Festivals are rather popular and are celebrated in crowds. As a rule, official national holidays are accompanied with competitions, launch of new products, trade fairs, concerts, mass events and many other manifestations.
Every settlement of Moldova celebrates its Hram (holiday day of a settlement, which is different for every village or town). During Chisinau’s Day, into the central street of the city enterprises advertise and sell its products, scientific institutes demonstrate its achievements, artists deliver performances, ethnographic societies introduce customs and cultures of various nations, restaurants organise testing of national dishes, while craftsmen and artisans exhibit their creation.
In Moldova are organised more than 40 festivals both international and national. The brightest annual events in Moldova are “Mastisor”, “Day of Wine”, “Va invita Maria Biesu” Festivals.
Official holidays
January 1 – the New Year
December 25 / January 7 – Christmas
March 8 – the International Women’s Day
Easter (Sunday, Monday)
Radunitsa (a week after Easter)
May 1 – the International Spring and Labor Day
May 9 - Victory Day / Europe Day
August 27 – Independence Day
August 31 - «Limba Noastra» (State Language Day)
Wine Day
The festival is organised every year on the first weekend of October all over Moldova, while the main events take place in the center of Chisinau. This Festival is the excellent posibility to taste the best Moldovan wines and national dishes, to see a lot of local and foreign artists, to get acquainted with national handicrafts or to participate in excursions to wineries.
Martisor
“Martisor” is a traditional festival on the whole territory of Moldova, which begins on the 1st of March and continues for 10 days (since 1967). Martisor (from Romanian Mărţişor, from Romanian martie – March) is the traditional holiday of spring welcominng in Moldova and Romania. It is celebrated on the 1st of March. On this day people give each other small sprays made of red and white threads.
Maria Biesu Invites
International Opera and Ballet Festival takes place every year, in September, in National Palace, Opera and Ballet Theater and other concert halls of Chisinau since 1990. This festival has been established by the famous Moldovan opera singer Maria Biesu.
Ethno-jazz
This festival takes place every year in the second half of September in the National Theatre “Mihai Eminescu” and gather jazz-stars from different countries all over the would.
Gustar
Ethno-music festival takes place every year in the end of August in the fantastic historical and culture center Orheiul Vechi (between village of Trebujeni and Butuceni of Orhei region).
BITEI
International Performing Arts Festival takes place at the end of May, biennial, in the Chisinau’s theaters. The founder of festival is the theater “E.Ionesco”.