Festivals reveal the country and its potential from all sides, including culture, cuisine, crafts, nature, customs, traditions.
The Armenian diaspora is one of the largest diasporas in the world. According to various estimates, from 7 to 10 million Armenians are scattered worldwide. At the same time, in Armenia itself, even according to official data, no more than 3 million people live, even per official data.
The diaspora significantly increased after the Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915.Armenian refugees have settled in many cities in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the Middle East, such as Moscow, Sevastopol, and Sochi in Russia, Odesa in Ukraine, Georgia, Plovdiv in Bulgaria, Athens in Greece, Beirut in Lebanon, Aleppo in Syria. In addition, there is a large Armenian community in Israel, concentrated in the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem.
Several million Armenians settled in Western Europe (France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands) and America (North and South). There are large Armenian communities in the
Russian Far East and the former Soviet republics of Central Asia. There are small Armenian communities in India, Australia, New Zealand, Sub-Saharan Africa (Sudan, South Africa, and
Ethiopia), and the Far East in Singapore, Burma, and Hong Kong. Armenian communities once thrived in China, Japan, and the Philippines, but the Armenian culture has disappeared.
Arts and Crafts Festival
This festival is held in Dilijan, a city of arts and crafts. This pan-Armenian traditional festival is a unified platform for displaying unique works of Armenian carpet weaving, pottery, blacksmithing, woodwork, embroidery, puppetry, jewelry, and fine arts. It is aimed at the promotion and development of traditional Armenian crafts.
The creators and skilled masters of all regions of Armenia and Artsakh present their works, which have been brought to the level of art. The works of traditional and modern Armenian culture are combined in the festival. There is also an exhibition-sale of souvenirs, jewelry, paintings, tapestries, dolls in Armenian costumes, carpets. The participants of the festival can take part in pottery, woodwork, and other master classes. The pavilions representing the regions of Armenia introduce the participants of the festival to their cuisine, organize a reception and a sale. The happy and warm atmosphere of the event is provided by the national music and the concert. The festival is held in September.
Yell Extreme Festival
The festival is held in Yell Extreme Park in Yenoqavan. This place is a corner of the wonderful nature of Tavush, in the lap of forested mountains, which unites those who prefer adventure and active rest.
Yell Extreme Park attracts extreme fans with its interesting and varied offers. The participants of the festival will have the opportunity to admire the Armenian highlands from the “bird’s height” – paragliding, horseback riding, participating in hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, “overcoming” the gorges with a zipline. The festival is held in July.
Haybuis
The festival is held in Yenoqavan. Many participants come with their pavilions both from the regions of Armenia and Artsakh. Here are presented handicrafts, ointments made from plants, oils, teas, etc.
Yell Extreme Park attracts extreme fans with its interesting and varied offers. The participants of the festival will have the opportunity to admire the Armenian highlands from the “bird’s height” – paragliding, horseback riding, participating in hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, “overcoming” the gorges with a zipline. The festival is held in July.
Honey and Berries Festival
The festival is held in Berd, is aimed at the promotion of beekeeping and the development of agriculture in Tavush region.
The region rich in berries will not leave indifferent those festival participants who appreciate these ecologically clean and delicious fruits. The tasting-sale of honey և berries is accompanied by music, a concert, a display-sale of handicrafts. The festival has been held since August 2008.
GASTROFEST
The festival is held in Dilijan. Armenian wine and food companies present their products to the festival participants. And many restaurants, cafes, pubs offer their dishes and drinks.
The festival is, in fact, a gastronomic fair, which is aimed at promoting the production of food, beverages, restoration of culinary traditions in the region. Accompanied by live music, culinary master classes, competitions, national dance classes are held. The festival was first held in May, 2022.
Septemberfest:
The festival is held in Koghb. This is a fruit festival, which aims to promote Armenian production, pave the way for Armenian producers to foreign markets.
The festival is attended by well-known Armenian companies in the field, which display the fruits they produce: hornbeam, mulberry, plum, peach, wild pear, pomegranate, etc. The process of distilling vodka is also shown. Septemberfest gives an opportunity to get acquainted with almost all types of fruit juice in one place, to taste them, to taste traditional Tavush dishes, to establish business relations. The festival is accompanied by a concert, an exhibition-sale of handicrafts by local masters, and competitions. The festival has been held in September, since 2019.