It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Azerbaijan has celebrations and festive vibes all around the year which makes every season and time apt to visit the beautiful destination. The people of Azerbaijan like to put up pomp and show and all their festivals are about grandeur and magnificence. If you want to experience Azerbaijan at its cultural and musical best, we have prepared a list of festivals you should attend that you definitely do not want to miss. Read on for the festivals in Azerbaijan.

Festivals In Azerbaijan

Gurban Bayram (Festival of Sacrifice)

Also known as the “Festival of Sacrifice”, this day is very important in Muslim tradition, as it marks the end of Haji pilgrimage and the readiness of Abraham to forgo his son for God. In Azerbaijan this day is known as Gurban Bayram where a goat or camel is sacrificed to God in remembrance of Ibrahim (Abraham). According to the Quran, Allah was pleased with Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son and therefore ordered him to sacrifice a Ram instead of his son.

Novruz Bayram

Novruz Bayram or the Zorastrian New Year is now a public holiday in Azerbaijan. The novruz table is decorated with sweets, candles, dried fruits and colored eggs. In some places the table is filled with food items starting with the letter “S”, such as sib, sonbol, sabzi, serkeh, sir, sumakh, sekkeh and saat. A bowl of goldfish is placed in the centre of the table, as it is believed that the fish will turn north as the clock strikes New Year.

Baku International Jazz Festival

Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, is known all around the world for hosting some amazing music festivals.These festivals have visitors from all over the world and one of the biggest festivals, the Jazz Festival is a one of a kind of event for all the Jazz-lovers out there. With the likes of Denise Fontoura, Djabe and Albert Hera having performed this one is a big deal.

Festival Of Colours In Azerbaijan

As we said, the people of Azerbaijan like to put up a show, that is what happens at the festival of colours in Azerbaijan. Hundreds and thousands of people chuck coloured powder and water on each other and have a time of their life. The inspiration behind the festival is the Hindu festival of Holi, celebrated on the first day of Spring.

International’s Women’s Day

March 8, is marked as a special day to honor the spirit of women all around the world, and also for women’s equality, progress and standing of a woman in a man’s world. Azerbaijani’s also celebrate this day, to give thanks to their women.

Ramazan Bayram

Ramazan Bayram (Ramadan) is internationally known as ‘Eid Ul Fitr,’ which sees an entire month of fasting, ending on the day of the full moon. Sweets and gifts are exchanged between Azerbaijan family members and friends. The two-day celebration is lively and interesting with people flocking to the mosques to pray. They greet each other with ‘Eid-Mubarak,’ which means ‘May you enjoy a blessed festival.’

Day of National Salvation of Azerbaijani People

June 15 is a state holiday celebrating Heydar Aliyev’s return as the country’s leader. Known for leading his people to significant social and economic changes, he ultimately improved the quality of life in Azerbaijan and brought stability to the nation.

We Color Festival

Excellent opportunity to plunge into the summer atmosphere! On June 16 in the complex My Beach Novkhani within the framework of the We Color Festival there will be a colorful entertainment program, contests, an evening disco and a salute. You are waiting for two unforgettable summer days on the island of KHAZAR ISLANDS. Tons of colorful powder, thousands of happy faces, entertainment for every taste. Old friends and new acquaintances, bright emotions and pleasant memories, favorite music and hot dances will not let you down this summer in Baku.

“Silk Road” Music Festival in Shaki

The festival, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan, ,is attended by music and dance collectives, artists from Japan, Turkey, Iran and Turkic countries, as well as well-known Azerbaijani music collectives.The 8th International “Silk Road” Musical Festival will be held in Shaki in June-July.