Festivals

The "Oh, rejoice in the earth" festival

The winter festival "Oh, rejoice in the earth" is held annually in Rakhiv. The festival is held, traditionally, in January and it unites all carolers, generous people, Bethlehems from all settlements of the Rakhiv region.

The festival allows us to spread and promote Ukrainian culture, folk traditions, and customs.

If you are eager to immerse yourself in the folk traditions, customs, and identity of the Rakhiv region more, we advise you to get to this incredible winter festival, which is held annually on a grand scale.

The "Marcisor" festival

The "Marcisor" (translated from Romanian - "March") festival - a traditional holiday of the meeting of spring and dates back to 1989. The festival is held annually on the second Sunday of March in Bila Tserkva.

This holiday, in addition to preserving Romanian customs, rituals, songs, and dances, promotes cultural and economic ties with ethnic Romanians around the world. During the celebration, there are performances of Romanian folk groups, both local and abroad, preparation of Romanian national dishes followed by a feast for the festival guests, a gala concert.

The "Banosh of Berlybashka" festival

Berlybashka is the historical name of the village of Kostylivka, and the name of the meadow where local owners graze animals.

Banosh is an ethnic Hutsul dish that has long been prepared by shepherds in the meadows. The ingredients of the dish are sour cream and cornflour.

Banosh is the hallmark of this festival, and every year this dish is prepared more and more. Local chefs also prepare delicious cabbage rolls, dumplings, potato pancakes, homemade sausage, cheese, and many other raisins of Hutsul cuisine. You can request treats with specific drinks infused with mountain herbs.

An integral part of the festival are performances by local song and dance groups, folk festivals, and other entertainment events. The festival is held annually, on the second Sunday in May, in the village of Kostylivka.

"The Battle of the Carvers" festival

The festival is held in June, in the village. Great Bulls. The event is dedicated to carving, and the main purpose of its holding is to try to preserve and increase this type of folk craft, to popularize it.

During the Battle of the Carvers Festival in 2017, the Carving Alley was created, and currently has 50 wooden sculptures, some of which reach up to 3 meters. The themes of these wonderful creations from the best carvers of Western Ukraine and not only are very diverse.

Here you can meet:

  • angels
  • cossacks
  • rebel fighters
  • animals
  • molfars
  • hutsuls
  • musicians
  • fungi/mushrooms
  • and many other improvisational works, which were annually supplemented by artists during the festivals "The Great Battle of the Carvers" and "The Third Battle of the Carvers".

"The Bychkivsky Golubtsi (stuffed cabbage)" Festival

The Bychkivsky Golubtsi Festival is a "young" festival, but it has already gained wide publicity, probably due to the all-Ukrainian love for this dish (cabbage rolls) and thanks to the sincerity, friendliness, and diligence of Bychkiv residents. The festival is timed to the Day of the Village.

In 2010, this festival set a record for Transcarpathia for cooking cabbage rolls, which was prepared 25 kinds.

The festival is held at a high level, with the participation of district and regional leadership, performances by folk groups from various parts of the Hutsul region, modern music groups.

The festival is preceded by celebrations during which the village is celebrated, festive events and sports competitions are held, mass festivities.

The "Where the Tisza heads" festival

The festival "Where the Tisza heads" was launched a few years ago, but it has already become a popular event that unites not only locals and tourists visiting Transcarpathia, but also Hungary and Romania. The festival is held as a union of states, common culture, past, and future. The central place of the festival is dedicated to the river Tisza, which flows through Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia.

The festival is accompanied by various festive events, performances by folk groups, ceremonial speeches, etc.

This festival is important as it additionally allows everyone to get acquainted with Transcarpathia, our incredible land, which is rich in unique history and culture, has its own identity and national identity.

The festival is held in July, so if you want to visit this solemn event, we advise you to come to our region at this time!

The bard plein air camp "Muse of the Carpathians"

The bard plein air camp "Muse of the Carpathians" was created to popularize our region and to communicate and exchange experiences between creative people: bard musicians, artists, photographers, poets, and writers.

The solemn event lasts for 5 days and has a very rich program, from various and interesting competitions to the national Hutsul cuisine.

Prominent cultural figures, theater directors, and scientific and cultural institutions are also invited to the festival.

 

The "Colors of Kvasy Bedspread" festival

Bedspread - a blanket made of sheep's wool with a peculiar color typical of a certain region of the Hutsul region, is an integral attribute of Hutsul life. Bedspread warms from the cold, decorates the house, and it is an important ceremonial wedding element, symbolizing prosperity and comfort.

The purpose of the festival-fair "Colors of Kvasy Bedspread" is to preserve not only laziness, but also other local folk traditions and customs, which have long been famous Kvasy, but also - the desire to demonstrate the ability of our people to gas, embroider, make, cook, sing and dance, preserve and to pass on to young people original customs, to develop rural tourism, to attract investors, to open new projects for the development of infrastructure of the village, improvement of the well-being of its inhabitants and a rural community.

The "Hutsul Brynza" festival

The festival is a particular feature of Rakhiv district and one of the brightest pages of the cultural and artistic life of Transcarpathia.

The Hutsul Brynza Festival-Fair was launched in 1999. This holiday is a full part of our lives as a traditional annual result of the revival and development of animal husbandry and sheep in particular in the Rakhiv region. No one can imagine the Carpathian Mountains without silky green meadows with flocks, without the melodies of sad trumpets, singing pipes without courage, hardened by bad weather and inaccessible mountain trails of shepherds.

That is why today for us sheep breeding is not only one of the traditional and most optimal branches of agriculture in the highlands, but also a component of the original history, ethnography, and culture of the Rakhiv region.

Several competitions are also interesting, during which those who sing colomies as well as tremblers, and bagpipers demonstrate their creativity. The holiday ends with a mass celebration.

One of the main features of the Rakhiv district is various festivals. These events are an integral part of the cultural life of the region, which is very popular with both locals and tourists. Therefore, they are often held in Transcarpathia.

The most famous festivals of the Rakhiv region

The most famous festivals held in the Rakhiv district include the following:

  • "Oh, rejoice in the earth";
  • "Marcisor";
  • "Banosh of Berlybashka";
  • "The Battle of the Carvers";
  • "The Bychkivsky Golubtsi (stuffed cabbage) Festival";
  • "Where the Tisza heads" ;
  • The bard plein air camp "Muse of the Carpathians";
  • "Colors of Kvasy Bedspread";
  • The cycling festival "Traces of the rebel fighters";
  • "The Hutsul Brynza".

At any time of the year in the territory of the Rakhiv region various festivals are held, which are gladly attended by a large number of people.

What can be seen at the festivals of the Rakhiv region?

Rakhiv region is always ready to please you with a large number of different festivals with a bright and festive program and a variety of delicacies. Thanks to this, every guest of Transcarpathia will be able to choose the event according to their own interests and tastes.

Folk festivities, music festivals of folklore, performances of local dance and song groups are very popular. Each event is unique and unique in its own way. For example, at the Battle of the Carvers festival you will be able to watch the competition of the best masters with your own eyes, and at the Hutsul Bryndzya and Bychkivski Golubtsi festivals you can not only watch but also try some of your favorite Ukrainian dishes and products.