INTERNATIONAL FOLKLORE FESTIVAL “OHRID FEST” 27-31 JULY 2019

Date: 27-31 July 2019

Location: Ohrid, Macedonia

Director: Aleksandar Petreski

Application Deadline: 20 April 2019

Welcome to Ohrid, the Pearl on the Balkans, as our visitors tend to say.
Ohrid is a blend of the traditional and the contemporary, the main spiritual, cultural and touristic center in Macedonia, a UNESCO World Heritage site as a cultural, and with the Ohrid Lake as a natural rarity. The numerous historical monuments found in their close surrounding speak of the tradition and dedication of the Macedonian people.
You can explore the history and the culture, go shopping, go on different excursions and enjoy the gastronomy of this city.
Here, as a rarity scarcely found anywhere else, the deep traces merge eras and empires, kingdoms and quests, weaving the fine thread of historical continuity on the Balkans. On the other hand, nature hasn’t spared its beauties stretched down from the lake shores and up to the Galichica Mountain on which peak one can enjoy the sight of two lakes, the Ohrid and the Prespa Lake.
Explore and choose your favorite beaches and fun places for daytime or nighttime, choose a restaurant where you can eat and drink and taste the homemade food while listening to our traditional music. Visit the city museums, gates, churches and galleries. You can learn about the history of our town. Go on a tour on the lake, mountains and surrounding villages.
Enjoy your stay in Ohrid! Stay as long as you can and Ohrid will stay with you forever.

Lake Ohrid straddles the mountainous border between southwestern Macedonia and eastern Albania. It is one of Europe’s deepest and oldest lakes, preserving a unique aquatic ecosystem that is of worldwide importance, with more than 200 endemic species. It came into being about three million years ago according to the latest scientific researches. It was formed in remote geological ages as a result of tectonic shifts. There are only a few lakes in the world today whose antiquity can be compared to that of Lake Ohrid. Enjoy the magnificent landscapes of a lake placed in a cradle of mountains. These landscapes change with the movement of the clouds and the reflection of the sunlight, depending on the position of the sun, in ever changing patterns that will always surprise you by its magical beauty, like a dreamy fairytale…

The main goal of this festival is to offer its participants the possibility for them to present the culture and the tradition of their country and to provide an opportunity for the members of groups to meat different nationalities, establish friendships and express their cultural diversity through dance and music.

General terms and conditions:

• Groups from all over the world can take part in this festival.
• Folk dance groups, modern dance groups, choirs, but also majorette teams and brass bands and orchestras are welcome to apply.
• The number of participants and followers is not limited.
• There is no age limit (beside youth and children participants, older or veterans also may participate)
• It is necessary to prepare minimum one program with the duration of 12 – 15 minutes per program.
• Each group should bring the national flag of the country that they represent.
• It is also necessary to visibly display panel on which the name of your group and the name of your country is inscribed.
• It is recommended that groups should bring about 12 – 15 small gifts for exchange.
• Participants can perform with orchestras (recommended) or with recorded music (on CD or USB).
• In order to participate in this festival, every group needs to fill in an application form. When applying, if possible, please provide some photos, videos or brief history of the group. These materials will be used for promotional and advertising purposes (in advertisements, fliers and posters).
• After receiving the application form and completion of advance payment, the organizer will send an official letter of invitation for participation at the Festival.
• The rest of the payment should be completed immediately after the group arrives in order to take part at the festival.

• Accommodation in hotels and apartments
• Free parking for the bus (away from the center of the town)
• Tourist guides for sightseeing of the town (on request only)
• Advertising of the festival (press conference, radio, TV channels, posters and flyers)
• Professional stage where concert performances take place, size: 10×8 meters
• Professional sound and light equipment
• Certificates for participation in the festival
• Welcome cocktail
• Reception in organizer’s office
• Drinks during the performance
• Souvenir and gift for each group
• DVD and photos of the festival

• 79 euro per person for 3 nights half board accommodation (breakfast and dinner)
• 99 euro per person for 4 nights half board accommodation (breakfast and dinner)

• 89 euro per person for 3 nights full board accommodation (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
• 109 euro per person for 4 nights full board accommodation (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

If there are 20 paying participants in a group, the 21st will be free of charge.

Supplement for double room is 5 euro per day per person.

Supplement for accommodation in a single room is + 50% of the price to be paid for the single person accommodated in such room.

Important! Macedonian Tourist Tax (0.70 cents euro per person per day) is not calculated in the price and is to be paid after arrival and accommodation.

• Hotel Ambasador
• Hotel Montenegrin
• Hotel Makotex
• Apartments Monika

Personal responsibility and health insurance are within the other obligations of the groups. First Aid and Medical Hospital will be available, medical services must be covered by the group.

27.07.2019

-Arriving in Ohrid, hotel accommodation
-Lunch in the hotel and time for free activities
-Dinner in the hotel
-Free night

28.07.2019

-Breakfast in the hotel

-Visiting: Ohrid Ethno museum (1 euro), St. Sofia church, Plaosnik (2 euro), Antique theatre, Samoil fortress (1 euro)…

-Lunch in the hotel (if FB) / time for free activities

-Parade and performance of the participants (First festival evening)

-Dinner in the hotel

29.07.2019

-Breakfast in the hotel

-Cruising with boat on Ohrid Lake and visiting the Museum on water – Bay of the Bones, visiting the water sources of the Ohrid Lake, St. Naum monastery. The price for the cruising with boat is 8 Euros per person (if FB, lunch package provided by the hotel)

-Parade through the city
-Festival evening (performance of the participants, certificate for the participants by the organizers, and at the very end of the festival participants can exchange gifts and contacts with each other)

-Dinner in the hotel

 30.07.2019      

-Breakfast in the hotel

-Struga sightseeing – visiting cultural and historical monuments ,river Black Drim, monastery in Kalista, Vevchani – Vevchanski water sources (1 euro)
-Lunch in the hotel (if FB)

-Dinner in the hotel

31.07.2019

-Breakfast in the hotel

-Departure

*The organizer reserves the right to change the festival program.

Any group willing to participate must submit an Application form.