Over 12,000 people attended the anniversary edition of Balkanik Festival – Home of World Music

The 10th edition of Balkanik festival – Home of World music took place between September 8th and 10th in Bucharest, in the Uranus Garden and on the Uranus Street. Being recognized for the special artists that people discover every year, and also for its amazing atmosphere, with its 10th edition, the festival brought together over 12,000 people over the three days. The public consisted of both Romanians and international people who travelled to the Romanian capital city especially for this event.

The new component which truly marked the 10 years anniversary was the Balkanik Street Fair, which created the opportunity for a new festival experience and turned a car transited street into a cultural hub dedicated to the creativity and traditions of the Balkans. All that could be experimented through a handicraft fair and reinterpreted crafts, gastronomic delights and music played by nine DJs, to which the audience had free access.

„Balkanik Festival is a project co-financed by the Bucharest City Hall, via ARCUB, as part of the ”București acasă 2023” Program”.

Balkanik Festival is one the most appreciated festivals of world music from Europe and it stands out for an inclusive spirit, promoting the multiculturalism of all the communities of Bucharest. Uniting the Occident and the Orient, Uranus Garden hosted nine live concerts, with artists from eight countries, and this year’s selection included both well-known and loved artists, and emerging artists, all of them having in common the passion for reinterpreted tradition music.

Friday’s line-up consisted of Kristijan Azirovic Orkestar (Serbia), Paulina (Romania) and SMADJ Balkan Project (France-Tunisia). Ufuk Coșkun & friends (Turkey-Romania), Taraf de Caliu (Romania) and Ovidiu Lipan Țăndărică și Fanfara din Zece Prăjini (Romania) played on Saturday. In the last night, the audience had the chance to listen to Wernyhora (Poland), Extraliscio (Italy) and Papiers d’Arménies with Dan Gharibian (Armenia-France). During the day, on Sunday, the atmosphere in the garden was entertained by Obeah.

The Uranus Garden and the Uranus Street turned once again into the space that was once popular for its cultural vitality, bringing more than 20 designers, artisans and craftsmen and numerous demonstrations and workshops of old crafts – weaving, ceramics, embroideries, jewelry making, silver and copper processing. Also, in twenty varied gastronomic zones, foodies could taste culinary delights, from hot pot food to oriental vegan delicacies, Latin American dishes, and coffee on the sand.

Another new aspect of the anniversary edition was the debate area about the community as a resource and the activation of local communities, debates about slow fashion and slow design, cultural ecosystem, re-sourcing of local music, eco-heritage, sustainability etc. Moreover, a premiere in 2023, Sambodhi Yoga Studio brought into the festival more than 10 yoga & movement classes.

The little visitors could also take part in numerous workshops and shows designed for them, from ceramic painting, clay modelling, collages, origami stars to face painting, thread braids, giant soap bubbles, juggling and shows with dry ice.

The Water Tower designed by Anghel Saligny, the famous historical monument that Bucharest residents can see once a year, at the Balkanik Festival, came to life through video mapping with visuals provided by Adistu, with the help of state-of-the-art video projectors, provided by Epson Romania.