Visiting Armenia, and Yerevan in particular, around the dates when major cultural events are taking place is a great idea! So, in this post I thought I’d give you an overview of the best cultural events in Yerevan throughout the year, to help you choose when you want to visit our capital city. However, note that I’m not listing the exact dates, but rather generally the month and its part when each event is happening. It’s always a good idea to check the exact dates before planning to attend because the exact dates vary every year.
Here is the list of the most awaited cultural events in Yerevan:
- International Jazz Day Yerevan
- Yerevan Wine Days
- Bread in the Mountains
- Yerevan Color Festival
- Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival
- Vardavar Water Festival
- Yerevan Beer Fest
- Yerevan Music Night
- Harvest Festival of Rural Life and Traditions
- Tea and Coffee Festival
- International Balloon Festival
If you decide to attend any of these festivals please share your impressions with me on Instagram or Twitter with #ArmeniaTravelTips. But, now let’s move to explore this list of cultural events in Yerevan one by one.
April
International Jazz Day Yerevan
The International Jazz Day takes place in April in the heart of Yerevan at Cafesjian Centre for the Arts. This event is organized to celebrate jazz and has the mission to increase people’s awareness and interest in jazz. Lots of famous international and local jazz musicians perform during this cultural event in Yerevan and the coolest part is that it’s accessible to everyone. You just attend and have fun!
June
Yerevan Wine Days
Yerevan Wine Days festival happens around the month of May/June and usually lasts about two to three days. This event creates a platform for Armenian winemakers to showcase their finest products and celebrate the history of Armenian winemaking. It is also one of the biggest annual street festivals in Yerevan and takes place on Tumanyan – Moskovyan – Saryan central streets.
During this cultural event, you get to taste a huge variety of local wines, listen to some quality live music and enjoy lots of food as well. For more information on the agenda, actual dates and package prices please visit the festival website. You can also read more about the Yerevan Wine Days festival at the link.
Bread in the Mountains
Bread in the Mountains festival is organized annually and sometimes it comes with different names such as “Hamov-Hotov Yerevan”, “Utest fest” etc. It has the purpose to unite everyone around Armenian culinary culture and heritage. When you get to the venue, expect to taste lots of Armenian national dishes, participate in master classes and enjoy concerts and dances. You will enjoy Armenian folk music as well. This summer fest is supposed to be held on June 11 at a park right next to the Republic Square metro. But make sure to double-check the date and location before attending this cultural event as it might change. You can do that at this link.
Yerevan Color Festival
Yerevan Color Festival is a very unique one and is very much like India’s famous Holi holiday. This festival is celebrated in June where besides splashing colorful powder paint on each other, people also enjoy musical and dancing performances. The purpose of organizing such an event is to bring people closer and have fun celebrating the happy start of summer.
The color fest usually takes place in the parking lot area of Megamall Armenia, and your participation in the fest probably will cost you something at around $10. You can read more details about the Yerevan Color Festival at the link.
July
Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival
“Golden Apricot” is one of the largest annual cultural events that take place in the heart of Yerevan in July. The main aim of this international film festival is to bring together local and foreign cinematographers to exchange their valuable experiences. During this week-long festival, all of the honorable guests present their art-house films to film enthusiasts.
Of course, it’s a great opportunity for people to enjoy watching those films and giving their appreciation. This is surely a good way of spending your time so just go to Moscow Cinema with some of your friends and maybe even have discussions about those films afterward. For any other information related to this cultural festival, I suggest you check out their website or Instagram page.
Vardavar Water Festival
Vardavar water festival is probably one of those cultural events that are especially unique to Armenians and you won’t see it anywhere else. It is celebrated in July, more specifically on the 14th Sunday after the Easter holiday. During this festival, it is almost impossible not to get drenched in water even if you just go for a walk in your neighborhood. Even though the main event occurs near Swan Lake and Republic Square you should always be prepared and ready!
The goal of Vardavar is to unite everyone and liberate oneself from the weight of their past sins by drenching water on each other. It’s a really cool holiday and probably my favorite out of all. And, by the way, I also have a post on the topic of Vardavar so go ahead and check it out for more info.
August
Yerevan Beer Fest
The Yerevan Beer Festival is the perfect place for beer lovers as you’ll get the chance to try lots of different high quality Armenian beer. The goal of this annual celebration dedicated to beer is to let people get acquainted with local beer producers and their products. This cultural event is organized in August on Zakyan street, Yerevan. You can also become a part of some games, competitions and enjoy live performances during the fest.
The entrance is free and very easy to get in but if you want to try the drinks you’ll need to buy them. If you need more information on the Yerevan Beer Fest you can read my separate post and get all the answers to your questions there.
September
Yerevan Music Night
Yerevan Music Night festival brings together everyone that enjoys live performances and embraces lots of different musical genres. Everyone who wants to have some fun in the month of September in Yerevan can join the event as admission is free. The location of this cultural fest is Charles Aznavour Square. Also, note that you might meet some of the Armenian female celebrities there and get a chance to listen to them perform live.
And, this is certainly one of those events where your fun is pretty much guaranteed. After the event, you will probably be filled with lots of positive emotions and feel fulfilled especially if your friends come with you. Just check the exact dates on the Instagram page of Eventtoura before making plans.
Harvest Festival of Rural Life and Traditions
If you want to get acquainted with some of the rural products of Armenia then this is the most appropriate festival for you. During the fest, you can come and taste some of the agricultural goods or even buy some handmade products not only from Armenia but also from Georgia, Iran and Lebanon. This event takes place in the English park in September and it creates a great opportunity to meet the local farmers and has that authentic experience everyone is looking for in their trip.
Tea and Coffee Festival
A festival dedicated to tea and coffee will probably be one of the most favorite and awaited festivals of all. This two-day fest will land you an opportunity to try a variety of products that tea and coffee producing companies offer. There is no entrance fee to this fest that takes place in September/October, so everyone can enjoy it. The location of this festival is the Seasons Park on Mashtots street.
I think it’s a cultural event because Armenians have a special interest in coffee and most people start their mornings with a cup of coffee here. I am sure you’ll explore some new flavors and unique aromas here, and maybe decide to take something home with you from the fest.
October
International Balloon Festival
The International Balloon Festival is probably one of the most extreme forms of fun things that Yerevan has ever experienced. Be here during this festival, and I guarantee you, that trip will be carved into your memory forever.
So, if you want to be at the center of attention during the fest and explore Armenia (Garni and Yerevan specifically) from above you can buy your tickets at 99000 AMD ($245). This price includes your experience in those sky balloons for the festival days happening in October. More info about the fest can be found here along with a link to purchasing the tickets.
But, don’t forget that you can witness the flight of 20 balloons from different countries from the Republic Square in Yerevan for free. It is still a cool experience to see all these balloons flying in the sky.
Final thoughts on cultural events in Yerevan
Well, now you know what are some of the cultural events that take place in Yerevan throughout the year. Hopefully, you can make good use of this list of festivals and attend some during your trip. In case, you come up with some questions or need more ideas, just mention me on Instagram or Twitter with #ArmeniaTravelTips and I will reply to you.
Also, if you’re curious about what to wear and have some doubts, I suggest you check out my post on the typical Armenian look. I believe you can get an idea of what we usually like to wear and maybe even come up with your own stylish Armenian look. Either way, I wish you good luck enjoying the events in your comfy but festive clothes. 😉 And in case you’re looking to connect with some locals and hang out together, consider checking out these Armenian dating apps, which may help you expand your events-buddies network.
Featured image credit: Hanny Naibaho on Unsplash
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