Interesting Festivals and Events in Armenia

In order to discover Armenia’s culture and familiarize yourself with its customs and traditions, you need become part of it. The festivals are quite popular among tourists, in particular music festivals in Armenia, winter festival, food and wine festivals, air balloons, sheep shearing, etc.. These festivals are great to take part in Armenian culture and experience the hospitality and the warmth of local people.

Yerevan Wine Days

Yerevan Wine Days always take place in May and lasts for two days, so if your trip plans are on May, be sure to match them with the festival days. Wine festivals in Armenia are arranged in an engaging way. All wineries in Armenia introduce and show the public their wide selection of wines.

Some restaurants and cafes are also present offering light snacks and meals. People from various nationalities, who enjoy drinking wine, gather on Saryan Street to feel the taste of Armenian wine. It is accessible for the public and the only thing you do is purchasing the low cost coupons which cost 9-10$. When you buy the coupon, you are given a special wine glass to taste different wines. There is a big parade which is complemented by traditional Armenian songs and dances.

Barbecue Festival

Armenians have always been famous for making barbecue - considering its preparation process as tradition for the nation. The Armenian name of barbecue is “Khorovats”, which means “roast”. Khorovats is made on special roasting kit called “manghal”.
Barbecue festival is among the most beloved food festivals in Armenia. It takes place in Lori Region, specifically in the village of Akhtala (145 km from Yerevan) in August. What is special about the event is that many skilled cooks from different restaurants, higher institutions and NGOs participate in the event preparing around 40 types of barbecue and are awarded as a result of the competition. You will not get bored for sure!

Dolma Festival

One of the traditional meals of Armenia – dolma is made from ground beef. Then the beef is wrapped in grape leaves and is mostly presented with a special sauce made of “matsun” (Armenian yogurt) and garlic.
Dolma Festival takes place in May.

It is held outside the city in Hnaberd village. The event is held every year gathering popular Armenian chefs in one place. They make various kinds of dolmas and participate in many competitions. The guests can taste dolmas and other traditional meals from Armenian cuisine.

Syunik Mulberry Festival

One of the traditional festivals in Armenia is Mulberry Festival in summer. The festival is in Karahunj, which is a small town in Syunik Province. The event takes place in July. Karahunj is the place where the first mulberry vodka was produced.

During the festival, the villagers start to compete with each other with mulberry gathering. The guests can watch and enjoy the process of vodka preparation, the process of drying mulberries and the preparation of doshab (special syrup that Armenians prepare for fighting colds and coughs). As in all Armenian festivals, this one also comes with traditional music and dances from community people.

Attending the event is a perfect way to call on worldwide-known observatory, “Armenian Stonehenge”. Karahunj (translated as Speaking Stones) is actually around 3,500 years older than its British counterpart, Stonehenge. So take this opportunity to experience mountain dwellers’ life in Syunik.

When taking a trip to Armenia, save some time on your schedule to attend these festivals.
Book a suitable vehicle with Enterprise-Armenia and head out to experience true Armenian culture and hospitality.