The celebration of the world’s cultural diversity, in an explosion of colors, songs, dances and good cheer will take place in Neamț, between August 5^th and August 7^th, 2022.

Proudly reaching its 23rd edition, “Ceahlăul” International Folklore Festival has been held annually in Neamț County since 1992, with the aim of celebrating the richness and beauty of different traditions, deeply rooted in the cultures on the globe. By promoting dances, songs, customs and costumes from all over the world, the festival reveals the unique features of traditional art, while also encouraging the preservation and valorization of the ethnographic particularities of various countries and regions, and the sense of beauty and artistic refinement of the people.

In the current edition, along “Floricicà de la munte” Folk Ensemble, numerous representative ensembles from countries outside Europe will participate: “Alianza” Folk Group from Saltillo, Mexico; “Jepun Bali” Folk Group from Indonesia, as well as folk groups of the minorities in our country: “Cervona Kalena” Ukrainian Ensemble from Negostina (Suceava County), “Búzavirág” Hungarian Folk Ensemble from Brașov, “Efthymos” Greek Dance Ensemble and “Dionysos” Vocal Group from Brașov. Also, “Brâul roşu” (Red Belt) Folk Ensemble from Piatra-Neamț will be on the stage of the Festival, displaying a suite of Saxon dances.

This year, performances will be held starting at 7 P.M., in the city centers of Piatra-Neamț (August 5^th and August 7^th, 2022) and Târgu Neamț (August 6^th, 2022). In the first two evenings, the participating folklore groups will display the traditional costumes and dances specific to their area of ​​origin, resulting in a parade following a route that runs through the city’s central arteries, to the extraordinary delight of the audiences. These route have already become known to the public: in Piatra-Neamț, the parade starts from Youth Theatre –> House of Culture –> History and Archeology Museum –> Grand Hotel Ceahlău –> Youth Theatre; in Târgu Neamț, the parade starts in front of the City Hall –> Hospital roundabout –> “Assumption of the Virgin” Church.

During the opening and closing evnings, in addition to the dance suites of the participating ensembles, the Festival presents two extraordinary concerts of well-known and beloved performers are scheduled: “Ștefan Vodă” Ethno-folk ensemble from Căpriana, Republic of Moldova, and last but not least, Ionuț and Doinita Dolănescu.

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In the previous editions of the festival, over a hundred folklore ensembles from over thirty-five countries of Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and South America participated. Therefore, over the years, the festival brought to Neamţ County over three thousand guests from Mexico, Italy, Spain, France, Armenia, Vietnam, Bulgaria, Poland, Belgium, Albania, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Switzerland, Finland, USA, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Israel, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey, Macedonia, Hungary, Ukraine, Congo, Egypt and the Republic of Moldova, to list only some of the participating countries.

Each edition of “Ceahlăul” International Folklore Festival is a celebration of the cultural diversity of the world, in an explosion of colors, songs, dances and good cheer. The extraordinary stage performances of the international and Romanian ensembles, the impressive folklore parades displaying a rich and varied repertoire, the conferences around traditional dance and song, and of course the meetings between guests from all over the world engage all participants in a truly festive atmosphere.

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Bands participating in this year’s edition:

“JEPUN BALI” FOLK GROUP (INDONESIA)

“ALIANZA” FOLK GROUP (MEXICO)

“CERVONA KALENA” ENSEMBLE – NEGOSTINA, Suceava County

“BÚZAVIRÁG” FOLK ENSEMBLE – “ALBĂSTRIŢA” Braşov

“EFTHYMOS” DANCE ENSEMBLE and “DIONYSOS” VOCAL GROUP, Brașov

“BRÂUL ROŞU” (RED BELT) FOLK ENSEMBLE, Neamţ County

“FLORICICA DE LA MUNTE” FOLK ENSEMBLE, Neamţ County