From barbecue and wine to jazz, arts and crafts: Festivals coming up in Armeni

Festival tourism continues to grow in Armenia, with an increasingly diverse calendar of events held across the country each year. The Tourism Committee of the Ministry of Economy supports numerous festivals throughout the year, placing particular emphasis on promoting Armenia’s regions.

Speaking at a press conference, Diana Karapetyan, Head of the Marketing and Promotion Department at the Tourism Committee, said festival tourism plays an important role in the development of the country’s tourism sector.

“Festival tourism is of great importance for the development of the industry. We place particular emphasis on festivals held in Armenia’s regions, as they contribute to the balanced development of local communities. Hosting festivals outside the capital has a tangible positive impact on those communities,” Karapetyan said.

She noted that local communities look forward to these festivals because they attract large numbers of visitors. Hotels and guesthouses benefit from the increased demand, while residents have the opportunity to sell their handmade products, agricultural produce and other local goods. Karapetyan added that improving local infrastructure is equally important, noting that the government continues efforts to upgrade roads, street lighting and other essential facilities.

With the support of the Tourism Committee, 12 tourism festivals will be held across Armenia by the end of the year.

Among them is Yeghegis Fest, dedicated to nature, honey and music, which will take place in the village of Hors in Vayots Dzor Province. The festival will feature performances by brothers Arsen and Artur Safaryan and the Lav Eli band.

On August 1, the Barbecue Festival will take place in the northern town of Stepanavan.

Mehak Apresyan, President of the Armenian Tourism Federation, said the festival is being held for the 13th time and has become one of Armenia’s most anticipated tourism events.

“Every year, the festival demonstrates just how eagerly it is awaited by both local communities and visitors. We have tourists who travel to Armenia specifically to attend the Barbecue Festival. It provides an excellent opportunity not only to showcase Armenian cuisine but also to introduce visitors to the tourism potential and cultural heritage of the local community,” Apresyan said.

Another major event on the calendar is GYUMRI DALAN FEST-2026, which will take place in Gyumri on August 7–9.

Lilit Tovmasyan, Head of the Culture and Youth Affairs Department of the Gyumri Municipality, said the festival was first launched in 2019 and is returning after a lengthy break.

“This is more than just a music festival. Through it, we aim to showcase Gyumri’s cultural and public spaces. Three of the city’s largest and best-preserved dalans have been selected as festival venues,” she said.

The festival will open with performances by the Uru and Kangun bands, followed by the rock band Tiezerk, while Kuchi Blues will close the event.

The festival calendar will continue with the Navasard Armenian-Iranian Cultural and Culinary Festival, which will be held on August 10–11 in the Sisian community of Syunik Province.

From August 14 to 21, HAY-AT JAZZ will travel to Yeghegnadzor, Goris, Vanadzor, Tavush and Dilijan.

On September 5, aviation enthusiasts will gather in the Kotayk Province town of Yeghvard for Armenia Air Fest, while the Arts and Crafts Festival will be held the same day in Dilijan.

The Armenia International Music Festival is scheduled for September 9 in Yerevan.

The 4th International Watercolor Festival “Colors of Armenia” will take place in Gyumri on September 18–20, while the THÉÂTRONS Festival, an international Francophone performing arts festival, will open on September 28.

Wine lovers will gather in Areni for the Areni Wine Festival on October 3, while from October 6 to 11 visitors will have the opportunity to discover Armenia from above during the International Ballooning Festival.

Karapetyan said the diversity of the festival calendar is one of its greatest strengths, allowing everyone to find events that match their interests.

“It is evident that festivals like these bring tourists to Armenia. In many cases, visitors from different countries travel to Armenia specifically to attend a particular festival, which is both encouraging and gratifying. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” she said.

Presenting tourism statistics for the first half of the year, Karapetyan said Armenia welcomed 1,041,598 tourists between January and June, representing a 14.8% increase compared with the same period in 2025.

The largest numbers of visitors came from Russia, Georgia and Iran. The top ten source markets also included China, Germany, the United States, Ukraine, Italy, France and India.