The people of Uzbekistan know how to enjoy life and love various holidays.

Weddings, anniversaries or official events are held on a grand scale, with huge crowds of people, with the fiery music of national orchestras, with songs, dances, fun and of course an abundance of delicious Uzbek dishes.

Holidays in Uzbekistan are celebrated cheerfully, without making any distinction between national and state holidays written in the calendar and new ones that have recently arrived from distant countries. Residents of Uzbekistan give each other valentines and painted gingerbread cookies, bake Easter cakes and paint eggs, and cook sumalak. The people of Uzbekistan are distinguished by their openness, friendliness, hospitality, ability to rejoice and share this joy with others.

Each country is unique, inimitable and has its own flavor and unique features and traditions. In Uzbekistan, they have evolved over the centuries under the powerful influence of various cultures, which have formed a unique community of people, the main features of which have always been tolerance, hospitality, understanding of the enduring value and significance of simple human communication, and the desire to share joy with others.

January 1 - New Year in Uzbekistan comes to every family

New Year is one of the most beloved and anticipated holidays for residents of Uzbekistan. On these magical days, everyone expects heavy snowfall, which does not always happen in this region. But if on New Year everything around is covered with fluffy snow, consider that the holiday was a success: with crispy snow, the aroma of tangerines, the spicy smell of jellied meat standing in the cold, building a snowman and sleigh rides...

This great international holiday comes to every family and, of course, is widely and cheerfully celebrated in cities and throughout the country. In the capital, on the main square, sparkling with the lights of garlands and decorated with balls, the favorite of all children - the Christmas tree, which is a symbol of the New Year, appears. Young people gather here to hear Tashkent chimes at the magical midnight. And in the following days, the square becomes the epicenter of mass celebrations. Children especially frolic, because Father Frost and the Snow Maiden, as well as many other heroes of their favorite fairy tales and cartoons, are waiting for them here.

Leisure activities for adults are no less interesting and varied. The theaters host wonderful holiday performances these days, cinemas, cafes, clubs and restaurants are full. Each establishment tries to distinguish itself with its original show program: you will find parodies of your favorite artists, performances by pop stars, fun competitions and sweepstakes, and of course an enchanting New Year's disco.

14-yanvar Vatan himoyachilari kuni

This holiday in independent Uzbekistan is celebrated in honor of the creation of its own Armed Forces. On January 14, 1992, the country’s parliament decided to transfer all units and formations, military educational institutions and other military formations stationed in the country under the jurisdiction of the Republic of Uzbekistan. This was the beginning of the creation own Armed Forces. On December 29, 1993, January 14 was declared the Day of Defenders of the Motherland.

March 8 is International Women's Day

In Uzbekistan, this holiday is celebrated as a holiday of love, kindness and beauty, and is also known as “Mother’s Day”.

March 21 – Nowruz

The oldest folk holiday, Navruz (translated from Farsi, Navruz means “new day”) is celebrated on March 21, and as you know, this is the day of the spring equinox. The length of day and night is the same - 12 hours. On the eve of this holiday, many Uzbek families prepare national dishes such as Sumalak, Halim, Kuk Somsa, Plov and others. These dishes contain many vitamins that are beneficial to the human body.

With the country's independence, the ancient customs and traditions of the Uzbek people were revived, the Navruz holiday was also restored, and the celebration acquired a new scope and depth. It has become a national holiday of friendship, unity, and brotherhood of all peoples. Vivid theatrical performances reveal a philosophical and poetic understanding of Navruz and its place in national history. Currently, Navruz is solemnly celebrated every year in Uzbekistan.

May 9 is the Day of Remembrance and Honor

In 1999, on May 9, the majestic Memory Square was opened in the capital of Uzbekistan, and since then, May 9 has been celebrated as the Day of Remembrance and Honor. This holiday in independent Uzbekistan is celebrated in honor of the memory of our compatriots, who for centuries heroically and selflessly defended our Motherland, its freedom and independence, and the peaceful life of our people. In addition, this holiday is considered a day of respect for a person and on this day people visit their loved ones, especially respect for the elderly and war veterans.

September 1 - Independence Day

September 1 - Independence Day. The main national holiday of the Republic of Uzbekistan is Independence Day. This holiday is celebrated annually on September 1st in a ceremonial and colorful manner. The national holiday represents all the dreams and expectations of the entire Uzbek people, which are based on the basic principles of friendliness, solidarity, charity, and mutual respect. Representatives of various nations living in Uzbekistan, despite their nationality, religion, and social status, all actively celebrate the holiday in every street, square, and mahalla.

October 1 is Teachers and Mentors Day

Every year Uzbekistan solemnly celebrates the Day of Teachers and Mentors. Deep respect for teachers has been rooted in our region since ancient times. “Domla”, “Muallim”, “Ustoz” - these words were pronounced with gratitude and respect for many centuries by students who received from their teachers and mentors knowledge in academic disciplines, and instructions about respectful attitude towards people, love for the Motherland, and high morality and spirituality.

Students of schools and educational institutions deeply respect all those who gave them the first knowledge of life. On this day, students gratefully give flowers and gifts, making sincere recognition for their hard work in life's journey.

December 8 is Constitution Day. The Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan was adopted on December 8, 1992 and is considered a holiday in the country.

Ramadan Khait.This holiday is known as Ruza Hayit, which coincides with the 9th month (Hijri) of the Muslim calendar. The holiday includes a religious fast - Uraza, which lasts 30 days, and this is considered a rite of spiritual and moral purification. The conditions for fasting are as follows: from sunrise to sunset, not taking food or water; will be protected from bad thoughts and assumptions; Being respectful with everyone around you and doing as much good as possible to those around you. After completing this, on the last day, the holiday of Ramadan Hayit begins, and this day is considered a non-working day.

Kurbon Khait. The religious holiday of Kurbon Hayit is the greatest holiday in the world, which is celebrated by Muslims. The sources of this holiday are ancient stories associated with the prophet Ibrahim, who was ordered from above to sacrifice animals such as a ram, a camel, etc. The holiday lasts three days and on these days all Muslims celebrate this holiday with their family and friends. Especially on these holidays, people visit their relatives and friends, as well as the sick and those in need of help. The first day of Kurbon Hayit is officially considered a non-working day.

FESTIVALS

Festivals in Uzbekistan are a vibrant theatrical celebration of historical events, national holidays, a demonstration of cultural Uzbek traditions that have been preserved from ancient times and carefully passed on from generation to generation. Original thematic national festivals introduce the culture and way of life of the Uzbek people. At festivals in Uzbekistan, cheerful folk festivals and oriental bazaars are organized, where you can buy interesting souvenirs made by local artists. Here you will find live performances of folk songs, performances by puppeteers and tightrope walkers, demonstrations of ancient customs, and tasting of the most famous Uzbek dishes.

FESTIVAL of ‘’SILK AND SPICES’’

The Silk and Spices Festival is a celebration held every two years in Bukhara, a city on the Silk Road. Thousands of years ago, caravans loaded with silk and spices walked from China to Europe, passing through mountain passes and lifeless deserts, stopping in flowering oases. Bukhara was one of those cities through which the trade route from East to West necessarily passed.

 In addition, the best masters of pottery, embossing, carpet weaving, gold embroidery and other crafts lived here. At the beginning of the 21st century, thanks to the efforts of the national company "Uzbektourism", the mayor's office of Bukhara, and the Association of Craftsmen "Khunarmand", the first "Silk and Spices" festival was organized, designed to revive the cultural heritage of the Great Silk Road and show the richness of the traditions of local craftsmen. The idea turned out to be so good that the festival became an annual event, attracting more and more tourists each time. According to tradition, the festival takes place for several days at the end of May - beginning of June.

At the Silk and Spices festival you will find yourself in the world of an oriental fairy tale. At the opening there is usually a festive procession, where people dress up in national costumes, and artists, dancers, acrobats and strongmen perform. Detachments of medieval warriors line up near the walls of the Ark fortress, and caravans of camels and horses pass along the street connecting the trading domes of Bukhara. All this creates the impression of traveling a thousand years ago.

Over the course of several days of the Silk and Spices festival, fairs are held where you can buy handicrafts, various souvenirs and, of course, silk scarves. A variety of master classes by artisans of Bukhara and other regions of Uzbekistan are organized on the territory of historical monuments. Various competitions, cockfights and other games are held in large open areas. At the same time, during the festival various conferences are held on the history, culture and preservation of traditions of Uzbekistan.

The “Silk and Spices” festival traditionally ends with a big concert in the Poi-Kalyan architectural ensemble, where you can hear all the richness of Uzbek folk music.

If you are planning a trip to Uzbekistan and want not only to see the magnificent eastern city, but also to immerse yourself in the world of fairs and craft workshops, then you should choose the last days of May. It is worth noting that the Silk and Spices festival alternates with the spectacular International Festival of Gold Embroidery and Jewelry, which is also held in the last week of May.

International Musical Festiva ‘’Sharq Taronalari’’

Melodies of the East”, and this is how the name “Sharq Taronalari” is translated, is one of the most significant events not only in Uzbekistan, but also in Central Asia, and according to the established good tradition, it was held in the central square of Samarkand - Registan.

Registan Square is part of the magnificent architectural ensemble of the Eastern Middle Ages in Samarkand - a city that in ancient times was called the Pearl of the East by travelers along the Great Silk Road for the beauty and splendor of its palace architecture.

 Being the capital of the huge medieval empire of the famous conqueror Tamerlane, Samarkand gathered the best minds and talents of the time: scientists, artists, architects, poets, each of whom glorified this legendary eastern city in his own way.

Centuries later, Samarkand became the permanent venue for the bright and enchanting musical festival “Sharq Taronalari”. Once every two years, at the end of summer, Samarkand again and again gathers hundreds of talented singers, dancers and musicians at a magnificent international festival of musical traditions of the peoples of the world. Creative groups from foreign countries from all over the world come to “Sharq Taronalari” to present the cultural heritage of their countries.

On the historical Registan Square, surrounded on all sides by magnificent monuments of oriental medieval architecture, a huge open-air stage with simply fantastic lighting and acoustics is being built. The organizers are doing their best: the best decorations, interesting exhibitions and conferences dedicated to the festival, and simply a huge number of contestants, foreign guests and press representatives. Many of the foreign dignitaries coming to the festival are visiting Uzbekistan for the first time and have barely heard of Samarkand before. Therefore, getting to know the ancient city, whose history goes back more than 27 centuries, is a pleasant surprise for them. While walking around the city, guests of Samarkand can visit the tomb of Tamerlane (Uzbek Amir Temur), where lies the royal jade tombstone, which gave rise to countless legends. Also fascinating Shakhi-Zinda complex, in the dungeon of which, according to legend, the spirit of the saint still lives, the ancient settlement of Afrosiab, the mausoleum of St. Daniel, the madrasah of a prominent medieval scientist and patron of science and art, the grandson of Tamerlane - Ulugbek, the Bibi-Khanum mosque and many others amazing architectural monuments of the ancient city.

During the festival, exhibitions of national Uzbek dress, folk musical instruments, an art bazaar and conferences are held. The festival itself lasts almost a week, and ends with a grand gala concert at which the winners of the competition perform.

Festival of Traditional Culture “Asrlar Sadosi” (“Echo of Centuries”)

The Asrlar Sadosi festival is an annual festival of folk traditions and customs, applied arts, national cuisine and music, which takes place each time in different cities of Uzbekistan.

Usually the festival is held in the spring, in May, and lasts 2 days off, during which mass costumed folk festivities take place with songs, dances, folk games and competitions, which are held in the open air.

Every year the festival brings together more than a thousand participants: folk groups, artisans, athletes, musicians, cooks, etc. and tens of thousands of spectators - tourists and residents of Uzbekistan.  For two days, the streets of the city turn into a huge oriental bazaar, where you can buy silk fabrics, luxurious carpets, aromatic spices, patterned ceramics, and also taste national Uzbek dishes: golden pilaf, juicy kebabs, melt-in-your-mouth samsa and, of course, Uzbek bread - rosy and crispy flatbreads.

The main organizer of this festival is the Foundation Forum of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan. The Asrlar Sadosi festival was first held in 2008 near Shakhrisabz. Since 2009, the Asrlar Sadosi festival began to be held in cooperation with UNESCO: two festival days were organized in the Tashkent region.

In 2010, the festival was held in Khiva, on the territory of the historical monument Ichan-Kala, in 2011 - in Bukhara, in 2012 the festival was held in the fortified city of Toprak-Kala in Karakalpakstan. In 2013, Asrlar sadosi-2013 was held in the Navoi region near the Sarmysh-say gorge. According to the tradition that has developed over these six years, during the festival, the organizers hold round tables, seminars and master classes on culture, environmental issues, and the development of national art, to which specialists, scientists and international guests are invited. At the end of the second day of the festival, all participants and spectators will enjoy a final gala concert of folk music, at which creative groups from all regions of the republic will perform.

Festival of Baysun Bahori (‘’Spring of Baysun’’)

The name of this cultural event comes from a small town in southern Uzbekistan. Baysun is a seemingly ordinary city, which is located at the foot of the picturesque Baysuntau Mountains, but its main feature is that the local residents have preserved ancient customs and traditions that go back thousands of years and originate from pre-Islamic pagan culture.

The Boysun Bakhori festival is a celebration of unique cultures! In our time of globalization, sometimes unique rituals and traditions are lost, and only in places remote from large cities can you still see a special culture. The purpose of this festival is to collect and show the heritage of the past, which is carefully preserved not only in Baysun, but also in other regions of Uzbekistan and in other countries.

In 2001, UNESCO recognized Baysun culture as a “Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage.” And in 2002, the first folklore festival “Boysun Bakhori” took place. Subsequently, it was held annually, then gave way to other festivals, but was revived in 2017.

The Boysun area is very beautiful in the spring, when the surrounding mountains are covered with greenery and flowering meadows - that is why this event is held at this time and why it is called “Boysun Bahori” (Boysun Spring). A huge camp with yurts, benches and stages where folk ensembles perform is set up on the foothills. Arenas are set up here for various national games: “Kurash” wrestling, “Kupkari” equestrian game, ram and rooster fights, etc. And also, a special place is occupied by the stage of “darboz” (tightrope walkers), who perform circus acts, where tightrope walking is perfectly combined with a fun theatrical performance. In addition, guests of the Boysun Bakhori festival can get acquainted not only with folklore traditions and performances, but also with the handicraft creations of Uzbek architects, with colorful national costumes, and of course, with delicious Uzbek cuisine! If you want to get acquainted with the unique culture of Boysun and other regions of Uzbekistan within the framework of one event, the Boysun Bakhori festival is one of the best for such purposes. And a pleasant bonus will be the beautiful mountain nature of this southern corner of the country, which is significantly different from popular tourist destinations.

Festival of gold embroidery and jewelry in Bukhara

The Festival of Gold Embroidery and Jewelry is a new festival taking place in Bukhara, which was created on the basis of the “Silk and Spices” festival. Previously, “Silk and Spices” was held annually; it was very rich and diverse. And it was decided to create two festivals with separate themes. In odd-numbered years, a festival will be held about bright silks and fragrant spices, and in even-numbered years, a festival about expensive gold embroidery and elaborate jewelry. The first festival of gold embroidery and jewelry was held in May 2022. Gold embroidery is an ancient art of Uzbek artisans. It was widespread throughout Uzbekistan, but the weavers of Bukhara, who sewed luxurious clothes for the emir and his courtiers, were particularly skilled. Today there is even a gold embroidery factory in the city. In addition, in many families, gold embroidery masterpieces are created by hand, and the secrets of this difficult work are passed on from generation to generation.

Gold embroidery is an ancient art of Uzbek artisans. It was widespread throughout Uzbekistan, but the weavers of Bukhara, who sewed luxurious clothes for the emir and his courtiers, were particularly skilled. Today there is even a gold embroidery factory in the city. In addition, in many families, gold embroidery masterpieces are created by hand, and the secrets of this difficult work are passed on from generation to generation.

About Festival

The festival of gold embroidery and jewelry in Bukhara is a grandiose event that brings together the best craftsmen from all over Uzbekistan. Moreover, as at the “Silk and Spices” festival, solemn processions, concerts, dances and other events take place here to completely immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the holiday. Usually in Bukhara there is a large selection of souvenirs and masterpieces from artisans, but during the festival the number of shops and their assortment increases several times!

At the same time, masters from other countries also come to the festival: so in 2022, more than 100 masters from dozens of countries came to the first festival in Bukhara to show their works.

During the holiday, a series of various events take place: master classes, seminars and exhibitions, where jewelers and weavers share their experiences. The festival also hosts competitions to determine the best masters, best apprentices and young talents.

The festival of gold embroidery and jewelry in Bukhara is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in a festival of trade and crafts, find unusual jewelry, have fun in oriental style and get to know the ancient city, which itself is considered the pearl of the Silk Road. The next festival will take place in May 2024.