Major Festivals In Macedonia
Ohrid Summer Festival is one of the largest and important festival in Macedonia. Ohrid Summer Festival is held each year from July 12 to August 20 in the town’s ancient outdoor theatre or in the 9th century Church of Sofia with about 40 musical events and 12 plays. The festival features plays, dance and music concerts from both professional and amateur performers, as well as operas and many other exciting events. This Festival has a great reputation and the average number of visitors per season is about 20.000. Soon as the festival program is released the visitors can plan in advance the events.
The Ohrid Summer Festival can be said that is a really fortunate festival to have the city of Ohrid and the contrary- the city is blessed to have this festival and it was probably destined to be so. In the Republic of Macedonia certainly the awareness of the meaning of this superb cultural manifestation always exists, because of what the festival has the absolute support of all the institution of the state. Especially the support of the government of RM through the Ministry of Culture, the President of the Republic who at the same time is the Patron of the Festival, as well as the important support of the economy through firms and companies that financially assist the festival.
Today, Ohrid Summer Festival presents a great dignity and an exceptional cultural gain for Ohrid and the Republic of Macedonia; a manifestation with which Ohrid and Macedonia can be represented with dignity in the world.
The Prishtina International Film Festival, taking place since 2009, presents the best Kosovar films to the international audience, with an aim to improve the film industry within our country. Run by the board, which includes its President who is also an Oscar and Golden Globe winner, Vanessa Redgrave, she brings in the contacts within the film world for the festival. The Pri Film Festival also intends to promote Kosovo as a newborn country through its culture, one of them being film. Through this festival, Kosovar film makers and actors will have the opportunity to meet with international professionals in the film industry and will be able to promote their projects to them and show their talent.
The Prishtina Jazz Festival is known to be one of the most cultural and artistically enlightening events that occur within a year in Kosovo. It, too, brings about important and significant artists from all around the world letting the jazz scene in Kosovo flow from head to toe. This festival has also developed a strong local jazz scene especially within Prishtina which has also led to collaborations with international artists and other festivals. Such artists are: Uri Caine, Tom Kennedy, Reggie Washington, Giulio Martino, Willard Dyson, Bob Albanese and more including a few of many of our local artists such as Besim Gashi, Faruk Musliu, and Visar Kuqi.
Today, the festival is close to its sixth edition and has reached a place within the network of the European and World Jazz Festivals.
The Prishtina DAM Festival in Kosovo is also known as the International Festival of Young Musicians. It has been taking place since the year 1996 and allows the city and the public to enjoy a week of international and national line-up of participants in Contemporary Music and Classical Music.
There are many persons that have awed the world with their talent in contemporary music that are being presented as participants in the DAM Festival such as Alexander Prior (British), the Italian pianist, Maurizio Mastrini, Turkish soprano, Pervin Chakar, Petrit Ceku (Croatia) and more.
40 Bunar Fest is a non – traditional festival, that is held in Prizren.
In this festival all the people, whoever wants, applies and get’s in race with tractor tires in the river Bistrica.
The river is cold and dangerous, that’s why you need to take something that’s gonna protect you during the race.
The helmet is very important, because the chances to smash into the rocks during the race is high. Lifejacket is important too, because it helps you from the scratchings, naturally it saves your life – if you don’t know to swim.