Yerevan to host annual Gutan festival celebrating Armenia’s traditional song and dance

The annual “Gutan” National Traditional Armenian Song and Dance Festival will take place at the Cafesjian Center for the Arts’ Sculpture Garden (Cascade) in Yerevan on August 22 at 7 p.m., at the initiative of the “Mrro” Armenian National Arts Center.

This year’s festival is dedicated to the 60th birthday of Gagik Ginosyan, a distinguished artist of the Republic of Armenia and prominent figure in dance.

Over the years, the “Gutan” Festival has become one of the most important cultural initiatives aimed at preserving and promoting national song and dance, bringing together leading groups and artists from Armenia and the diaspora on one platform.

This year, 26 groups will participate in the festival, with more than 500 artists performing on stage.

One of the festival’s most impressive and symbolic moments is the opening ceremony, during which all participants perform together. Hundreds of artists dressed in traditional costumes create a unique spectacle, turning the stage into a living Armenian carpet symbolizing the unity and continuity of Armenian culture.

As part of the “Gutan” Festival, short films are also produced and screened, showcasing the lives, work and rich cultural heritage of prominent figures in Armenian song and dance.

The festival is held annually outdoors in Yerevan. In keeping with tradition, it will again take place this year at the Cafesjian Sculpture Garden.

Another important component of the festival is a series of interactive pre-festival concerts held in Yerevan’s administrative districts and in rural communities across Armenia.