The South Caucasus is a colorful and hospitable region that pleases its guests with an ancient history, rich culture and delicious cuisine. Today we want to tell you about the bright and colorful festivals which are annually held in two beautiful countries of the South Caucasus, Armenia and Georgia. By visiting such events, you will be able to deeply plunge into the local culture, make friends with locals, try all kinds of national dishes and just have a great time!

Tbilisoba

Annually at the last weekend of October in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, Tbilisoba is celebrated; it is a holiday dedicated to the birthday of the city and to the harvest beginning. This day all the central streets are beautifully decorated, concerts, exhibitions, competitions and entertainment events take place. As a rule, the holiday is concentrated in the Rike Park, European Square, Metekhi Bridge, Maydan Square and Ilia Garden. Tbilisoba is an excellent time for all guests to get in touch with the local culture, to try national dishes and to plunge into the colorful festive atmosphere. This day you can also take part in the grape crush and feel like a real winemaker. Tbilisoba has been celebrated in the country since 1979 by the initiative of the famous Georgian traveler Gvanji Mania. Since then, the festival has become an integral part of the local culture.

Rtveli

Autumn is a great season to visit Georgia as that’s the time of grape harvesting. For Georgians that is not just an ordinary agricultural process that’s an ancient tradition and the part of the culture. From grape Georgians produce excellent wine which is known widely abroad. The wine producing technology dates back to the ancient times. Rtveli festival is not tied to the specific date because it depends on the harvest in certain regions. It should be noted that the hotter and the dryer the summer was, the earlier the grape harvest starts. These days, all the members of the families involved in the grape cultivation gather together and take part in this ancient ritual. After harvesting all gather around one table full of all sorts of national dishes. They drink wine and sing polyphonic folk songs. Tourists can also take part in this festival – the hosts will be very happy to welcome you! The most popular region for the production of wines in  Georgia is Kakheti – here you can enjoy a beautiful celebration and learn a lot of interesting secrets about wine production. Wine tours to Georgia are becoming more and more popular; you can book them at any local tour companies – https://mygeotrip.com/

 

Dolma Festival

Armenia is no less beautiful and hospitable country of the South Caucasus. It also has a lot of interesting offers to surprise its guests. One of the most popular festivals here is dolma festival created to popularize traditional Armenian dish dolma and traditional cuisine on the whole. This delicious meat dish is prepared from minced meat, which is wrapped in grape leaves and cooked for half an hour. Dolma is served with a sauce of sour-milk national product matsun with garlic. During the festival, chefs compete for the recognition of the most original and delicious way of dolma preparation. Here you can even enjoy dolma with fish, chicken and even crayfish! The event is accompanied by cheerful songs and dances. The date and the place are usually published on the Internet a few months before the start.

Barbecue Festival

Annually every third Sunday of September in the Lori region in the town of Akhtala a bright and colorful festival of barbecue takes part. The Armenian barbecue is called “khorovats” and is prepared according to the local unique recipes. The event is visited by guests from different countries and towns. Tons of meat are bought for the festival and you can taste all the dishes for free. The event is accompanied by Armenian national songs, dance performances, various contests, games and much more. Every year the number of participants and guests is growing. If you want to participate in such events, you can simply contact the local tour companies and they will organize an interesting festival tour for you – https://araratour.com/