Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk

Originally, the festival was founded by three countries - Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. Later, the right to organize the Slavianski Bazaar was fully transferred to Belarus. The Vitebsk art forum has long stood as a symbol of cultural unity and friendship among the slavic peoples. For over 30 years, it has contributed to strengthening spiritual ties, expanding creative horizons, promoting and preserving folk traditions.

Over the years, the festival has transformed into the largest cultural event, known both in the post-Soviet space and beyond. The emblem of the international festival became one of the unofficial symbols of Belarus - a cornflower, depicted in the form of a musical note.

The name of the Vitebsk Arts Festival fully reflects its essence. Slavianski Bazaar is a place where representatives of different nations meet to share creativity, exchange cultural experience, present their skills, compete in mastery.

Each year, the event's geography expanded. Over the years, cultural and artistic figures from Montenegro, Turkey, Georgia, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, and many other countries from around the world have visited Vitebsk.

The highlight of the festival is the competition among young performers. The jury traditionally includes prominent representatives of the music Olympus from different countries. The winners of the grand prix include performers who have achieved great fame, such as Taisiya Povaliy, Pyotr Elfimov, Maxim Sapzikov, and Eurovision winner Ruslana. Other prize winners include Irina Dorofeeva, Diana Gurtskaya, Natalia Podolskaya, and Alexey Goman.

The festival provides an opportunity for young talents to shine - since 2003, a children's song competition has been included in the program.

However, the Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk is not only a pop festival. It brings together music, theater, visual, cinematic, and folk arts. 

During the annual festival, the program includes:

• Rock concerts;
• Classical music evenings;
• Poetry readings;
• Pop music concerts;
• Jazz events;
• Choreography shows;
• Folk music concerts;
• Film screenings;
• Theater performances;
• Comedy acts;
• Creative evenings of famous artists;
• Art exhibitions;
• Fashion shows;
• Master fairs.

In addition to the Summer Amphitheater, which seats over six thousand spectators, festival events are hosted at various venues across the city, including the sports palace, the Vitebsk concert hall, the city culture center, and the drama theater. The opening and closing ceremonies of the festival gather an incredible number of pop stars, famous artists, and other important guests.

During the festival, Vitebsk turns into a place fully imbued with a festive atmosphere. The city blooms, and everywhere there is a hospitable atmosphere that unites lovers of various creative directions. The festive events start early in the morning and end late at night.

What awaits guests at the Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk 2023?

In 2023, the festival is scheduled to take place from July 12 to 17 in Vitebsk. This year's program includes: the gala concert Stars of Russian Radio, a creative evening of the band Aura, a concert in memory of the composer Igor Luchenok, performances by teams from the Higher League of KVN, a creative evening of the singer Irina Dorofeeva, solo concerts by D. Malikov, V. Presnyakov, S. Piekha, S. Lazarev, performances by Russian pop stars such as V. Saltykov, I. Bronevitskaya, R. Alekhno, along with bands like Gorod 312, Agatha Christie, Semantic Hallucinations, Na-Na, Discomafia, and other popular music groups.

Guests of the Slavianski Bazaar can look forward to traditional fairs, exhibitions, creative evenings, musical and theatrical meetings.

You can reach Vitebsk by train or bus. On the eve of the festival, the Belarusian railway provides additional train services to Vitebsk. Tickets for festival events can be purchased at concert ticket offices in Minsk and Vitebsk, as well as online.