August 8–10, 2025 | Neamț County, Romania

Celebrate the rich tapestry of global traditions at the 26th edition of the “Ceahlăul” International Folklore Festival – a vibrant traveling event filled with music, dance, color, and cultural diversity.

Festival Highlights:

• Friday, August 8 | Piatra-Neamț
  • 6:00 PM – Traditional Costume Parade (route: Youth Theater → House of Culture → History Museum → “Ceahlău” Hotel → Youth Theater)
  • 7:00 PM – Spectacular Folk Show
• Saturday, August 9 | Târgu Neamț
  • 7:00 PM – Open-air folk performances at the “Ștefan cel Mare” Amphitheater
• Sunday, August 10 | Piatra-Neamț
  • 7:00 PM – Grand Gala Concert on the “Platoul Curții Domnești”
  • Featuring special recitals by Viorica Macovei and Robert Târnăveanu

Participating Countries & Ensembles:
This year’s lineup includes ensembles from:
Turkey – “Gümüşefe” (Bergama)
Georgia – “Erisa” (Kutaisi)
North Macedonia – “Blazhevski” (Skopje)
Bulgaria – “Slav Boykin” (Rakovski)
Republic of Moldova – “Crenguță de iederă” (Chișinău)
Romania – from Neamț, Cluj, Bistrița-Năsăud, Olt, and Tulcea counties

Romanian ensembles:

• “Floricică de la Munte” (Neamț)
• “Comorile Neamțului” (Piatra-Neamț)
• “Cununa Someșană” (Maieru)
• “Rapsodia Someșană” (Cluj-Napoca)
• “Dor” (Tulcea – Aromanian traditions)
• “Oltenașul” (Vișina, Olt)

The “Ceahlăul” International Folklore Festival was founded in 1991, at the initiative of Professor Constantin Horia Alupului-Rus, then director of the Neamț County Centre for the Conservation, Promotion, and Valorization of Traditional Culture.

Remaining faithful to its multicultural and traveling character, the festival is currently organized by the “Carmen Saeculare” Centre for Culture and Arts Neamț, funded by the Neamț County Council, and takes place in partnership with the City Halls of Piatra-Neamț and Târgu-Neamț.

A few details about each ensemble invited to this edition of the festival:

GÜMÜŞEFE FOLK DANCE ENSEMBLE, Bergama (Turkey)

Founded on the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, the “Gümüşefe” Folk Dance Ensemble is based in Bergama. The group’s mission is to preserve and pass on to future generations the traditional male and female zeybek dances specific to the region. In this area, the zeybek tradition has been kept alive thanks to the dedicated efforts of local instructors, who have collected and staged it using the lived experiences of people from the local community. This cultural transmission continues to this day.

Another important objective of the ensemble is to share the local traditions and culture with as wide an audience as possible, keeping them vibrant and relevant in everyday life. Through their performances, the members of the Bergama group aim to raise awareness and increase appreciation for these unique cultural expressions—dance and song. In addition to their stage shows, the ensemble’s members are also actively involved in social, educational, and social responsibility projects to support the transmission of cultural heritage of national importance.

The sword and shield dance tradition (Kılıç-Kalkan) of Bergama, once considered lost and preserved only in the memories of the elders, has been revived, saving this precious element of Turkish heritage from being forgotten forever.
This unique dance, performed by clashing swords and shields in rhythmic harmony, is distinct from many other folk dances by its absence of music. Originally used as weapons of war, the sword and shield served multiple purposes in training exercises where soldiers would showcase their skills, make drills more engaging, and even demoralize enemy troops during sieges by creating loud and intimidating noise.

Over time, this noise evolved into a rhythmic ritual, giving birth to the sword and shield dance as we know it today. The tradition has been preserved primarily in Bergama through teams formed by the local Public Education Center and the School of Arts.

The ensemble from Bergama has taken part in numerous festivals, national celebrations, local ceremonies, and social responsibility projects in cities such as Bergama, Konya, Antalya, Ankara, and Manisa.

We also retained a symbolic statement from the Gümüşefe Ensemble of Bergama:
“There are experiences and unwritten, deeply rooted rules in our folk dances, passed down from generation to generation. We love to perform these dances that make us who we are. For us, folk dance is the outward expression of the passion in our souls. That’s why our cries echo to the skies, carrying the voice of the past. This is a journey from the past to the future. And we are ready to walk this path, just like those before us, without deviation, guided by what we know to be authentic. We embarked on this artistic journey with our own dances—our national heritage. Our love for folk dance is, in fact, love for our homeland!”

SLAV BOYKIN FOLK DANCE AND SONG ENSEMBLE, Rakovski (Bulgaria)

The “Slav Boykin” Folk Dance and Song Ensemble was founded in 1948. It was officially named “Slav Boykin” on September 1, 1988, by decision of the board of the local community center, in memory of the ensemble’s first director—Slav Boykin.

Entirely made up of amateur performers, the ensemble is devoted to preserving and promoting traditional Bulgarian songs, music, and dances from all folklore regions of the country. Its mission is to safeguard Bulgaria’s rich folklore heritage, traditions, and national culture, while fostering patriotism and Bulgarian identity among younger generations.

In its 77 years of existence, the ensemble has become a cultural symbol of the city of Rakovski, regularly participating in major events and forums, whether as opening acts or full-length concerts. It consists of around 120 amateur performers who have taken part in numerous national and international artistic events.

At many of these, the Bulgarian artists have been awarded prestigious prizes and distinctions, with notable appearances in Italy, Romania, France, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey, as well as at numerous festivals and gatherings throughout Bulgaria.

The group was named Balkan Champion and awarded the “Golden Orpheus” and the Gold Medal at the Balkan Folklore Championship Living Water – 2012 held in Hisarya. It also earned first place at the 2nd National Folk Dance Contest “Kalofer” (2012), as well as Gold and Silver “Orpheus” Awards and the title of World Vice-Champion at the World Folk World Folklore Championships in 2012 and 2016 in Nessebar (Bulgaria). Further recognition came from their participation in the National Folklore Festival “Primorska Perla” in Primorsko, 2017.

The artistic directors of the “Slav Boykin” Folk Dance and Song Ensemble are Velizar Vasilev, Ivan Lesov, Iliyan Nedyalkov, and Katya Basheva.

BLAZHEVSKI FOLK ENSEMBLE, Skopje (Republic of North Macedonia)

The Blazhevski Folk Ensemble was established in 2013 by professional folk dancer and choreographer Jovica Blazhevski. He is the author of seven choreographic suites: Poselje, Maleshevka, Pijanec, Kumanovka, Radovishki Sobor, Momel Mitro, and the most recent one, created in 2023, titled U Livadu. These choreographies are performed in authentic costumes specific to the region where each dance originated.

The ensemble has 150 members and is organized into several groups and sections. Its repertoire includes numerous choreographies from almost every region of the Republic of North Macedonia.

The Blazhevski Folk Ensemble has performed at numerous festivals and events both in North Macedonia and abroad—in countries such as Poland, Serbia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, Montenegro, Turkey, Austria, the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, and now, Romania.

At several of these folklore gatherings, the Macedonian group earned recognition from both audiences and specialists. Among the most important awards are: the Grand Prize of the Kunovice Festival (Czech Republic, 2018); First Prize at the Zakopane Festival (Poland, 2022); and First Prize at the Mikrevo Festival (Bulgaria, 2023).

The artistic director of the ensemble from Skopje is its founder, Jovica Blazhevski.

ERISA FOLK DANCE AND SONG ENSEMBLE, Kutaisi (Georgia)

Led by choreographer Paata Karkashadze, the “Erisa” Folk Dance and Song Ensemble was founded in 2011 in the ancient city of Kutaisi, Georgia.

Since its founding, the group has participated in numerous national and international festivals. Domestically, the ensemble has won nine awards in categories ranging from vocal and instrumental performance to staged choreographies. As a result, the ensemble has gained recognition from both professionals and the general public for its contribution to the promotion of Georgian folklore.

Internationally, choreographer Paata Karkashadze received two awards in 2023 and 2024. In the same year, the members of the Erisa Ensemble were also honored with the “Ethno-Persona” Award for their artistic performance.

The Georgian artists have performed music and dance on stages in Romania, Turkey, Italy, Serbia, Belgium, Portugal, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ukraine, and Armenia.

ROTUNDA ARTISTIC ENSEMBLE OF MUSIC AND DANCE, Suhuluceni Commune, Telenești District (Republic of Moldova)

From the banks of the old Răut River, in the region of Orhei known for its rich folklore and artistic talent, the “Rotunda” folk dance ensemble was founded in 1992 under the leadership of Valeriu Diacenko.

In 1993, the group was awarded the title of “Model Ensemble.” Its dancers, aged between 16 and 23, have actively participated in numerous district, national, and international festivals.

Among the ensemble’s notable achievements from across the Prut River are:
– Grand Prize at the 8th edition of the Folk Dance Festival Cine joacă horele, Bălți
– Laureate of the National Folk Dance Contest Hai la joc, Chișinău
– First Prize at the 3rd edition of the International Folklore Festival Pe Plaiuri Buzoiene, Buzău
– Honorary Diploma for participation in the charity concert From Heart to Heart
– Grand Prize at the 2nd edition of the Constellation of Talents festival-contest
– First Prize at the 3rd edition of the cross-border festival-contest Dance from Both Banks of the Prut, Iași.

 “CUNUNA SOMEȘANĂ” FOLK SONG AND DANCE ENSEMBLE – Maieru (Bistrița-Năsăud, Romania)

Founded in 1970, the “Cununa Someșană” Ensemble brings to the stage the authentic traditions of the Someșul Mare Valley and Transylvania, combining the vivid colors and authenticity of traditional costumes with the synchronized stage movements of its dancers. One of the standout elements of the costume is the peacock feather hat, emblematic of the Năsăud region. This hat is known nationally and has been immortalized in Romanian literature—featured in the writings of Liviu Rebreanu and the poetry of George Coșbuc.

The ensemble has earned numerous distinctions at both national and international folklore festivals. Among its achievements are:
– The Grand Trophy of the 47th edition of the International Folklore Festival in Zakopane (Poland, 2015)
– The Gold Medal at the World Folklore Festival “Les Cultures du Monde” in Gannat (France, 2016)

The choreography and artistic direction of the ensemble are signed by Adrian Salvan.
For the “Ceahlăul” International Folklore Festival, the group has prepared a program that includes the dances Fecioresc and Învârtita from the Transylvanian Plain, a vocal-instrumental moment performed by Daniela Bucunea, Ionică Clipotă (saxophone), and Daniela Andrei (violin), followed by a choreographic moment from the Someșul Mare Valley.

“RAPSODIA SOMEȘANĂ” FOLK ENSEMBLE – Cluj-Napoca (Romania)

Established in the autumn of 1975, “Rapsodia Someșană” is currently one of the longest-standing amateur folk ensembles in Romania. Since its founding, it has performed countless shows both nationally and internationally, proudly representing Romanian folklore abroad. The ensemble has toured extensively in countries such as Italy, France, Switzerland, Finland, Poland, the United States, Bulgaria, Greece, the Republic of Moldova, Serbia, and Montenegro.

Its repertoire includes orchestral suites and dances from multiple ethnographic regions of Romania. The ensemble collaborates with some of the most renowned Romanian traditional music soloists. Currently, its program includes seven dances from Transylvania, Banat, and the Codru Region, a beautiful traditional wedding ritual from the Someș Valley, two vocal groups, instrumental soloists, and vocal soloists.

The ensemble is made up primarily of its long-standing members—now at a respectable age—who have been joined over time by talented young people passionate about folklore. Today, the group numbers over 80 members who are greatly appreciated for their authenticity and enthusiasm in sharing the beauty of Romanian folk traditions.

The Cluj-based group has participated in every folklore event to which it has been invited, winning significant prizes and distinctions. In 2024, it represented Romania at international folklore festivals in Albania and Serbia, and this autumn, it will join the “Dor Transilvan” Ensemble, also from Cluj-Napoca, on a folklore tour in China.

“DOR” AROMANIAN FOLK ENSEMBLE – Sarighiol de Deal (Tulcea, Romania)

Forty-seven years ago, in Sarighiol de Deal, Tulcea County, the Aromanian folk ensemble of traditional song and dance “Dor” was founded.

Over the years, numerous specialists and prominent figures in the field—among them Tita Sever, Elise Stan, Gheorghe Baciu, and Emilia Comișel—have praised the ensemble for the authenticity and artistic value of its performances, whether in local, national, or international festivals.
The group has performed on many stages throughout Romania—in cities such as Bucharest, Baia Mare, Bistrița, Constanța, Rădăuți, Iași, Brașov, Zalău, Slatina, Tulcea, Botoșani, Suceava, Sibiu, Arad, and Piatra-Neamț—and abroad in countries such as Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.

The “Dor” Aromanian Folk Ensemble has also appeared in various cultural radio and television programs.
Their repertoire includes ancient Aromanian songs and dances, passed down through generations.

The ensemble is led and instructed by Prof. Drd. Eng. Dumitru Caimacan Popescu.

“OLTENAȘUL” FOLK DANCE ENSEMBLE – Vișina (Olt, Romania)

The “Oltenașul” Folk Dance Ensemble was founded in 2016 out of a deep love for folklore and a sincere desire to keep alive the authentic traditions of the Oltenia region. The group proudly represents the commune of Vișina, in Olt County—a true cultural cradle and stronghold of passion for Romanian folk dance.

Under the dedicated and professional guidance of Mr. Rodi Pîrvu, a choreographic instructor with a great heart and a refined artistic vision, the ensemble has grown year after year, shaping talented and disciplined young people who are deeply connected to traditional values.

A key supporter of the ensemble’s journey has been the Vișina Town Hall, which has consistently offered encouragement, logistical support, and financial aid. Thanks to the involvement of local authorities, the ensemble has been able to participate in major cultural events and gain national recognition.

Over the years, the group has performed at numerous folklore festivals across Romania, earning praise for its authenticity, vibrant energy, and devotion to Romanian traditional costume and dance. A highlight of their artistic path was winning the Grand Prize at the 2024 edition of the Călușul Românesc Festival—an acknowledgment of the ensemble’s tireless dedication and love for tradition.

With open hearts, the dancers promote the beauty of Oltenian folk dances, keeping the flame of tradition alive and carrying forward the cultural legacy of their ancestors.

The group’s motto is: “We are the «Oltenașul» Folk Dance Ensemble from Vișina, and wherever we go, we carry with us the joy, rhythm, and authentic spirit of Oltenia—with open hearts and deep respect for everything that Romanian tradition means!”

“COMORILE NEAMȚULUI” FOLK ENSEMBLE

The “Comorile Neamțului” Folk Ensemble was founded in 2008 by choreographer and teacher Anda Maria Acristinei. Driven by a deep love for traditional dance and song, she brought together young performers aged between 4 and 30, laying the foundation for an ensemble devoted to Romanian folk dance.

Thanks to the choreographer’s talent and the dancers’ dedication, the ensemble began with numerous performances at local, county, and national levels, and later expanded its presence through tours and participations in international contests and festivals held in France, Spain, Turkey, and Greece.

The ensemble’s mission is to offer a vibrant image of the traditional culture and customs of Neamț County, as well as those from other regions of Romania.

“FLORICICĂ DE LA MUNTE” FOLK ENSEMBLE

Founded in 1971, the “Floricică de la Munte” Folk Ensemble has, over time, become one of the most important preservers of Romanian traditional culture. For over four decades, the ensemble from Neamț County has toured Europe, showcasing the beauty of Romanian dance, music, and costumes. Whether performing for Romanian, French, or Turkish audiences, the ensemble has stood out through the originality and authenticity of its repertoire, which includes representative dances from all ethnographic regions of Romania.

They have captivated audiences in France, Italy, Poland, Greece, Egypt, Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Austria, Finland, Belgium, and the Netherlands—with the colorful beauty of traditional costumes, the virtuosity of their movements, the rhythm, and precision of their performances. Everywhere they have gone, they have celebrated the richness of Romanian folklore—deeply rooted not only in the local reality but also in the hearts of its people.

The “Floricică de la Munte” Ensemble has performed at prestigious festivals in France, Italy, Poland, Greece, Egypt, Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Austria, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Romania (Bistrița-Năsăud, Constanța—where it won three First Prizes, one Second Prize, and the Grand Trophy; Iași—“Trandafir de la Moldova” Festival; Cluj—“Serbări Transilvane”; Bacău—“Bobocelul”; Suceava; Harghita—“Subcetate în Sărbătoare”; Voșlobeni, and many others).

Among its many distinctions are:
– “Le Sacre du Choreographie” Prize at the International Folklore Festival in Reims (France)
– Grand Prize “Toporașul de Aur” in Zakopane (Poland)
– Awards at the Zavet Festival (Bulgaria), Cracow Folklore Festival (Poland), Loveci Festival (Bulgaria), International Folklore Festival in Kikinda (Serbia), Champtoce Festival (France), Quartu Festival, Santa Elena in Sardinia (Italy), “Olympus” International Festival in Katerini (Greece), and the Adapazarı Festival (Turkey)

Free Entry | All Are Welcome!
Organized by the “Carmen Saeculare” Center for Culture and Arts – Neamț, with support from Neamț County Council, and the municipalities of Piatra-Neamț and Târgu Neamț.