Uzbekistan — Events
Shark Taronalari
The annual international musical festival Shark Taronalari “Melodies of the East” has been held in Samarkand since 1997. The festival venue was chosen to reflect Samarkand’s heritage as ancient center of the Great Silk Road and rich repository of Uzbek culture. The festival celebrates traditional folk music, attracting performers from over 60 countries. Featured acts have included throat singing bands from the Republic of Tuva, folk singers from Azerbaijan, and traditional Chinese and Indian musicians.
Navruz
Uzbeks consider spring to be time of renewal, and invest great expectations and hopes in the advent of this season. The spring holiday Navruz is the incarnation of all this. The holiday is celebrated on March 21st, the day of the vernal equinox, although festivities last for a full month. Navruz has been a folk holiday for over 2,500 years, although only recently became a national holiday, celebrated with great enthusiasm by people of all the ethnic groups.
