Bucharest, June 23, 2025 – The Europe Today: The Balkanik Festival – Home of World Music is set to return from September 5 to 7 at Uranus Garden, bringing together an electrifying lineup of international artists and a vibrant programme of cultural events under the theme of joy as a form of resistance.
Now a staple of Bucharest’s cultural calendar, the festival promises three days of live music, craft fairs, debates, workshops, and world cuisine, uniting audiences through sound, storytelling, and shared experience.
This year’s edition features an exceptional roster of performers who, according to organisers, “celebrate that form of joy that does not ignore reality, but faces it with beauty, energy, and solidarity.”
Among the headliners:
- Omar Souleyman (Syria) – known for his powerful fusion of traditional dabke rhythms with electronic beats.
- Lupii lui Calancea (Moldova) – blending Moldavian folklore, rock, and funk in a high-energy performance.
- Mahala Rai Banda & Jony Iliev (Romania – Bulgaria) – merging Balkan brass with Roma tradition.
- Ivo Papasov & His Wedding Band (Bulgaria) – pioneers of musical experimentation at the crossroads of folklore and avant-garde.
- Kottarashky & The Rain Dogs (Bulgaria) – evoking the raw, cinematic mood of Balkan noir.
- MiASiN (Armenia–France) – a diasporic collective exploring identity through jazz, rock, and Armenian instruments.
- Kanizsa Csillagai (Hungary) – representing the enduring spirit of Roma tradition.
- BaLKAN Taksim (Romania) – delivering their signature trip-hop layered with Balkan influences.
- Karpov Not Kasparov (Romania) – presenting a retro-futuristic synth-pop sound inspired by the 1980s Eastern Bloc.
Beyond music, the festival grounds will host a craft fair, traditional demonstrations, children’s and adult workshops, jam sessions, video mapping on the water tower, and a world food zone that celebrates diverse culinary traditions.
This year’s debates will focus on the theme “Joy as a form of cultural and community resistance,” inviting voices from the arts, anthropology, philosophy, and activism to reflect on what joy means “in a world where everything seems to be fracturing.”
With just 500 early-bird passes currently available, organisers encourage early purchase. Children under 9 will enjoy free entry, provided they are accompanied by an adult.
The Balkanik Festival continues to be a platform where diverse cultures converge through music and dialogue – offering a space not only for celebration, but for shared resilience and connection.
