Main festivals, celebrations and holidays in Belarus

Every year festivals and holidays are held in different cities of Belarus. These include music and theatre forums, festivals of folk culture and old handicrafts, environmental festivals and so on. We will tell you about the events of the year in Belarus, which you should not miss.

Festivals in Belarus in 2020

Gastrofest starts in February. Coffee. Coffee and dessert will be available in 20 places in Minsk for only 7 Br ($3.5).

In April, Alla Dukhova's dance theater "TODES" returns to Minsk with the program "Continuation. The premiere of the play on April 11, the cost of tickets will start at $20.

April 18, Minsk will host the VII Minsk Craft Beer Fest. On this day, from 2 pm to 11 pm, you can drink beer, eat delicious food and listen to good music at 16 Oktyabrskaya Street.

Freaky summer party cannot be called just a festival. Here everyone will find entertainment: lectures on contemporary art, discussions, active games, dance master classes and so on.

Best festivals in Belarus

Music festivals

1. A-fest

In August, the A-fest is held in Minsk Loshitsky Park. Artists and music groups perform there, and they also sell a lot of beer, because the main sponsor of the event is the company "Alivaria. For example, in 2019, A-fest was held there:

• Plum Bum;
• Groove Dealers;
• Palina;
• O.Torvald;
• Nizkiz;
• Boombox;
• K-Maro.

Entrance to the festival is free. Guests under the age of 18 can only come to the festival accompanied by an adult.

2. Nash Grundwald

The situation with good folk music in Belarus is good. At the festival of medieval culture "Nash Grunwald" fans of medieval and fantasy strategies will feel at home: you can compete in archery, participate in mass battles, watch a real equestrian knight tournament - and all this to the quality folk of Belarus and neighboring countries.

 

3. Mirum music festival

Mirum music festival is held in August within the walls of Mir Castle. Music lovers from Belarus, Poland and Ukraine come here. This is the time when the season of meteor rains begins. In general, if you want to listen to music, look at the architecture and meteor rains, then you should come here.

 

Rock festivals of Belarus

1. Rock za bobrov

Rock za bobrov is one of the most popular and old Belarusian festivals. This event will be interesting for fans of rock music.

In recent years Lyapis Trubetskoi, Chaif, Casta, Anacondaz have been performing at the festival. Add a unique atmosphere of real European Open Air, food courts and many other activities.

Photo by  rock.bobrov.by

 

2. LidBeer

The LidBeer festival is held in one of the most picturesque cities in Belarus, Lida. Guests of the festival will enjoy a rich cultural program, as well as dancing to songs of Belarusian, Russian and Ukrainian performers. Be sure to visit the recently renovated Lida Castle, «Lidskoye pivo» brewery and the historic city center.

Car Festival

SunDay is an automobile festival of Belarus, founded in 2010. The festival offers guests different shows: erotic car wash, Miss SunDay, BigBoss and others. Here you can also find a sports town, food trucks, camping with security, non-standard games for both children and adults, concerts and much more.

The festival is held in Grodno and involves 400 cars from 7 countries.

Theatre festivals

1. Belaya Veja

Theatrical festival "Belaya veja" has been held in Brest since 1996. Its aim is to show the national art of different countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Georgia, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Romania, Turkmenistan and Ukraine. It is an opportunity for beginners and professional directors, actors and musicians to present their art to the audience.

The festival program includes stage performances, experimental drama, plastic drama, contemporary choreography, puppet shows, street performances, youth theatre and guest performances. The productions are shown in different genres: form theater, Gothic thriller, drama, improbable parable, school quest, phantasmagoria, rock opera, musical and comedy. The festival includes mono-productions, street and choreographic performances.

 

2. International theatrical festival "Theatrical Kufar, BSU"

The festival program includes 14 amateur and professional performances, which involved 150 artists from 9 countries: Belarus, Georgia, Indonesia, Nepal, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, France, Estonia.

Every year the festival focuses on different types of performances. For example, in 2019 the emphasis was placed on plastic productions - a series of experimental performances without words, but only with the help of body movements.

The festival is held in Minsk.

 

3. International festival of theatrical art "Slavic theatrical meetings"

The festival has been held since 1983, and its centers are Gomel (Belarus), Bryansk (Russia) and Chernigov (Ukraine). Over the years, the festival has hosted leading theater groups from Minsk, Kiev, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Chisinau, Odessa, Krakow, Vilnius and other cities of near and far abroad.

The festival hosts performances by directors from different countries for 6 days.

 

Vocal festivals

Slavyanski Bazar

Slavyanski Bazar in Vitsebsk has long been a symbol of the Belarusian pop scene. If you want to hear national pop music, then you're on your way to Slavyanski Bazar.

It's a national event. You can come here for two summer weeks at least to feel the festival atmosphere.

Photo by Newbel.by

Art Festivals

1. Vitebsk Listopad

It is the annual open festival in Vitebsk of author's song, poetry and visual arts. In the program of the festival:

• songwriting competition;
• competition of poets;
• competition of performing arts;
• competition of visual arts;
• master-classes;
• art workshop work and so on.

 

2. International art festival «Art-Minsk»

For the whole June Minsk turns into an exhibition - the festival brings together exhibition sites throughout the city.

In 2019, 240 artists took part in the festival, and the organizers prepared a special map so that every visitor could see projects in the field of fine arts, photography and design. In 2019, exhibition projects from Estonia and Latvia were presented.

Fashion and Beauty Festival

Modafest is a celebration of fashion, beauty and style. This festival is a project of Fashion Collection magazine, which covered 4 major cities of Belarus: Minsk, Grodno, Gomel and Vitebsk.

During one day each city hosts master classes and lectures from invited speakers, fashion shows from fashion brands, as well as a market with the participation of the best Belarusian clothes designers and accessories.

Children's Fashion Festival

As part of Belarus Fashion Week there is a festival of children's fashion Kids' Fashion Week. Guests of the event can see presentations of children's collections by famous Belarusian brands and designers, as well as guests are waiting for street style shooting, photo zones and so on. The Children's Fashion Day opens with a performance by young singers and singers.

International festivals taking place in Belarus

1. Minsk Winter Jazz

February 14-16, Minsk will host the international fest Minsk Winter Jazz. The festival begins on Valentine's Day and lasts three days. Here you can hear Belarusian and foreign jazz musicians.

Invited guests are British Cleveland Watkiss and soul band Dee Tree, who will present their own works as well as jazz classics.

2.  III International Festival and Competition

The III International Festival and Competition of Laureates in the field of contemporary choreographic art ZA GRANYU begins on February 7. This is the main dance event of the year.

Competitions of the Republic of Belarus

National competitions

Belarus has a number of national contests organized under the leadership of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education:

• the National Contest of Young Performers of Belarusian Popular Song;
• the National Open Art Contest;
• the S. Monyushko National Open Vocalist Contest;
• national competition for choral and orchestra groups from children's art schools and specialized secondary education establishments in the cultural sphere;
• the Semenyako Republican Young and Composers' Open Competition;
• republican competition "National music prize in the field of popular music "Lira" and others.

The aim of these competitions is to identify young talents of the Republic of Belarus.

Literary contests

1. International literary contest "Our Victory is 75!"

The competition is held until April 1, 2020 inclusive: in three categories: short story, poem and essay. Anyone can take part in it, regardless of age, place of residence and citizenship.

2.  Bramamar

The competition for creative youth, which started on December 17, will continue until February 28.

Creative works are accepted for the contest in the following categories:

• prose and poetry for high school students;
• prose, poetry, criticism and playwrights for students and graduate students.

The contest is held in several stages:

• initial selection by the Jury;
• introduction of participants to each other and to the jury;
• summarizing the competition.

Computer Science Contest «Bober»

The contest is fully computerized and online. The main purpose of the contest is to promote interest in information and computer technologies among Belarusian schoolchildren. The contest organizers believe that the contest contributes to the acquisition of skills necessary for the labor market in the future.

Vocal competitions

Skryzhavanni

The contest will be held from March 26 to 28, 2020 in the capital of Belarus. The minimum age of a participant is 5 years. Applications can be submitted until February 14, 2020.

Contest program:

• performances of the best contestants of the International Contest "Skryzhavanni. Minsk";
• a special gift for the contestants;
• award ceremony for the winners of the nominations;
• awarding ceremony of the Grand Prix;
• after-party for the contestants.

Children's contests

1. RoskvitBY

It is a festival of children's creativity, which brings together vocal, choreographic, instrumental and theatrical groups on its stage. RoskvitBY will be held in Mogilev.

2. Belavezhskaya zorka

The festival allows guests to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the festival, and participants will be able to try on different roles and share experiences with other nominees of the competition. The Belavezhskaya Zorka takes place in Brest.

Zhyravlic

Zhyravlic - an Olympiad, which is held among schoolchildren of 2-11 grades with the aim of studying Russian language and literature. The competition does not imply preliminary selection and subsequent dropout. Those participants who score the highest score are awarded with a medal and a certificate of honor.

Kangaroo

Another school Olympiad, but already in math. It imparts not only love for the subject, but also develops logical thinking in the process of preparation. The winners also receive medals and certificates.

Kolosok

Kolosok is a natural science competition that develops interest in science subjects among schoolchildren.

The contest was born in Ukraine in 2003, and since 2004 Belarusian schoolchildren have been participating in it. Pupils of the 2nd-6th grades may take part.

Na svoey zemle

This is an international art project which includes the following competitions: art, applied arts, literature, photography, eco-journalism, etc.

The project includes:

• international painting and graphic competition;
• international animation and diaphilm contest;
• international conference of artists-teachers;
• an exhibition following the results of the painting and graphics competition;
• international art pleinairs and thematic readings.

Teacher of the Year Contest

The Academy of Postgraduate Education traditionally hosts the finals of the Republican contest of professional skills of teachers "Teacher of the Year of the Republic of Belarus", which is attended by the best teachers of the country - the winners of regional competitions.

Beauty Contest – Miss Belarus

Miss Belarus – contest for the most beautiful Belarusian. Girls must meet the following requirements: have Belarusian citizenship, age from 18 to 24 years, height not less than 174 cm, clean body without tattoos and piercing, and in addition, participants must not be married or raise children.

Contestants must go through several stages:

• the qualifying round;
• swimsuit fashion parade;
• camera positioning of contestants.

Then there is the semi-final in Minыл, the final is also held in the capital, and the winner gets the opportunity to represent our country at the world beauty contest.

Best events of the year

The year 2020 started quite recently, so you can still have time to visit the best events of the year in Belarus.

1. March

The International Youth Theatre Forum M.@rt.kontakt is waiting for you in March. It will take place in Mogilev and as part of this festival, you can watch productions from classic comedies and tragedies to novels. Acting troupes from Belarus, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, the Baltic countries and others take part in the forum.

2. May

In May you can get to the Night of Museums. There are interactive playgrounds, theatre shows, entertainment events, as well as a visit to the museums on this night is completely free.

Photo by Belarus.by

3. July

In July, Vitebsk traditionally hosts the Slavonic Bazaar, which brings together Belarusian and foreign stars.

4. August

In August, traditionally there is a music festival "Rock for beavers". Its headliners have already been DDT, Splin, Casta, Chaif and many other stars. And who will perform there in 2020 you will find out for yourself.

5. October

The Yuri Bashmet International Festival has been held in Belarus since 2006. It gathers outstanding artists, both famous and young. Rising stars get a chance to perform together with their famous colleagues on the same stage.

6. November

The annual international film festival "Listopad" is held in Minsk in November. Its program consists of screenings of feature and documentary films. Hundreds of film screenings are held at various venues in the city.

We have told you about the main events and competitions in Belarus, and you can already choose which festival or competition you would like to attend.