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Traditional festivals

Sanziiene Mid Summer Festival SÂNZIENE - MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL
In Maramures – in 2006 around June 24

“Sânzienele” are love fairies as well as fertility fairies. But there is also a species of yellow flowers bearing this name used in many occult rituals. Sânzinelor Celebration takes place on June 23, at night, just before midsummer. That day, people pick flowers and make circlets they use to adorn the gates, windows and the eaves of their houses. This practice is supposed to protect them against all evil. Unmarried girls use these flowers to be lucky in love – put under the pillow that very night, the flowers make any girl have a dream of her chosen one.


Lumberjack Day LUMBERJACK DAY
In Sunset Mountains (Apuseni) The closest Sunday to August 20. In 2006 between August 19 - August 20
Romanians call themselves brothers of the forest. Even the name of Transylvania means “the country beyond the woods”. Dealing in lumber still is a very important activity for the inhabitants of the area, so the festival of the lumber actually is the festival of the mountains and of their inhabitants. On this occasion lumberjacks are reminded the importance of their job and they make the proof of the qualities that make them proud: physical force, skill, firmness. Look carefully at the woods you pass by. They are guarded by fantastic characters such as “Muma Padurii” (The Tagster) who might appear both as a disgusting old woman and as a charming young lady. She punishes those who mistreat the trees by turning them into stones on the spot.

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Mount Gaina Maiden Fair. Courtesy of Constantin DumaMOUNT GAINA MAIDENS FAIR
In Sunset Mountains (Apuseni) - The closest Sunday to July 20

Climbing this mountain is a test – we will travel in trucks (the only vehicles capable to go all the way up) taking a forester road.
The Fair on Mount Gaina was a place where families who had marriageable girls and boys used to meet in order to arrange the weddings.
Legend has it that fairies all over the world once decided to have a castle built in the Apuseni Mountains, so they brought along a magic hen that layed golden eggs. Once a year the fairies would give those eggs to couples who really loved each other.
This festival is an event that gathers craftsmen, traditional costumes, traditional dances and songs from four districts: Tara Motilor, Bihor, Arad and Hunedoara.


Women playing the alpenhorn from Avram Iancu, renown all over Europe, launch the call to open the festival every year.
You will see that, even if it appears a rather primitive instrument, a chopped piece of wood, the alpenhorn produces wonderful sounds, provided that you know how to handle it. You shall see by yourself that this is not an easy task at all.

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Sibiu Medieval Festival
THE MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL IN SIBIU
The future European Cultural capital in 2007
The last week-end of August

The knights of Transylvania meet for tournaments, princesses and witches strive to charm them, actors, tumblers, musicians and dancers are trying to enchant the audience, each showing his/her own mastery.
Sibiu is very credible in the role of a medieval town and this is why it was elected as the cultural European capital in 2007.

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Ravasitul Oilor-Shepherds Autumn Descent
„RAVASITUL OILOR” IN BRAN

Shepherds' autumn descent from the mountains.
In 2006 between September 30 – October 01

The rules of pastoral life are tough: women are not allowed to live close to the sheep – their presence could damage the fertility of the sheep or the taste of the cheese. The shepherd is not allowed to leave the sheep to seek the company of other people in the villages. So, all summer long, the shepherd's best friends are the whistling and his dogs. “Ravasitul Oilor” is the moment when the shepherds are coming down to the villages and each owner gets back their sheep and the other rights he is entitled to and the animals are taken to the winter shelter. The shepherds are now allowed to party!

If our sugestions inspire you contact us for details!

 

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