Fun and festivities in Azerbaijan - celebrations, festivals and cultural events

Famous holidays like New Year or Victory Day are widely celebrated in Azerbaijan, but the country also has its own unique celebrations. That being said, even New Year has its own peculiarities in the country. In Azerbaijan, New Year is celebrated twice – the “new calendar” holiday that falls to January 1st and the “old calendar” holiday that falls to January 14. People of all religions celebrate this holiday. The Day of Physical Culture and Sport, which is widely celebrated on March 5, is a unique holiday in Azerbaijan. On this day, local people play football and organize chess tournaments. Wrestling areas are installed everywhere. Not only professional sportsmen but also amateurs participate in these competitions. Nowruz is an important religious holiday in Azerbaijan. This holiday marks the arrival of spring and is celebrated one day before the spring equinox. Many ancient traditions regarding this holiday are still alive. For example, local people wash their face with crystal clear water from streams in the morning, wish all the best to their friends and family, and offer sweets. Honey is the first food that local people eat in the morning, and then fill their houses with the smell of incense. Azerbaijanis believe that this way they can protect themselves from evil spirits and vile thoughts. A festive table contains 7 dishes, each of which starts with the letter “S”. Locals also light up a candle to protect the whole family from the bad, take a mirror as a symbol of clarity, and put a colored egg that symbolizes our planet.

The Flower Festival, which takes place on May 10, is an incredibly beautiful and interesting event. On this day, people gather on Baku Boulevard in the memory of President Heydar Aliyev and put flowers on his tomb. The park becomes decorated with colorful flower compositions. Interesting flora exhibitions and a small ornithological exhibition with rare bird species have also become common on this day. Festival’s visitors create their own “exhibition” by making beautiful drawings of the asphalt. The result is very colorful and cheerful. In the evening, the celebration culminates with a concert and fireworks.

There are several more important national holidays in Azerbaijan. For example, if you happen to visit the country in the middle of July, do not miss an opportunity to participate in Sabantuy, a holiday that Azerbaijanis adopted from Tatars. Dancing, singing, horse riding, sack jumping – these are the traditional activities on this holiday. Moreover, people try to reach the top of a shaft to get the prize, haul at a rope, play harmonicas, wrestle… in short, there is no time to get bored during Sabantuy! In mid-September, the country celebrates a no less popular national holiday dedicated to music. Performances of folk groups, concerts of a symphonic orchestra, and various plays, such as opera, ballet, and comedy – these are the most typical events of this festival. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Pomegranate Festival is one more interesting event that travelers can see only in Azerbaijan. This holiday is celebrated in Goychay at the end of October. On this day, streets of the city, its parks and avenues get a special festive decoration. The main activities take place in the central square of the city. There is always a fair trade dedicated to this juicy fruit. Here, visitors can learn something new about the pomegranate, for example, how to grow the fruit. Everyone is welcome to sample different types of pomegranates and drink the fresh pressed juice. Naturally, the festival is impossible to imagine without different entertaining activities: contests with prizes, music, dancing, and sports competitions.

Since 2016, a new festival has appeared in Azerbaijan. It was decided to make this event annual. The festival’s name – Heat – is in line with the weather because it takes place at the beginning of July when the weather is exceptionally hot. During the event, famous and emerging performers from Azerbaijan, Russia, and other European countries. For the first time, the festival lasted only two days, but then it was decided to make it twice longer. During four days, a long and unforgettable show entertains numerous visitors who come close to the Caspian Sea despite scorching heat!

Finally, a holiday that fans of jazz simply cannot miss. Baku International Jazz Festival had its ups and downs. The event appeared yet in the previous century, but then it was not organized for more than thirty years. The jazz festival was restored only in 2002, immediately attracting numerous guests from Azerbaijan and neighboring countries. During several days in the second half of October, jazz concerts take place in clubs and in the open air. Fans of this music style will find it interesting to listen to the jazz mugham. This substyle combines classical jazz rhythms and music of the national Azerbaijani instruments.