Just like every year, in 2016 also Armenia is holding a number of interesting and fun festivals that help you explore Armenian culture from different angles while also getting a taste of signature Armenian dishes and drinks.
Here's a list of 5 festivals (and their timelines) you absolutely need to visit while in Armenia.
1. “Festival mulberries / Mulberry” – On 3rd Saturday of June , in Artsakh, the Mulberry festival takes place at Amaras monastery. First Mulberry festival gathered more than 30 participants presenting their own production from 5 regions of the NKR, Stepanakert as well as from Syunik region of the Republic of Armenia. At the mulberry goods fair guests have an opportunity to taste and buy homemade vodka, doshab, dried mulberry etc. Artsakh skillful cookers present methods and traditions of preparing doshab and mulberry vodka, monastery Amaras, beginning at 17:00 (exhibition and sale of folk artists, a traditional way of collecting mulberries, cooking homemade vodka, folk songs, dances)
2. Festival “Gifts of Syunik”, Goris Regional centralized Park, the first Saturday of July, (02/07/2016), beginning at 13:00, different communities present their products and the national dishes.
3. “Gata Festival” – the last Saturday of September (24.09.2016), Khachik village of Vayots Dzor region, beginning at 13:00 (local residents present the traditional national dishes, you can taste the greatest Gata two meters in diameter, also songs, folk dances)
4. “Wine Festival”, Friday (30.09.2016), Rind village of Vayots Dzor region, beginning at 17:00 (a harvest festival, a demonstration of cooking lavash, the traditional pressures of grapes, tasting home-made wines, folk songs, dances)
5. “Wine Festival in Areni”, the first Saturday of October (01.10.2016), village Areni of Vayots Dzor region, beginning at 13:00, (tasting of home-made wines, folk dances, songs, games, traditional method of cooking wine, flash mob dance, theatrical performances, introduction and tasting of Armenian producers) parade of festival will last until 20:00.
Source: Areni Wine Festival Foundation