festival - every month of April, Maramures
region. Families with sheep band together around their shepherd
every spring for a festival they call a "Stîna"
(pronounced stuh-nah). On the day of the stîna, the
shepherds begin corralling their flock as they wait for the
families to join them. Families take their children out of
school for the day. It's a recognized holiday,though it's
a different day for each shepherd. The head males of each
family position themselves in front of the pens. Assistants
wait inside the pens with the sheep. Each man carefully digs
a hole for his bucket, then stakes it in place with specially
whittled sticks. Spilling the milk would be a mini-disaster.
When everyone is ready, and all the sheep are loaded, and
the bleating has reached its highest pitch, someone gives
the signal to go. The sheep leap forward, thinking they're
finally free of those claustrophobic pens. But not so fast!
Men grab their legs and haul them into position. After the
first sheep get milked dry, the rest of them seem to get the
idea, and things go more easily. The sheep seem to be mouthing:
'Ahhh, at last..." Each family has a different number
of sheep in the flock, and each sheep gives their own amount
of milk. When all their sheep are milked, they begin the weighing.
They pour the milk in a wooden barrel, then stick a knife
in a graduated stick. When the knife blade just shows above
the surface of the milk, the measurement is called out. One
community member is selected as a scribe, and he takes down
each measurement. As the weighing continues, others start
making cheese out of the milk. First rennet, the lining of
sheep's stomachs, is added to begin coagulating the cheese.After
time has passed, volunteers squish the curds together with
their hands. They strain them into cheesecloth.(So that's
why they call that stuff cheesecloth!) Then they hang the
bundle up to dry. The whey will drip into a pot to feed their
dogs. This will make what they call Cas (Kahsh): a dried sheep's
milk cottage cheese. (Not like feta at all.)
But wait! It's not over yet.They pour the remaining whey into
a cauldron and boil it. This will make 'Urda,' a even more
fattening and yummy version of the sheep cottage cheese. Meanwhile,
the priest is having a service to bless the sheep. The blessing
is meant to help keep them safe from disease and wolves. Once
the cheese is underway, and the service done, the women begin
unfurling their carefully packed picnics. And as they'll tell
you, all's well that ends in a party.
- Spring plowing festival in may at Hoteni in Maramures
- The old-timers say every village used to have a First Plowman's
festival, or Tanjaua (also spelled Tinjaua). But now only
the village of Hoteni keeps up the tradition and reporters
and tourists come from every corner of the world to watch
the show.
- Sânziene - Midsummer Festival - In Maramures
- in around June 24 "Sânzienele" are love
fairies as well as fertility fairies. But there is also a
species of yellow flowers bearing this name used in many occult
rituals. Sânzinelor Celebration takes place on June
23, at night, just before midsummer. That day, people pick
flowers and make circlets they use to adorn the gates, windows
and the eaves of their houses. This practice is supposed to
protect them against all evil. Unmarried girls use these flowers
to be lucky in love - put under the pillow that very night,
the flowers make any girl have a dream of her chosen one.
- Maramusical Festival in Botiza (July) - The town
of Botiza is well known for their annual music festival. Up
in the valley, away from the worst of the heat, lies the town
of Botiza. It's a big place by village standards, but in many
ways still retains a small village feel.Every summer they
host what's been come to be known as the Maramusical Festival.
The actual weekend changes from year to year, but it's published
in the guidebooks and promoted by the local Agroturism houses
(rural bed and breakfast establishments). True to their word,
they had a festival this year, but sadly, the tourist musicians
from France outnumbered the local musicians. It has become
a sort of 'Maramusical Franchese.'
- Moisei Pilgrimage for Saint Mary (15-th of August)
- Every year on the 15th of August, pilgrims come from all
over Maramures to Moisei, the monastery choosen for Saint
Mary's Pilgrimage. Virgin's pile out of transports and don
their colors for the final leg of their journey.For over a
day without let up the crowds streamed up the road toward
the Moisei monastery. Inside the grounds, people stream past
tables where monks and laypeople sell blessings and candles.And
elsewhere families jockey for camping position on the ground.
Prayers began in daylight by the wall of the old monastery.
One table of candles are for the living, the other is for
the dead. As the night wears on, women begin doing their 'penances'
for bad deeds, or for large prayer, such as a cure for a loved
one. The larger the prayer, the more humiliating the penance.
Crawling had to be done on elbows and knees -- no hands allowed.
When dawn finally came, people stirred and prepared for a
second day. Sermons break out all over, and more blessings
are asked for and received. Each village's virgins gather
in the forest outside the gates, then their songs begin and
don't stop... ... until they've marched three times round
the monastery's church.
- Hora de la Prislop - traditional celebration of ties
among Romania's three main regions: Transylvania, Moldavia
and Maramures; villagers parade in traditional costume to
Carpathian Mountains pass, then participate in traditional
"hora" dances, singing and feasting.Prislop Pass
(every year in August).
- Sighetu Marmatiei Artisan's Fair - a Maramures crafts
extravaganza where you can admire the skills of local artisans
and take home some of the hand-made traditional artifacts(September
the 10th).
- Festival of Folk Music, Dance and Traditions in Dumbravita
- Discover this region of the country with its unique way
of life, where history is written more on wood than on paper
and traditions carefully preserved along the years. Join in
the folk celebrations and dance to the sounds of the "ceteras'
(traditional violin player). Afterwards, enjoy delicious local
foods prepared fresh in the village(November 12, in Dumbravita
village, 7 km from Baia Mare).
- The Festival of Christmas Traditions in Targu Lapus
- On the last Sunday before Christmas, the downtown area of
the city comes alive with villagers from Tara Lapusului and
Tara Chioarului parading in their traditional colorful costumes
and caroling their way to the Performing Arts Center. There,
more dances and staged performances will take place(December
18).
- Sighetu Marmatiei Festival of Christmas Traditions "Marmatia"
- This festival is a celebration of the local winter customs
and traditions. The city is hosting a series of Christmas-themed
events: caroling, dance performances, fairground rides, costumes
and masks parades. It is a wonderful, friendly, and fun way
to immerse yourself in the local traditions(December 22nd
- 28th).
- Sighetu Marmatiei, Maramures Craftsmen's Fair - The
Maramures Craftsmen's Fair is the region's most extensive
and celebrated winter folk-arts event. Local craft makers
will display their unique artifacts and will invite you to
share the magic of craft making in several workshops(December
the 27th).
- "The Chestnut Festival" - Rivers of wine,
grape-must and beer flow in the town centre; numerous parties;
and on this special occasion, the capital city of Maramures
reveals its precious "treasure" of sweet chestnuts.
(Baia Mare, 28 - 30 September 2007).
- The Harvest Day Festival in Râmeti - 15 miles
away from Sighetu Marmatiei. Autumn harvesting is celebrated
across the country with traditional festivals - many of them
tracing their roots couple hundreds years ago. Remeti village,
in the rich ethnographic region of Maramures, celebrates the
harvest in October with folk dances and rituals. (October
17)
- Cluj Musical Autumn - every month of September in
Cluj-Napoca. Founded in 1955, Cluj State Philharmonic is one
of the most important symphonic orchestra in Romania and with
a well established international renown. Has been successfully
in tours around the Europe and has participated in very important
festivals in Lucerna, Bucuresti, Torino, Varsovia, Istanbul,
Santander, Strasbourg, Bratislava, Berlin and Interlaken.
From 1965 Cluj State Philharmonic is organizing every year,
in September, his own festival "Toamna Muzicala Clujeana"
who is one of the most significant musical events in Romania.
Prestigious musicians around the Europe gladly participate
in this event like The King's Consort, Schubert Ensemble,
Philharmonic Quartet from Vienna, Russian conductor Misha
Katz, etc.
- Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF),
it starts on the last week end every month of May, in Cluj-Napoca.
Romanian Film Promotion was founded in 2001 and wants to promote
young filmmakers, organize a feature film festival, help distribution
and promotion of the European cinema, organize seminars and
conferences about film production and distribution, educate
young generation's taste for good cinema. (for
more infos click on www.tiff.ro)
- Mount Gaina Maidens Fair - In Sunset Mountains (Apuseni)
- The closest Sunday to July 20. Climbing this mountain is
a test.The Fair on Mount Gaina was a place where families
who had marriageable girls and boys used to meet in order
to arrange the weddings. Legend has it that fairies all over
the world once decided to have a castle built in the Apuseni
Mountains, so they brought along a magic hen that layed golden
eggs. Once a year the fairies would give those eggs to couples
who really loved each other.
This festival is an event that gathers craftsmen, traditional
costumes, traditional dances and songs from four districts:
Tara Motilor, Bihor, Arad and Hunedoara. Women playing the
alpenhorn from Avram Iancu, renown all over Europe, launch
the call to open the festival every year. You will see that,
even if it appears a rather primitive instrument, a chopped
piece of wood, the alpenhorn produces wonderful sounds, provided
that you know how to handle it. You shall see by yourself
that this is not an easy task at all.
- The Hayfest (Fanfest) every month of August in Rosia
Montana. More than 40 artists representing the best bluegrass
music from around the globe!
Fân Fest is the indoor music festival of the year featuring
performances by the industry's top performers on four stages
including the Fân Fest Main Stage, Master's Workshop
Stage, Roots & Branches Stage, and the Grand Masters Fiddler
Championship. A 100 + booth Exposition Hall, scores of jam
sesions and more! The festival takes place in Apuseni Mountains,
in a village called Rosia Montana and is a mass protest meeting
against the international mining development projects, that
will seriously affect the enviroment. (for more details regarding
Hayfest click on www. fanfest.ro;
for more infos on the mining projects click at
www.povesteadevarata.ro).
- The Sighisoara Medieval Festival - You will discover
today that an old medieval citadel is the ideal place for
a festival! From Brasov we drive across the beautiful Saxon
area with exquisite houses and fortified churches and arrive
in Sighisoara, the most beautiful, best preserved and still
inhabited Citadel in Europe. The medieval festival in Sighisoara
is one of the largest in Romania, with more than 20 000 attendants.
Stages are set in every plaza of the citadel. There are theatre
shows, concerts on all stages. Amateurs set their on acts
in every corner. Painters and sculptors expose their works
on the ground, body painters offer their services and people
wear fantastic costumes.The Citadel remained a 'magic shelter'
for the lovers who want to protect themselves against the
indiscreet eye and hide in the narrow streets or in the "Pupils'
Covered Stairs". (29th to 31st of July)
- The medieval Festival in Sibiu - the last week end
of August. The knights of Transylvania meet for tournaments,
princesses and witches strive to charm them, actors, tumblers,
musicians and dancers are trying to enchant the audience,
each showing his/her own mastery. The city of Sibiu play its
role medieval role very well, and this is why it was been
chosen as the European Capital in 2007.
- ASTRA Film Festival, Sibiu - Held every two years,
ASTRA Film Festival brings together documentary filmmakers
from all over the world. Documentaries entered in the four
sections of the competition - International, East European,
Romanian, and Student Film - can be enjoyed along photography
exhibitions and visual anthropology workshops (October
23rd -28th).
- ASTRA Museum - Annual Pottery Fair at Sibiu (Târgul
Olarilor), 02-03th of September in Sibiu. The Fair is one
of the most prestigious events of the town, and was created
to preserve and perpetuate the culture and value of traditional
ceramics. The goal of the event is to present the evolution
and the preoccupations of the potters and ceramics craftsmen,
as well as the new features of the pottery schools in Romania.
We must mention schools like Horezu, Vladesti, Oboga, Slatina,
Baia Mare, Radauti, Marginea, Neamt, Hunedoara, Corund, Caras-Severin,
Bihor etc and Sibiu. Craftsmen from all the regions in Romania
come to this fair to present and sell specific products such
as earthen pots, wooden spoons and dishes, wooden sculptures
which are a living proof of the craftsmen's talent and dedication
to traditional art. Most of them are recognized nationally
and some internationally. During the fair you can see the
masters at work by participating in the craft workshops or
choose to peruse the work on display in the exhibition section.
- Sheperds Meeting on Mount Jina - From Sibiel we drive
to Mount Jina to witness a more traditional festival. The
shepherds around Sibiu are ready to party and have already
put the "Balmos" on the fire (absolutely delicious
traditional food). They have whistled the gathering on Mount
Jina, where legend says that Romanians sheltered from invaders,
guided by fairies and "haiduci" (outlaws). According
to tradition, the shepherds meet on Mount Jina to organize
contests of milking the sheep, clip the wool, making cheese
and balmosh. You won't feel in a Romania medieval tour of
but actually live medieval times! You're Romania travel will
be well reworded. The most skilful leather dressers come to
Jina. They are renowned for the doublets and sheepskin coats
they make. Preserve the rustic atmosphere in the afternoon
drive to Sibiu to visit the open-air Village Museum. Travel
to Arad for accommodation.
- Cheese and Brandy Festival, 8-9th of September in
Rasinari village.
The cheese & brandy are typical regional products. Villages
as Rasinari, Poiana, Jina and Saliste are well-known for their
"lamb growing" traditions. "Regional specialties
made from local products - cheese & brandy for the gourmands",
this is the main topic of the festival. The participants offer
regional specialties listed in a separate menu, with an accent
and focus on cheese and brandy products with a local origin.
The note of origin of the products will be mentioned and the
participants will guarantee for them.
The tourists and the visitors have the opportunity to see,
taste or eat local products and local gastronomy surrounded
by a unique landscape. They also have the opportunity to see
how local dishes are being made, to listen to folk music and
to see folk shows. The "Cheese and brandy festival"
promotes the offer of our entire region. There are many producers
in this area that is why this festival will boost economy
and promote local products at the same time.
- Concert in the Cave - Românesti Cave - 40 miles
away from Timisoara. Listening to Mozart, Vivaldi or Enescu
in a concert hall is commonplace. Listening to a classical
music concert in a cave is simply magical. Romania is one
of the few countries in the world to organize such concerts.
The fist one took place in 1984 and drew an audience of 600.
Twenty two other concerts have been taking place since then.
The Royal Danish Symphonic Orchestra, the Banat Philharmonic
from Timisoara, and the State Philharmonic from Arad have
performed here in the past. Entrance is free. (October the
23rd).
- Gura Humorului - 15 miles away from Suceava, National
Film Festival (Toamna la Voronet).
This film festival got its name from the winning production
of its first edition in 1981. Over time, more than 1000 short
films have been screened during the event, some of the winning
titles getting recognized at other major European film festivals(October
19-22).
- The International Film Festival in Constanta - Every
first week in September, this festival brings together many
famous national and international producers in its two sections:
short film and movie. This event is organized by Constanta
County Council and the Artis Foundation, in cooperation with
the National Centre for Cinema and the European Movie Academy.
The movies were watched in all the four halls of the Glandale
multiplex cinema in Tomis Mall. This cinema has 700 seats
and a high standards sound system. Another host for the film
festival was Tomis Summer Theatre.
- Mamaia Pop Music Festival - This festival has a long
tradition and is organized yearly, in the first days of September.
It has three sections: performing, creation and songs (pop,
pop-rock, dance and ethno-dance).
This event is broadcasted live on the National Television.
It has a high budget (provided by its organizer Constanta
County Council) and brings together the most important pop-music
composers and artists. This Festival is considered to be one
of the biggest cultural events in the country.
This festival is named after the resort of Mamaia, which is
considered "the pearl of the Romanian coast". The
beach of Mamaia resort has a length of 7 km and a width of
100-200 m, fine sand and the sun shines 10-12 hours/day. Near
this resort there is a Holiday Center. This is a place that
comprises traditions from all 40 Romanian counties. All the
restaurants serve traditional dishes and fish. Other attraction
points in Mamaia are: sailing on the Siutghiol Lake, swimming-pools,
gardens, parks, cabarets, tele-gondola, Aqua Magic.
- Stufstock (Stuf - Romanian for reed - and stock from
Woodstock) is a rock music festival that has taken place each
year since 2003 in Vama Veche, Dobrogea, Romania, to protest
against what some people may consider bad quality music (i.e.
manele and Romanian pop music), and to call for the preservation
of Vama Veche from the large scale development that has overtaken
much of Romania's Black Sea coast.
These actually had the reverse effect: the village stopped
being a small, clean and quiet place, as the festival and
concerts attracted more than 40,000 people in 2005. The concert
features bands from Romania and nearby countries.
- The Festival of Popular Traditions
The festival involves complex expressions, The Fair of Popular
Artisans - the 30th edition, the pavilion exhibition "Oltenian
Potery between history and evolution", folkloric performances
sustained by groups of professionals and amateurs from Oltenia
and from all over the country, other groups of pupils and
pre-schools from the city and the county, suites of Romanian
traditional costumes, the week of Oltenian cuisine and wine,
as well as scientific demonstrations consecrated to the values
of Oltenian ethno-cultural patrimony, meaning a session of
dissertations, round tables, competitions on ethnographic
themes.
The national character of this reunion of Romanian talent
and spirit will be accomplished by an international participation
through the presence of some popular artisans and folkloric
groups from Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, The Republic of Moldavia,
Greece, Italy.
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