Festivals

This relatively new holiday celebrates the ratification of the Armenian constitution on July 5, 1995. After the fall of the Soviet Union, a draft of the constitution was presented to the government and political parties in 1992, but, due to opposition, it wasn’t until 1995 that Armenia managed to put to referendum a new constitution.

A fun summer holiday, Vardavar features people splashing each other with water throughout the country. Although now a Christian tradition, celebrating the transfiguration of Jesus Christ, the festival is reputedly associated with pagan goddess Astghik, who was the goddess of water. Buckets of water are thrown on strangers, at cars, and from balconies in celebration.

Goris Regional Park holds the annual Syunik Mulberry Festival where each community in the Syunik province come to display their best mulberry dishes and products. Festival-goers can expect to try dried mulberries, mulberry molasses, and other tasty mulberry treats. The highlight of the festival is the famous mulberry vodka from Karahunj. The festival begins with mulberry gathering in the park, and showcases the full process of vodka-making, then tasting.