Tbilisoba 2024

Tbilisoba, Tbilisi, Georgia © Onnik James Krikorian 2024

Earlier this month, Tbilisi celebrated Tbilisoba, the city’s annual harvest festival. Over the years it has changed significantly and seems smaller than before. I first covered the event in 2011 but the best so far remains 2014 when there was more representation of traditional Georgian folk dance and music as well as by minorities such as the ethnic Armenian and Azerbaijani communities. This year, that was held relatively far away from Tbilisi’s Old Town and Rike Park with very little publicity or in some media any at all. Nonetheless, those that attended appeared to enjoy themselves sufficiently and I put together two photo stories.

The first was for Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa.

Since 1979, Tbilisi has held the Tbilisoba Festival, an autumn celebration that has become a long-standing tradition. A joyful carnival, with street performances, music and dance, culinary specialties and much more. This year, Tbilisoba offered family fun despite the decline in attendance and size. Photo and text by Onnik James Krikorian, from the Festival held on October 5-6, 2024

 

Last weekend saw the annual Tbilisoba held once again in the Georgian capital. Held every October since 1979, the event celebrates Tbilisi’s history through agricultural markets, traditional folk and dance performances, and contemporary rock and pop events. The only time that it was not held was during significant civil and political unrest in the country in the early 1990s before resuming in 1995.

 

In recent years, however, the event has declined in both attendance and size and this year the trend was particularly noticeable as some events, such as one at the Tbilisi Open Air Museum of Ethnography, were not even announced. Instead, Tbilisi’s Orbeliani Square was almost entirely transformed into open barbecue areas. Nonetheless, the colourful event was especially welcomed by children.

 

Marching bands, characters from western animated and fantasy movies, and children’s concerts did at least make up for the lower-key staging of the event compared to previous years. It seems unlikely, however, that it will ever return to the prominence afforded to it in previous decades. It was at least a pleasant respite from what will likely prove bitterly contested parliamentary elections later this month.

A few photos below but you can see more here.

Tbilisoba, Tbilisi, Georgia © Onnik James Krikorian 2024

Near the sulphur baths in Old Tbilisi some of Georgia’s ethnic minorities had stands though there was no stage this year and no folk dance and music aside from a short display of less than five minutes from at least one of them. However, it is worth noting that they did perform at the Ethnographic open air museum but that was too far away and as mentioned before, not adequately publicised. Regardless, it was the second photo story for the Caspian Post.

The festival is held at multiple locations with family-style events such as marching bands, face-painting stalls for children, and a saturation of cafes and barbecue kiosks in central Orbeliani Square and Rike Park. Though hardly advertised this year, traditional Georgian folk music and dance shows were relocated 7 km out of the centre to the Open Air Museum of Ethnography. Far fewer events were centred on Abanotubani, the old town district famous for its sulphur baths. However, this was the place to come to see representation from Georgia’s national minorities. Taking pride of place, at the beginning of the event space here were two stalls serving Azerbaijani delicacies while two members of Tbilisi’s Azerbaijani dance group ‘Jeiran’ wearing traditional dress performed short dances and welcomed visitors. Also present were stalls run by the local ethnic Armenian, Greek, and other minority communities. 

Anyway, some more pics below. It was particularly welcome to run into Albert, and ethnic Armenian singer in Tbilisi who sings in Armenian and Azerbaijani. I first met him in 2010 at the same chaikhana I met him at this time.

Ethnic Azerbaijani Stand, Tbilisoba, Tbilisi, Georgia © Onnik James Krikorian 2024

Ethnic Armenian Stand, Tbilisoba, Tbilisi, Georgia © Onnik James Krikorian 2024

Ethnic Greek Stand, Tbilisoba, Tbilisi, Georgia © Onnik James Krikorian 2024

Ethnic Armenians, Azerbaijanis, and Georgians celebrate and toast Tbilisoba, Tbilisi, Georgia
© Onnik James Krikorian 2024