WorldFestivalAssociation

 “OHRID LAKE” folk festival is famous folk festival in Ohrid region. Organizers of the festival are: World Festival Association, Youth culture center in cooperation with Municipality of Ohrid and National Institution Center for culture “G. Prlicev” from Ohrid.

    With pleasure we INVITE you (Children’s and Youth Groups) to participate on VIII International Childrens’s &Youth Folk festival “Ohrid Lake” which will be held from 25 – 29 June &29 June-03.July 2015

 Ohrid Lake is one of the oldest tectonic lakes on the planet (it is about 3 million years old),along with The Baikal Lake in Russia,Tanganyika and Malawi in Africa and Titicaca in South America.It is one of those rare preserved ancient lakes in Europe. Ohrid Lake is one of the largest and most important natural heritages in the world.The unique and endemic flora and fauna with many relic living forms make the lake rare but real natural "museum of living fossils".

      Ohrid lake coast is 35km with beautifully sands beach, tourist attractions and entertainment. Temperature of the water in the lake is 25C degree and it is suitable for swimming, diving, yachting ….. 

   Ohrid today is a cultural, spiritual and tourist centre. It is the famous tourist place in Macedonia but also in the region. During this period there are a lot of tourists from Holland, Finland, Poland, Sweden, Germany, Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Turkey …Due to exceptional beauty Ohrid is protected in this period is the best tourist resort in Macedonia. It is the famous tourist place in the region with a lot of hotels, apartments, a lot of traditional restaurants and café, shops, entertainment. Ohrid during the summer period lives 24 hours.

Ancient ruins, beautiful amphitheatre, 3 citadel walls, St.Sofia Cathedral, St.Jovan Kaneo church, St.Naum monaster (one of the most beautiful monasteries in Macedonia and an important pilgrimage place. Breathtaking setting on a plateau over Ohrid Lake and Galicica mountain towering from behind. It was founded in the 910 by St.Naum, but the present-day church was built in the 16th c. Of the original church just the side chapel with the grave of St.Naum still stands), gallery of exclusive icons, museums, workshops for hand-made paper, woodcarving and famous Ohrid pearls, are among hundreds sites for tourists worth to visit. There is also a strong Roman connection to the city, since Lychnidos was along the famous route Via Egnatia, build in the 2^nd century B.C., connecting the Adriatic and Aegean sea. Considering the number of churches located in the Old town  (365 churches according to the immemorial legend, for local people to celebrate every single day by honouring another saint), Ohrid is called “the Balkan Jerusalem”, successfully playing the role as the biggest pilgrimage spot for all the Orthodox Christians in the world.

More information on www.ohridinfo.mk

 Festival program will be held on the main square in Ohrid.

                                             Program Proposal

25.06. Thursday / 29.06. Monday

  13.00Arrivalin Ohrid after 13.00 and hotel accommodation, free activities (swimming in Ohrid Lake)

14.00 – 15.00 Lunch in hotel

19.00 – 21.00 Dinner in hotel

21.00  Welcome reception

26.06. Friday / 30.06.Thusday  

 09.00 -10.00 Breakfast,

 10.30 -14.00 Ohrid sightseeing – visiting cultural monuments (St.Sofia church,Samoil fortress, Antique theatre, Plaosnik, St. Kaneo church, Cinar  …)

     14.00-15.00 Lunch in hotel

    18.30 – 19.30 Dinner in hotel

     20.00. Ensembles parade (old town)

    20.30. Official opening of the festival

             - Welcome speech and firewall

             - Open air performance 

             - dancing together

27.06 Saturday/ 01.07. Wednesday      

09.00 -10.00 Breakfast,

    10.30 – 14.00  Visiting Stara carsia, oldest tree called – Cinar, Biljanini izvori, Ohrid pearl manufactory, old paper manufactory…… shopping …..,

14.00 – 15.00 Lunch in hotel and free activities (sunbathing),

19.00 – 20.00 Dinner in hotel

20.30 – 23.00 Second festival evening (optional) or Macedonian evening party

 28.06. Sunday/ 02.07.Thursday   

   09.00 -10.00 Breakfast,

   11.00 – 15.30.Cruising with boat on Ohrid Lake, visit Museum on water and most famous tourist resort  St.Naum -culture  place, also swimming in most popular beach  – (price 7 euros per person),(lunch package),

   20.00 – 21.00 Dinner in hotel

     21.00.- 00.00 Social events, exchange presents , disco party

29.06. Monday /03.07.Friday   

   09.00 -10.00 Breakfast,

11.00.  Departure of the participants

OPTIONAL – If you stay more days…

29.06 Monday/ 03.07Friday 

09.00 -10.00 Breakfast,

 10.30 – 14.00  Visiting Struga city (house of Miladinovci brothers, river Crni Drim, Kalsita caves church……),

   14.00 – 15.00 Lunch in hotel and free activities,

   20.00 – 21.00 Dinner in hotel

    21.00.  Festival evening in Struga city (optional)

30.06. Thursday/ 04.07 Saturday   

09.00 -10.00 Breakfast,

10.30 – 14.00 Free activities (sunbathing and swimming in Ohrid Lake, walking in the city square… ) or visiting Vevcani (ethno village),

   14.00 – 15.00 Lunch in hotel and free activities,

   20.00 – 21.00 Dinner in hotel

     21.00.- 00.00  Firewall party

01.07 Wednesday / 05.07. Sunday  

08.00 – 09.00 Breakfast,

09.00 – 14.00 Departure to Skopje city with guides (visiting monuments of Alexander of Macedon, National museum of Macedonian struggle, Macedonian GATE, Stone bridge…)

14.00 Departure from Skopje city

Participating conditions are:

- Every folklore group  has the right to participate. Children's ensembles  (2/3 of the participants must be 16 or younger), Youth ensembles (2/3 of the participants must be 25 or younger),

-         is a non-competitive sample of traditional and modern dances and music performed by folkloric groups.

-         On the festival may participate children and youth folklore dance groups, modern dance groups, vocal groups, instrumental groups and soloists, as well as groups and performers from other art styles. Participants can not be older then 25 year old. 

-         The number of participants are limited (only 3 folk groups from each country),

-         Each group should consist of most 50 members including dancers, managers and musicians,

-         Ensemble should have prepared at least 2 folk dances, 10-15 minutes each with orchestra or CD. The performances will be in the evening hours so you can plan the day ahead and use it for visiting the historical part of the city and  excursions.

-         To send us short CV and photos of the group,

-         To take a flag of the country,

-         Folklore groups should have there own transport for arrival and departure,

Participation fee is 83 Euro for 4 FB per person (4 nights with 3 meals per day (Full Board). ). It covers hotel accommodation with 3 meals per day in 3*** hotels which are located on the coast of Ohrid Lake, in 1/2, 1/3 or 1/4 bedrooms with own toilet and bathrooms…… or 78 euro per person HB (breakfast and dinner)…Hotel Desaret is 3* Lake resort with outdoor swimming pool and 500 bads, so number is limited..

 Visit: www.hoteldesaret.com.mk, www.hotelprestol.com.mk, , www.galebiplaza.com.mk, www.hotelkocarev.com.mk,  www.hotelbeton.com.mk, , www.montenegrinin.com,

Festival organizers provide:

-         for 20 dancers – one gratis,

-         souvenir and gift for each group,

-         Welcome cocktail

-         certificates for attendance on the festival,

-         tourist guides for sightseeing of the town,

-         drinks during the performance,

-          reception in city hall,

-         advertising of the festival (press conference, radio and tv channels, posters.

-         Free parking during festival evening

INSURANCE:
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.

On your request,  You can continue your stay in Ohrid. Price will be 21 Euro per day per person FB – price is special for the participants in festivals that we can provide. For additional days we will prepare special program for you. If you wish we will organize festival evening in other city.

   The festival will organize the transport for the groups coming by plane by picking them up from Ohrid airport, during the festival days and back to the same Ohrid airport. You can also arrive through Skopje, Tirana or Thessaloniki Airport which are only 200 km from Ohrid. The cost of the transportation will be covered by the group and will be additionally agreed according to their number. We will also assist you in obtaining visa for Macedonia if necessary. Also, you can arrive in Ohrid airport by plane and we will organize transfer from the airport to the hotel free of charge.

All detailed information will be supply after your confirmation for participations.

In 2014, participated over 376 participants from 9 countries from Europe.