XI International Music & Folk - Dance festival OHRID - CITY OF LIGHT
Location: OHRID, Macedonia
Director: Z. S. & WOFA
Application Deadline: 1 October, 2023
With pleasure we INVITE you (FOLK – DANCE, CHOIR GROUPS, MAJORETTE TEAMS and MODERN DANCE GROUPS) (CHILDREN’S.YOUTH&ADULTS) to participate on XI INTERNATIONAL MUSIC & DANCE FESTIVAL “OHRID - CITY OF LIGHT” 14 – 18 July, Ohrid,2023
The Festival light motive is to present the cultural tradition of different countries and regions, and to provide an opportunity for the members of groups to get together and create friendships and culture presentation trough dance and music.
Ohrid 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. There are many tourists from Netherland, Germany, Israel, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Bulgaria….
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 …..
Festival program will be held on the main square in Ohrid.
General rules:
- Every 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), adult ensembles (1/3 of the participants must be older than 25).
- This is a non-competitive sample of traditional and modern dances and music performed by groups.
- 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.
- The number of participants are limited (only 3 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 12-18 minutes each with orchestra or USB.
- The Choral groups -two parts from 12 – 18 minutes free program (one performance acapela in old city (churches) and one performance on the stage with sound equipment)..
- 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. Also, we will choose the best girl's and men's folk costume and the best dancing couple.
- To send us short CV and photos of the group,
- To take a flag of the country,
- Ensembles should have there own transport for arrival and departure
Program
14.07. Friday
13.00 Arrival in Ohrid after 13.00 and hotel accommodation, free activities
14.00 – 15.00 Lunch in hotel
19.00 – 21.00 Dinner in hotel
21.00 Welcome reception with leaders of the groups
15.07. Saturday
09.00 – 10.00 Breakfast,
10.00 – 13.00 Ohrid sightseeing – visiting cultural monuments (St. Sofia church, Samoil fortress, Antique theatre, Plaosnik, St. Kaneo church, Bridge of wishes ..)
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 firework
- Open air performance (festival evening)
- Dancing together
16.07. Sunday
09.00 – 10.00 Breakfast
11.00 – 16.00 Cruising with boat on Ohrid Lake, Visiting Museum on water and visit most famous tourist resort St.Naum - culture place, ,– (price 9 euros per person, launch packet, dancing boat),
18.30 – 19.30 Dinner in hotel
20.00 Parade and Second festival evening (optional) or workshop (learning different dances) or Macedonian evening party
17.07. Monday
10.00. Breakfast in hotel and free activities,
10.00 – 13.00 Visiting Stara carsia, oldest tree called – Cinar, Biljanini springs, Ohrid pearl , old paper manufactory, shopping or Visiting Struga city,
14.00 – 15.00 Lunch in hotel and free activities ,
18.00 – 20.00 Dinner in hotel
21.00 - 00.00 Closing ceremony of the festival- organizers give certificates and presents for the groups than exchange presents and disco party with all participants with wine degustation and soft drink for the kids
18.07.Tuesday
09.00 – 10.00 Breakfast
11.00 Departure of the participants.
OPTIONAL – If you stay more days…
18.07 Tuesday
09.00 – 10.00 Breakfast,
10.30 – 14.00 Visiting Struga city (house of Miladinovci brothers, river Crni Drim, Kalsita cave church ……),
14.00 – 15.00 Lunch in hotel and free activities,
19.00 – 20.00 Dinner in hotel
21.00 Festival evening in Struga city or Macedonian evening party
19.07. Wednesday
09.00 –10.00 Breakfast,
10.30 – 14.00 Free activities (wolking around the 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 Beach party
20.07 Tuesday
08.00 – 09.00 Breakfast,
09.00 – 14.00 Departure to Skopje city ( visiting monuments of Alexander of Macedon, museum, Macedonian GATE, Stone bridge…) (optional)
14.00 Departure from Skopje city
Participation fee:
- - 75 uro for 3 HB (3 nights with 2 meals per day, HB)
- - 98 euro for 4 HB (3 nights with 2 meals per day, HB)
- 88 Euro for 3 FB per person ( 3 nights with 3 meals per day)
-115 Euro for 4 FB per person ( 3 nights with 3 meals per day)
It covers 3* hotel accommodation with 3 meals per day in hotels which are located on the coast of Ohrid Lake or in the center of the city in 3 and 4 bedrooms with own toilet and bathrooms……,
Hotel Montenegrin ( in the center of the city) – www.montenegrininn.com
Hotel De lux appartmant ( in the center of the city)
Hotel Vila& restaurant “Fortuna” ( in the centre of the city)
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Hotel Desaret is 3* hotel on the lake with outdoor swimming pool and only our organization has right of this hotel. Meals are open buffet and price is:
- 79 euro 3 HB per person (3 nights with 2 meals per day (Half Board)
- 102 euro 4 HB per person (4 nights with 2 meals per day (Half Board).
- 92 euro 3 FB per person (3 nights with 3 meals per day (Full Board)
- 119 euro 4 FB per person (4 nights with 3 meals per day (Full Board).
https://desaret-hotel.hellomacedonia.com/en/
If you want 4* hotel we can ask and send you information about price.
Festival organizers provide:
- for 23 dancers – one gratis,
- souvenir and gift for each group,
- Welcome cocktail
- Disco party with drink
- certificates for attendance on the festival,
- guide for sightseeing of the town,
- drinks during the performance,
- free bus parking
- advertising of the festival (social media promotion, news letters, posters).
How it was on the festival past years you can see on following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFo9Rx6z_4U
NOTE: Tourist tax and insurance is 1 euro per day per person and it is paid additional..
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 33 Euro per day per person FB or 26 euro HB – 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 include festival evening in other city
The festival will organize the transport for the groups coming by plane by picking them up from airport, during the festival days and back to the airport
If you arrive on Ohrid airport we will organize free transfer from aeroport to the hotel and back.
If you arrivefrom other airports, the cost of the transportation will be covered by the group and will be additionally agreed according to their number. You can also arrive through Skopje, Tirana or Thessaloniki Airport which are only 200 km from Ohrid. We will also assist you in obtaining visa for Macedonia if necessary.
You can arrive at airport in Ohrid and we will arrange transfer to the hotel free of charge.
After Groups arrived in Hotel will be given detailed program of the festival.All detailed information will be supply after your confirmation for participations.
In 2016 on this festival participated over 332 participants from 9 countries from Europe.
In 2017 on this festival participated over 388 participants from 10 countries from Europe.
In 2018 on this festival participated over 412 participants from 9 countries from Europe
In 2019 on this festival participated over 440 participants from 8 countries from Europe
NUMBER OF SEATS IS LIMITED ON 400 PARTICIPANTS OR 10-12 GROUPS!
NEWS ABOUT THE FESTIVAL Published on 20.07.2019
OHRID FESTIVAL DAYS continue..
From 15 - 19 July in Ohrid was held XII International music and Folk - Dance festival ÖHRID - CITY of LIGHT"..
On the festival participate over 400 participants from Romania, Bulgaria, Armenia, Lithuania,Serbia...Festival has two festival evening on 15 and 16 July where all groups singing and dance in front the tourist and local citizens in Ohrid city on the main stage ..join party was held in hotel Desaret on the beach with all participants on 17 august..
Director of the festival Mr Zoran Strezovski wish them well stay in Ohrid and nice festival presentation to all groups..
Groups show their satisfaction of the hotel accommodation in hotel Desaret and well organization of the festival..Festival was organize by WOFA and Youth Culture Center in Ohrid...During tha day they have visited beatiful city of Ohrid and boat trip to St Naum..also they have swimming in warm water of Ohrid Lake..Some moments from the festival you can see on the link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/1c0kyISYoWbz5SK4uKZs-9A08jdjiYlY6
NEWS ABOUT THE FESTIVAL Published on 20 July 2017
EIGHT ENSEMBLES FROM 6 COUNTRIES TOOK PART IN THE FESTIVAL "OHRID - CITY OF LIGHT"
From the 15th until the 19th of July in Ohrid the XI International festival "Ohrid - city of light" took place. The festival was attended by 8 ensembles with more than 300 participants from Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Croatia, Brussels the director Zoran Strezovski informed.Traditionally he greeted the contestants with "Welcome" and wished them a worthy performance in the festival.The festival nights took place on the main square in Ohrid in front of a big audience - locals and foreign tourists.
"At the final a party was organized for all the groups, on which the participants exchanged gifts and danced until midnight. On their free days the participants had the chance to enjoy the beauty of Ohrid and the Ohrid lake. " Zoran Strezovski told us.
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Reviews from the groups: