Inaugural Jermuk City Fest showcases local tourism and culture

Jermuk hosted the first Jermuk City Fest, a major festival marking the city’s day and the 90th anniversary of its founding.

A group of media representatives also arrived in Jermuk, accompanied by the Club of Economic Journalists, to cover the event.

The initiative, organized with the sponsorship of Lydian Armenia and Jermuk Group, aimed to present Jermuk from a new perspective, highlighting the city’s tourism, cultural, spa and entertainment potential, increasing Jermuk’s tourism appeal and establishing a new annual city tradition.

Vayots Dzor Deputy Governor Vasil Aslanyan said in his speech that Jermuk is one of the most beautiful and unique settlements in Armenia, known for its healing mineral waters, unique nature, spa traditions and hardworking people.

“Jermuk is not just a city; it combines the wonders of nature, cultural heritage and the aspiration for modern development. Throughout its history, Jermuk has overcome many challenges, but has always preserved its vitality, hospitality and faith in the future. Today, the city continues to develop, becoming an important center of tourism, spa treatment, sports and cultural life. The work, dedication and love of Jermuk residents for their hometown are at the heart of its development. Jermuk is a wonderful calling card for presenting Armenians and Armenia to the world at their best,” Aslanyan said.

He added that thanks to government investments, a number of major projects have been implemented in Jermuk in recent years, significantly changing the city’s modern appearance.

Jermuk Mayor Manan Gevorgyan, in turn, said that the city is everyone’s wealth and one of the country’s important calling cards.

“Year after year, Jermuk warmly welcomes thousands of tourists from Armenia and different parts of the world. It is a great responsibility for us to ensure that every visitor leaves with the best impressions and a desire to return. Through effective cooperation between the state and the community and the direct participation of our residents, we will make Jermuk more beautiful, improved and attractive, so that our community always flourishes, develops and lives in peaceful and prosperous conditions,” Gevorgyan said.

During the presentation of certificates of appreciation, the mayor paid particular attention to organizations and individuals contributing to Jermuk’s development, tourism companies, community and other structures.

During the festival, national cuisine and local products, cultural pavilions and exhibitions, and tourism companies were brought together in one location. The different zones of the festival were located very close to one another, allowing visitors to move freely around the area and discover the event’s entire program. The festival was not merely an entertainment event but also served as a platform bringing together representatives of the tourism sector. It is no coincidence that Jermuk hotels and spas, cultural organizations and other partners participated in Jermuk City Fest 2026.

Margarita Aproyan, head of the Public Relations and Communications Department at Lydian Armenia, said that it is very important for the company to participate in such initiatives, especially as the company plans to carry out long-term activities in Vayots Dzor Province.

“Any community initiative that can ensure the development of settlements and bring economic activity to local residents is very important to us. Jermuk has great tourism potential, so such events can bring more tourist flows, contributing to the city’s further development. We view the communities surrounding Amulsar as key partners, so we are very happy to consistently participate in programs that can ensure the sustainable development of local settlements,” Aproyan said.

During the event, tourism companies were invited to include the festival in their tour packages and bring visitors to Jermuk every year on August 22. At the festival site, they will have the opportunity to present their services, establish new partnerships with hotels and spas, exchange experience and develop new joint tourism offers.

Hrayr Mkrtchyan, the festival’s chief organizer and a representative of the municipality, said the idea of celebrating Jermuk City Day had emerged long ago and that the initiative would later become a tradition.

“It is pleasant to see that there is a festive atmosphere and great activity in Jermuk today. Everyone is satisfied and happy. The sponsors, tourism companies and spas have made a particularly significant contribution to making this event happen. We will further develop this idea and generate new initiatives in the future. Jermuk is also a wonderful destination for extreme tourism, so we will cooperate with organizations operating in that field. All activities are aimed at making things more active in Jermuk. Such events will greatly contribute to this,” Mkrtchyan said.

Throughout the event, visitors had the opportunity to enjoy cultural, national cuisine and entertainment programs in one location.

The event concluded with a major concert.