Romanian Monasteries - Travel Romania

Life in Bucovina is marked by a series of events, holidays and festivals that repeat themselves each year. These old traditions are well conserved in this part of Romania.
There are many occasions to celebrate; first of all there are important religious holidays, Christmas, Easter and the feast days of the major saints; then, there are several ethno-folkloric festivals, usually related to the cyclic agrarian rituals; to these could be added the numerous other cultural manifestations and fairs.

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On big religious holidays the monasteries are filled with pilgrims. The churches are too small to accommodate such crowds, and the ceremonies are held outside.

February
– Păltinoasa – A Time for Evening Sittings (Vremea Şezătorilor). A festival of folk music. Originally, a Şezătoarea is a reunion in a peasant house, a combination of a sewing circle and an occasion to sing, dance, recite poems, or make jokes.

March
– Last week, Fundu Moldovei – “The Annunciation” Religious Music Festival (Festivalul de Muzică Religioasă “Bunavestire”).
– Vatra Moldoviţei – Flowers from Bucovina (Flori din Bucovina).
– Cornu Luncii – Peasants’ Dance (Hora gospodarilor), a local festival of folk dance and music.

Groups of childrens at the Iasi Feast.

May
– Radauti – Rock Music Festival (Festivalul de Muzica Rock).
– First days, Marginea – Black Pottery Fair (Târgul de Ceramică Neagră), a fair of the typical black pottery made in the village.
– Dărmăneşti – Minorities Festival “Convieţuiri” (Festivalul Minorităţilor “Convieţuiri”), a festival of Bucovina’s ethnic minorities, the Armenians, Poles and Ukrainians.
– Gura Humorului – National Festival of Caricatures and Epigrams “Humour at Gura Humorului” (Festival National de Caricaturi si Epigrame “Umor…la Gura Humorului”).

June
– The first half, Straja – Festival of Traditional Wedding Customs (Festivalul Tradiţiilor de Nuntă).
– Sadova – Gathering of Sheep (Strunga oilor). The sheep are gathered together at the sheepfold, and the sheep that gives the most milk receives a prize. A cheese called “caş” is prepared from the milk of the whole flock.
– Horodnic – Festival of Folk Music Instruments “Silvestru Lungoci” (Festivalul Instrumentelor Populare “Silvestru Lungoci”).
– Putna Monastery – A special service connected with the end of the fasting period.
– First days, Horodnic – Traditional Dances (Dansuri Tradiţionale), a festival of folk dances.
– Bâlca – Old People’s Festival (Festivalul Bătrânilor). Old people perform traditional songs and dances.
– Baia – Symposium “Baia – Historical Moments” (Simpozionul “Baia – File de istorie”) A yearly symposium on important moments of history.

Celebrating Easter.

July
– Suceava – Classical music competition “Ciprian Porumbescu”
– Radauti – Pottery Fair “The Eye of the Peacock” (Târgul Olarilor “Ochi de Păun”).
– Falticeni – The Evening Sitting (Şezătoarea) – happening of folk dance and music.
– Campulung Moldovenesc – International Festival of Folklore “Bucovinean Meetings” (Festivalul International de Folclor “Întâlniri Bucovinene”).

Hora is the traditional Romanian ring dance.

August
– Suceava – Pottery Fair (Târgul Meşterilor Olari).
August, Suceava – Old Customs (După datina străbună), a presentation of old customs and traditions.
Radauti – International Folk Festival “Arcanul” (Festivalul International de Folclor “Arcanul”), a festival of folklore. The arcan is the symbol of the 19th century compulsory military service. The forced conscription of a young man was a tragedy for the entire family.
– Fundu Moldovei – Celebrating “Arcanul” (Sărbătoarea Arcanului), festival of folklore.
– First week, Suceava – National Dance Festival “Hora de la Prislop” (Festivalul Naţional de Dans “Hora de la Prislop”). Hora is the traditional Romanian ring dance.
– Bâlca – The Celebration of the Virgin Mary (Sărbătoarea Sfintei Marii).

Group of dancers entertain during celebrations and festivals.

September
– Vama – Dance in Vama (Hora la Vama), a folk dance festival.
– Suceava – Ethnographic and Folk Festival “Simeon Florea Marian”.
– Straja – Treasures of the Romanian Soul (Comori de Suflet Românesc), a festival of folk music and poetry.
– Volovăţ – Treasures of the Soul in Volovăţ (Comorile Sufletului la Volovăţ), folk music and poetry.
– Gura Humorului – Film Festival “Autumn in Voroneţ” (Festivalul de Film si Diaporamă “Toamna la Voroneţ”). Short films and documentaries of young film directors compete for a prize.

October
– Suceava– Poetry Competition “Nicolae Labiş” (Concursul de Poezie “Nicolae Labiş”). A competition for the best new poem and the best reciter.
October, – – Suceava – Fine Arts Competition “Voroneţeana” (Concursul de Artă Plastică “Voroneţeana”).

Traditions and customs at the New Year. Very humorous are the theatrical performances called Capra (The Goat) and Ursu (The Bear), when people wearing masks dance and utter comical lyrics.

November
– November, Suceava – Young Craftsmen’s Fair (Târgul Copiilor Meşteşugari), where the craftsmen sell their produce.
– Moldoviţa – Dance and Music Festival “The Song of the Mountains” (Festivalul de Dans şi Muzică “Cântecul Obcinii”).
– Last week, Suceava – Celebrating the Great Union of 1918 (Sărbătoarea Marii Uniri), with a folk music festival, conferences and symposiums, as well as concerts of contemporary music.

December
– Suceava – National Fair of Photographic Art “Bucovina 2003” (Salonul Naţional de Artă Fotografică “Bucovina 2003”). An annual contest for the best photograph, as well as an exhibition.
– Marginea – Traditions and Customs (Datini şi Obiceiuri).
– Fălticeni – Traditions and Customs (Datini şi Obiceiuri).
– PârteŞtii de Jos – Traditions and Customs (Datini şi Obiceiuri).
– ZvoriŞtea – Traditions and Customs (Datini şi Obiceiuri).
– Dorna Arini – Traditions and Customs (Datini şi Obiceiuri).