Top 16 festivals taking place in Romania this summer – music, movies, theatres

Here’s what you can do this summer in Romania. There are a lot of festivals you can enjoy, be it music, movies and theatres. BR has prepared an exclusive list with the best cultural events that you shouldn’t miss. 

June

Transylvania International Film Festival

May 27-June 5, Cluj Napoca

Cluj is getting ready to celebrate the 15th edition of the largest film festival in Romania. The first confirmed titles, either Oscar-nominated or productions awarded at Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Locarno or San Sebastian, are the work of masters such as Alexander Sokurov and Terence Davies and tell fascinating stories from all over the world.

Sibiu International Theatre Festival

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June 10-19, Sibiu

Over 2,600 artists and guests will some to 68 venues to witness over 430 performances and events, produced in 70 countries. One of the most eagerly awaited guests at this year’s event is Tim Robbins, known to Romanian audiences mainly for his role in The Shawshank Redemption.

Blaj aLive

June 17-19, Blaj (Alba county)

Acts such as Kadebostany, Dub Inc., Kiril Dzajkovski, BUG Mafia, Grasu XXL, Carla’s Dreams, ROA, CTC, Golan, When ‘Airy Met Fairy and Say Yes Dog will grace this electronic music event.

Jazz in the Park

June 27-July 3, Cluj Napoca

Music lovers will flock to Cluj’s Central Park to meet and greet the jazzmen. The organizers have yet to announce the lineup, but previous years have seen top jazz singers perform in the western city.

Airfield Festival

June 30-July 3, Cisnadie (Sibiu county)

The eclectic menu runs from jazz to funk, via ska, techno, indie rock and hip-hop. Six different stages will host performances by Jamie Woon, Robag Wruhme, BlabberMouf, Portable, Gorje Hewek & Izhesvki, Subcarpați, Golan, CTC, Lucia, Byron and many others.

July

JazzTM

July 1-3, Timisoara

Timisoara’s Victoriei Square, Justice Park and Civic Park will be jazzed up. So far only two artists have been announced: BadBadNotGood, a young band from Toronto, and Dhafer Youssef, a Tunisian artist known for his unique combination of Sufi traditions, mystical and jazz influences and Arabic lyricism.

Garana Jazz Festival

July 7-11, Garana (Caras Severin county)

Yuri Honing Acoustic Quartet, Enrico Rava, the Kari Ikonen Trio, Magnus Öström Band and another 80 jazz artists will perform in one of the most amazing green spots in Romania, at the 20th edition of the well-known jazz festival.

Electric Castle

July 14-17, Bontida (Cluj county)

Banffy Castle, in Bontida, will host four days of live music. Sigur Ros, Skrillex, Bring me the Horizon, Bastille and many others will perform on one of the eight stages.

Folk You

July 22-23, Vama Veche (Constanta county)

Twelve years ago, folk artist Florian Pitis launched Folk You, with a manifesto of “the resistance movement against poured stupidity”, in Vama Veche, Romania’s southernmost Black Sea resort, and the festival is still a beacon for music lovers.

Padina Fest

July 28-31, Padina, Bucegi Mountains (Dambovita county)

Those tired of the noise and bustle of the city can head up to 1,500 feet, to the Padina Fest, for camping, forest fun and good Romanian music.

Rock the City

July 29-30, Bucharest

No introduction is needed for Muse and Iron Maiden, the headliners of the rock festival which will take place in the capital.

August

Untold

August 4-7, Cluj Napoca

Romania’s biggest electronic music festival, which won the Best Major Festival title at the 2015 European Festival Awards, will bring back to its stage artists such as Armin van Buuren, DJ Hardwell, who was voted the best DJ in the world in 2013 and 2014, and Afrojack, another top 10 DJ.

Anonimul Film Festival

August 8-14, Sfantu Gheroghe (Tulcea county)

The idyllic backdrop of the Danube Delta and Black Sea adds to this festival’s charms. The movies are usually selected from international film festivals.

Spellground

August 12-14, Capidava, Cernavoda (Constanta)

Live music, art performances, workshops, great food and lots of exciting moments in front of the three Spellground concert stages, all with an amazing view, is the promise made by the organizers. The Kooks and Röyksopp are the headliners, but the rest of the line-up is also impressive.

Summerwell

August 13-14, Buftea (Ilfov county)

Dubbed “a festival like a holiday”, the event brings together the Chemical Brothers, Hurts, The 1975, Years & Years, The Neighbourhood, BØRNS, Blossoms, HONNE, Sundara Karma and HÆLOS in the beautiful gardens of Stirbei Palace.

Divan

August 22-28, Cetate (Dolj county)

The Divan film and culinary art festival once again brings the spirit of the Balkans to an old Danube grain-shipping port, with food, movies, documentaries, debates and workshops, all at Cetate Harbor.

List by Oana Vasiliu