Ukrainian annual festivals in Ukraine amaze with their diversity. There is an opportunity to visit a gastronomic, musical, ancient fest, go to the theater, cinema or a show. The best celebrations bring together not only Ukrainians, but also people from other countries, give vivid emotions, allow you to spend time excitingly and meet new people.
Different gastronomic festivals are held in Ukraine every year. There are a lot of them, so you can easily find the right one for a specific date and in a specific area. We present the top of the most demanded.
Hutsul brindzya, Rakhiv. The name was given in honor of the first Ukrainian product, which was decided to be assigned a geographic protection. For comparison, champagne, parmesan, etc. have it. The festival is held in the village of Rakhiv, Transcarpathian region in September. The main plus is the opportunity to try one alcoholic product, but in a huge number of variations of this honey tincture.
National Sorochinskaya Fair, Velyki Sorochintsy. It is considered practically the largest gastro festival in Ukraine, which is held in summer. It is even more agricultural, as you can buy almost anything from seeds to tractors, including an abundance of hand-made items. The fair always employs at least 30 chefs and other culinary specialists who offer to taste traditional Ukrainian dishes. The festival is held in the village of Velyki Sorochintsy, Poltava region in August.
Transcarpathian Beaujolais, Uzhgorod. Beaujolais Nouveau Day is a celebration of the new harvest, when the first wine bottles are uncorked. In general, this is a French tradition, which was played in an original way in the Ukrainian style. Winemakers come from different parts of the country to demonstrate their drinks, and guests taste in a pleasant company. People from other countries of the world come here often. And, in addition to alcohol, in this place you can try barbecue, grill, bograch. The festival is held in the city of Uzhgorod, Transcarpathian region in November.
All-Ukrainian festival of home preservation, Zaporozhye. Conservation is a popular Ukrainian tradition, which is why a whole celebration was dedicated to it. Moreover, this is not just an exhibition of twists, but a full-fledged show program with tastings, a concert, lectures, a master class on decorating vegetables. Where is it held? In the city of Zaporozhye, Zaporozhye region in September.
Red wine, Mukachevo. Another festival of Transcarpathia, which is visited annually by about 50 winemakers. Tastings and competitions are offered. Held in the city of Mukachevo, Transcarpathian region in January.
Contacts of all organizers can be found on the Internet on the official websites of the festivals. From a wide variety of options, it is easy to choose the best ones according to personal criteria for an exciting pastime. Or you can choose some new gastronomic fest to be one of the first to appreciate its originality.
Many festivals are held in Ukraine, which give unforgettable emotions, new acquaintances, high-quality music and a sea of positive emotions.
In June the festival "Land of Dreams" is held in a museum near Kiev in Pirogov. The price of an adult ticket when booking online is UAH 150, and when bought on the spot - UAH 200. Children under 6 years old and all beneficiaries can visit for free. The founder is Oleg Skripka. This is the most ethnic festival held over the past 12 years. In 2021, Vopli Vidoplyasova, Boombox, TMHK, ONUKA and others performed. There are many areas for exciting activities - a fabulous area, a field for kites. Additionally, a hot air balloon festival is held, where 25 pilots from different countries will show a fire show master class.
Also, the music festivals that are held every year are the Rock Bulava. It is also held in June in the city of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky on Heroiv Dnipra Street at the Pereyaslavl sports base. The ticket price is 100 UAH. The event is held on the Dnieper coast, so you can also enjoy the beauty of Ukrainian nature. The program includes performances by 50 bands from different parts of Ukraine and the world, for example, Insane from Hungary.
In July, the "Beautiful City" holiday is held on the territory of the Ternopil airport. The ticket price is up to UAH 540. The fest is quite young, but every year the scale is increasing in 2021, the duration has already been 3 days, and the program included 60 groups. The uniqueness also lies in the presence of as many as 4 thematic scenes, where you can listen to different types of music. For example, Boombox, Scriabin and Friends, Anna, Toaster, BRUTTO, The Hardkiss perform regularly. There will also be groups from Austria, France, Poland, Australia, Georgia, Russia, Sweden, Belarus. Also, the organizers promise entertainment for every taste.
Among the music festivals, the Carpathian Alliance is distinguished. It is held at the recreation center "Lviv Switzerland" at the end of July. The price depends on the place of purchase: through the website "Global Promotion" it will be 200 UAH one-time and 490 UAH reusable, at the box office - 220 and 500, respectively, and for foreigners the visit is 15 and 30 euros. This festival is suitable for connoisseurs of heavy music. The program includes both foreign and Ukrainian groups. For example, there will be Septicflesh from Greece, Marduk from Shvets, Apostate and Disarm from Ukraine.
An interesting festival is Banderstat. It is held in early August in the Lesya Ukraine Park in Lutsk. The cost is UAH 200 for 3 days. The holiday includes not only music, but also the Forum of youth patriotic organizations and initiatives. Guests will be delighted with a rich program with colorful and driving music, intellectual discussion circles, sports events, a children's playground, a literary scene, nightly movie screenings, presentations, fairs, master classes, exhibitions, excursions. It is also possible to perform kayaking.
In addition to music and food festivals, you can have fun going to the cinema, theater or choosing various shows. There are many theaters in Ukraine. Moreover, they are remarkable both for their appearance - ancient architecture with numerous decors, and for the skill of the actor, for original performances. Theatrical festivals are especially good and worth visiting, including:
Everyone is well aware of the masterpieces created at the Odessa Film Studio, the A. Dovzhenko Film Studio and others. The studio Kvartal-95 and FILM.UA. have made their own contributions to the modern history of Ukraine. Many tapes are included in the film libraries of film lovers of the country and far beyond its borders, filmed in the pavilions of the Yalta film studio. There is no genre that would not submit to Ukrainian directors, and numerous awards and popular recognition are another confirmation of this. You can even more imbued with the spirit and atmosphere by attending film festivals in Ukraine, including:
Various exciting shows are also offered for visiting. One of them is Comic Con Ukraine. This is a major festival of pop culture, which is held on the territory of the "Platforma" art factory in Kiev. The organizers promise game tournaments, presentations of new comics, cosplay shows, meetings with actors from Ukraine and abroad, a thematic market.
An interesting show is KyivSteamCon. This is a fascinating folk steampunk convection. The program offers a thematic handmade fair, master classes, and cosplay shows. An interesting feature is the stylization in the Victorian era of England. Various themed areas are also available to guests.
At many festivals, the past and the present are closely intertwined. Various festivals have been known in Ukrainian culture for a long time. The most interesting options will help you travel back in time and enjoy various events. To do this, you can carefully study the selection of the best festivals.
This historical festival is organized in May in the Chinadievo village. Arriving at this time in the village, it seems that you find yourself in the center of the ancient knighthood. At the holiday you can meet guests from Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary. Here, each country presents its own team of knights. They demonstrate strength in competitions, and at the end, knightly fights take place.
Guests have the opportunity to taste dishes prepared according to old recipes, taste wine, shoot a crossbow or bow, and live in a medieval camp. The master in this matter will help to understand all the intricacies of what is happening.
This event itself takes place in the castle of St. Miklos. Once it was a prison, residence, village council, military unit.
This historic festival also takes place in May. The event is celebrated in the city of Khotin. This event was created especially for those who want to travel back to the Middle Ages. It is not necessary to purchase a time machine for this. It is enough just to visit the festival.
For four days, the Khotyn fortress transforms into a medieval city. Basically, knight fights are held in a specially prepared area in the open air. There are really many things here that you want to look at all the time. Most of all the guests are amazed by the josting. It is a technique during a duel, in which two riders strike each other's shields with spears, approaching at a gallop.
There is also another type of entertainment in this place: interactive games for adults, children, a master class in archery, medieval competitions.
In January, this ethnographic event takes place in Bukovina and Galicia. To celebrate it, people dress up as animals, folk characters. The tradition of this celebration originates from medieval carnivals. Many see a connection with otherworldly forces, spirits. The festival is held every year, it is just an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the authentic Malanka, which has been in existence for more than a hundred years.
With the help of these and other Ukrainian festivals, you can have an exciting time, as well as travel back to ancient times.
There are some festivals, the idea of which was borrowed from other cultures, as well as those that are not inferior to foreign ones in adrenaline and excitement.
One of these is Atlas Weekend. It is very reminiscent of European open air parties. The festival is considered one of the largest in the country. Moreover, he pleasantly surprises every year with star headliners. All participants will have an excellent opportunity, without leaving the Ukrainian capital, to hear and see top stars. Guests are offered several stages, a variety of active entertainment, live music and food cards. The event is held at VDNKh in Kiev, and the ticket price varies from 600 UAH.
The Zaxidfest festival is as similar to European ones as possible. Therefore, each participant has the opportunity, without leaving the country, to feel the atmosphere of the celebrations of Europe. Guests will be greeted by cool bands on stage, a huge number of people for new acquaintances, an atmosphere of happiness, tranquility and freedom. Every year the organizers strive to invite the best Ukrainian and foreign performers. The celebration is held in the village of Rodatichi near Lviv at the end of June. For 3 days of the festival you will have to pay 1100 UAH.
Days of Korean culture are held annually in Kiev. Dates usually fall in mid-November. The program includes lectures on Korean art, hanbok shows, exhibitions, hanji master classes, Korean food. All this is a great opportunity to get to know more about the culture of Korea, explore its modern aspects and learn about the ancients.
Jewish Open Space is an interesting youth festival dedicated to Jewish culture. The celebration is usually held in Kiev in the Mariinsky Park, and according to the dates, they are selected so that everything falls on the autumn Jewish holidays. The event is mainly aimed at young people, but it will also appeal to both children and adults. The purpose of the event is to provide people with the opportunity to learn more about the culture of Israel and just have a good time. The festival provides 6 thematic platforms with different activities - "Development", "Hobby", "Lifestyle", "Education", "Family", "Hesed" (charity). The program also includes theatrical performances, quests, Jewish prayers for those who wish, practical jokes, contests, concerts of Klezmer music.
In a park called "Kievan Rus" near Kiev, the "Call of Heroes" festival is being held. This is a triumph of knightly fights. The format of the event is an international championship, and the character is sports-historical. The festival is attended by hundreds of fighters from more than ten countries. Spectators will enjoy various spectacles - battles, historical memories, craftsmen's fairs, fire show, master classes, horse stunt shows, music and entertainment.
Only part of the festivals is listed above. There are a huge number of them. For example, you can still visit:
You can comfortably get to any festival by car. BLS offers rental vehicles on favorable terms. You can make a reservation on the website online at a convenient time. And in a rented car, you will be able to go to any corner of Ukraine in order to have a fun and informative time at the chosen festival.
