Visit Romania: Top-Rated Events and Festivals

In the last few years, the events and festivals industry has grown so much in Romania. Every year, especially in the summer, there are so many music festivals and events happening it’s hard to make a decision, especially when you can’t make it to all of them.

If your plan is to visit Romania, but you don’t know exactly when the best time to do it is, then perhaps one of the events or festivals we’ll talk about in this article will help you decide.

Whether you’re a party animal, a jazz lover, or a movie and theater enthusiast, we promise you’ll find something which will suit your preferences.

Let’s discover the top-rated festivals and events which will take place in Romania this year. 

1. Bucharest International Jazz Competition

This event has been organized for 11 years and it’s now ranked the second jazz contest in Europe and the third in the world.

The slogan of the competition is “100% jazz and more” and every year it gathers bands from four continents: Europe, Asia, North America, and South America.

Starting with May 12nd and until the 19th, Bucharest will become the world capital of jazz so if you’re a big fan of this type of music, you don’t want to miss this event.

2. Transylvania International Film Festival (TIFF)

TIFF is the largest international film festival in Romania and it was founded in Cluj-Napoca in 2002.

In 2011, the International Federation of Film Producers Associations accredited this movie festival, which places it among the 40 most important festivals in the world.

TIFF’s goal is to promote cinematic art by presenting original and independent movies from all over the world, which use unusual cinematic language forms or focus on current trends in youth culture.

The movie festival will take place between May 25th and June 3rd and it can definitely satisfy any taste you may have in movies, from documentaries to romances, comedies, and even thrillers.

3. Sibiu International Theater Festival

Sibiu International Theatre Festival, also known as FITS, was started in 1993 by a group of people led by Constantin Chiriac, an actor at the Radu Stanca National Theatre in Sibiu.

The first edition took place in 1995 and every year the festival has a different slogan. In 1995, it was all about tolerance, and last year it was dedicated to love.

FITS represents a celebration of arts, which combines the theatre, dancing, movies, circus, books, conferences, exhibitions, and music.

The festival attracts thousands of cultural enthusiasts from all around the world and so in Sibiu, a small Transylvanian town, theatre lovers come together for ten days straight.

During those days, the city town streets are filled with joy and are jam-packed with people from many different countries.

This year, the festival will take place between 8-17 June.

4. Neversea

What do you get from combining the seaside and a music festival?

You get Neversea, which is a newcomer festival. The first edition took place last year in Constanta and it’s organized by the same people who are behind Untold.

The idea with Neversea was to create a festival similar to Untold but on a smaller scale.

And the organizers succeeded. Some of the headliners from 2017 were Tiesto, Afrojack, Fatboy Slim, Rita Ora, Dua Lipa, Fedde Le Grand, and Jason Derulo.

This year, the festival will take place between 5-8 July, on the Black Sea shore, just like last year.

So if you’re a seaside lover and you want to visit Romania while partying hard, Neversea is a great choice.

You can see the amazingness of last year in the video below.

5. Electric Castle

Electric Castle is a music festival which takes place on the spectacular domain of the Banffy Castle, which is close to Cluj-Napoca, in the Bontida village.

The organizers have created a unique festival experience that combines several music genres such as rock, indie, hip-hop, electronic, or reggae, with art installations and alternative arts.

This year’s edition will take place on 18-22 July. In December, they already announced the first artists who will perform on the Electric Castle stage.

Here are some of the big names: Damian Marley, London Grammar, Netsky, Elrow, Valentino Khan, JP Cooper.

Because the festival happens in a castle domain, you have several options when it comes to accommodation.

You can sleep in a tent (in which case you can buy a pass which includes camping), find accommodation at someone’s house in the Bontida village or stay in Cluj-Napoca. There are going to be buses which will take you to the festival directly from the city, so you don’t have to worry about transportation.

To get a feel for the festival’s vibe, we recommend watching the video below with bits and pieces from the 2016 edition.

6. ARTmania Festival

ARTmania is the longest-lasting rock music festival in Romania. It managed to create a unique brand around the event through its concept and the special location where it takes place: the Large Square in Sibiu. The city is one of the most beautiful medieval fortresses in Eastern Europe.

The festival is not all about rock music, but it also includes other activities such as exhibitions, book launches, or movie screenings.

This year’s event will take place on 27-28 July. Steven Wilson, Leprous, ROME, Zeal & Ardor, and Distorted Harmony are some of the artists who have been confirmed until now.

7. Untold Festival

Untold Festival has transformed Cluj-Napoca, the city it takes place in, into the world capital of night and magic. The first edition took place in 2015 and it quickly became the biggest music festival in Romania.

This year’s edition will take place between 2-5 August and the organizers promise yet again four nights of pure magic.

Armin van Buuren, Afrojack, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Steve Aoki, and The Prodigy are some of the major names who will be entertaining the audience this year.

Armin van Buuren has actually been a headliner three years in a row and each year he played for way longer than he should have. Last year, he was on stage from 2 a.m. until 7 a.m. while the Cluj Arena was packed with people.

You can watch the after movie for the 2017 edition so you can witness the magic of this music festival.

If you love partying, you enjoy dancing all night long and you’re also a fan of electronic music, then Untold is the festival for you.

The accommodation demand is extremely high during the festival, so we recommend planning for your trip a few months in advance in order to find the best deal.

8. Summer Well

This year, Summer Well alternative music festival is in its 8th edition. It’s an iconic event for Romania.

The event takes place at the Stirbey estate, which is located in Buftea, only 15 km away from Bucharest. It is the perfect location for a festival such as Summer Well.

The area is surrounded by a forest and there’s also a scenic lake which can help you recharge on a hot summer day.

This year’s edition will happen between 11-12 August. Justice, The Kooks, Kodaline, Rationale & HMLTD, and Cigarettes After Sex are some of the artists who will be performing at the festival.

There is going to be a dedicated bus line you can use to arrive at the festival, so transportation won’t be an issue.

9. George Enesco International Competition

Last year, the passes for George Enesco Festival were sold out in 10 minutes. That’s how popular this classical music event is in Romania.

Even though this year the festival won’t take place, the International Competition will. As of 2014, it’s happening every two years and it truly represents a launching platform for those who want to start their international music career. Anyone can enter, regardless of whether they are established artists or not.

Last year, over 80 events took place during the festival and more than 3,000 artists participated in the concerts which were organized all over Romania, in cities such as Iasi, Brasov, Cluj-Napoca, Sibiu, Timisoara, Bacau, and Ploiesti.

If you’ll visit Romania during the George Enesco competition, you can also attend the live classical music concerts which will be happening in the George Enesco Square and the entrance will be free.

The competition has four dedicated sections: violin, cello, piano, and composition. This year, it will take place between 1-23 September, in Bucharest.

10. Anim’est

Anim’est is a popular International Animation Film Festival in Bucharest which has been happening since 2006.

Aside from movie screenings, the festival has other activities as well, such as presentations, workshops, master-classes, special events, concerts, and roundtables.

The program of Anim’est includes six competitive sections: international feature film, international short film, Romanian film, student film, video, and Minimise.

There’s also a section called Mosaic where there are presented the newest animation short and feature animations from international film festivals and also retrospectives dedicated to important animation studios, directors, film schools, and festivals.

Since 2009, the festival has added a unique event, called Creepy Animation Night, during which provocative, bizarre, and horror animation shorts are being screened while they are accompanied by a live musical act.

Visit Romania While Experiencing the Top-rated Events and Festivals

As you can see, Romania has a lot to offer when it comes to events and festivals in general.

Aside from these events, this country has plenty of tourist attractions you can visit during your trip. Whether you’ll have three days to visit or a week, it’s important to take advantage of everything Bucharest or other major cities have to offer.

Want help discovering the treasures of Romania and experiencing it to the fullest? Then book one of our tours and say goodbye to being stressed about planning what to see. Don’t hesitate to contact us at 40 735 525 710 if you have any questions.

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