WorldFestivalAssociation

                                       I N V I T A T I O N

 With pleasure We INVITE you (folk ensembles, modern dance groups, Choral groups, orchestras, brass bands, majorette teams), (children, youth and adults groups) to participate on  XXI International  Music & Folk - Dance festival “PEARL OF THE SEA”  29 august - 02 September, Budva, Montenegro 2025

    Participants are ensembles from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Ukraine, Turkey, Serbia, Bosnia, Romania, Slovenia, Italy, Sweden, Moldavia, Armenia, Croatia, Czech, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary…

    The Festival light motive is to present the cultural tradition of different countries and to provide an opportunity for the members of groups to get together, to establish friendships and culture presentation trough dance and music

Budva It is situated on the central part of Montenegrin coast, called "Budvanska Rivijera". It has developed around a small peninsula, on which the old town is situated. It is by far most visited destination in Montenegro, attracting many tourists like Russian, Serbian, Hungarian, France, Italy  and other European tourists with an old town, bars and nightclubs, and beaches mostly consisting of small rocks. It is base for mass tourism, while in its near vicinity there are luxury resorts such as Sveti Stefan and Miločer.

There are as many as 35 beaches in the Budva area, sands beaches (8 beaches are marked with blue flags).During the summer in particular, the day and night-life offers opportunities to enjoy theatre plays and performances, music events and entertainment programs.The old town is adjacent to the marina, where the wealthy come to moor their luxury yachts. The old town is beautiful, with restaurants and boutiques selling luxury goods at high prices..

Sveti Stefan', one of the most exclusive summer resorts in Budva, is a result of a modern refurbishment of the stone houses on the island, built more than five centuries ago for the population of the nearby villages to find a place of shelter from the attacks of pirates and the Turks. According to oral tradition, the Pastrovici tribe used the spoils taken from Turkish galleons to fortify the island in 1442, building 12 houses, one each for every family in the Pastovici. For nearly 300 years, it was a trade and transport centre for the Pastrovici and the seat of the Bankada – the tribal court of the Pastrovici. The village was named after the church located on the highest point of the island, dedicated to the Saint Archdeacon Stefan. The island is also home to the churches of the Resurrection and St Alexander Nevsky.Sveti Stefan had remained a fishing village for several centuries, until its depopulation began in 1950 in order to build a series of luxury suites and rooms in the old stone houses. The new hotel-town was opened on 13 July 1960 and it has since been a holiday destination for celebrities from all over the world – including Sofia Loren and Carlo Ponti, Alberto Moravia, André Malraux, Richard Widmark, Kirk Douglas, Klaus Kinski, Monica Vitti, Sylvester Stallone, Yuri Gagarin, Boris Spassky, Bobby Fisher... and members of royalty, numerous politicians and wealthy Arab Sheiks.

More information on: http://www.budva.travel/

                                        Program

Day 1

13.00.Arrivalin Budva, hotel accommodation and fre time (swimming in the sea and sunbathing on wonderful sands beaches) meeting with representative of the festival

19.00 – 20.00 Dinner in hotel 

21.00. Free time 

Day 2

09.00 -11.00 Breakfast,

11.00 -14.00  Budva sightseeing and boat trip to St Stephan (8 euro per person)

18.00.- 19.30 Dinner in hotel 

20.00 - 23.00 Ensembles parade and festival evening

Day 3

09.00 -10.00 Breakfast,

10.00 – 18.00 Visiting Kotor,  Herceg Novi,  or Visiting Dubrovnik, Croatia (optional) or visiting Sv.Stefan by boat  (optional) or visit Aqua park

18.00 – 20.00 Dinner in hotel 

20.30 - 22.30 Free time

Day 4

09.00 -10.00 Breakfast, 

10.00 – 18.00 Bech time or boat trip to Boka Kotorska Bay

18.00 – 20.00 Dinner in hotel

21.00.- 00.00 Free time inthe city

Day 5

09.00 Breakfast 

11.00 Departure of the participants 

OPTIONAL – If you stay more days…

Day 5

09.00 -10.00 Breakfast,

11.00 – 16.00  Beach time and free activities

19.00 – 20.00 Dinner in hotel 

21.00. – 00.00 Firewall party

Day 6

08.00 – 09.00 Breakfast,

11.00 Departure of participants

General rules:

- Non-competitive sample of traditional and modern dances, choral groups, majorette teams, orchestras, brass bands..

- Every Folklore, Choral group, modern dance, majorette Teams, orchestras  has the right to participate. Children's ensembles , Youth ensembles  Adult ensembles.

- On the festival may participate 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 70 members including dancers, managers and musicians.

- Ensemble should have prepared at least 2 dances, 10-15 minutes each with USB or orchestra. 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.

- To send us short CV and 2 – 3 photos of the group.

- To take a flag of the country.

- Groups  should have there own transport for arrival and departure.

Participation fee:

-       112 Euro for 3 HB per person ( 3 nights with 2 meals per day- open buffet)

-       149 Euro for 4 HB per person  (4 nights with 2 meals per day – open buffet).

It covers hotel accommodation in 3* hotel- Hotel Braic, Hotel apartment Knezevic and similar  with 2 meals per day in 2 double for leaders and drivers and other in triple and quadriple rooms with own toilet and bathrooms ,  situated in the centre of the city and you don’t need bus for anywhere).. 

NOTE:  Montenegro tourist tax is 1,5 euro per person and it is additional                        

Organizer provide for each group  2/2 rooms (for drivers and leaders of the group)..supplement for other 1/2 rooms is 5 euro per day per person..

You can see how was last year in budva festival on folowing link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn36jy6glzI

Festival organizers provide:

For 24 dancers – one gratis (24 paying + 1 free of charge),

Souvenir and gift for each group,

Welcome cocktail

Certificate for attendance,

Drinks during the performance

Advertising of the festival (press release, Social media promotion, posters and flayers).

 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 Budva for Price of 34 Euro per day per person HB – price is special for the participants in festivals that we can provide.

    After the festival finish organizers will send you LINK from where you can take photos from the festivals.. The copy right of all video materials and pictures are ownership of the Organization of the Festival.

The festival will organize the transport for the groups coming by plane by picking them up from Tivat airport, during the festival days and back to the same airport. The cost of the transportation will be covered by the group and will be additionally agreed according to their number.By applying you confirm that you accept all festival conditions. All detailed information will be supply after your confirmation for participations.

In 2018 on this Festival participated over 460 (children’s, youth and adults) participants from 8 countries of Europe.

In 2019 on this Festival participated over 470 (children’s, youth and adults) participants from 9 countries of Europe.

THE NUMBER OF SEATS IS LIMITEDon 400 participants or 10-11 groups!

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NEWS FROM THE FESTIVAL                                                 Published: 22.09.2019

"Pearl of the Sea finished with great festival mood in  Budva"                                   

 From 18th to 22nd of September 2019, the X International music and folklore dance festival "PEARL OF THE SEA" was held. The event was attended by 8 ensembles, represented by 400 participants from Estonia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Poland.

Xth edition of the festival is the last event in Budva, Montenegro in 2019, when there were successfully held 14 festivals and the town hosted 137 groups (folklore and choral groups, majorette teams, orchestras, schools of arts, modern dance groups and musical theaters) with more than 6000 participants from 36 countries. 

On September 18th, the organizer of the festival Zoran Strezovski welcomed the artistic leaders of the groups and explained the the final program of the event. "On September 20th, the first festival evening was held where the groups received certificates for participation and gifts. After their performances, they danced together and listened to famous Croatian songs.On September 21st, the audience enjoyed the concert on the central square of Budva. The program presented the cultural diversity of the nations. Musical feast ended with amazing festive mood.Groups visited coastal towns of Kotor and Herceg Novi and explored their nature and historical sights. We look forward to the active festival season in order to meet in Montenegro with the mission to spread the culture and traditions of the peoples!"Some moments from the festival (photo and video) you have on link:  

https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1Qgm0zlda5RnfebSijqpl1CLKsAhsEnNM

NEWS ABOUT THE FESTIVAL                                   Published on 25 09. 2018

 FESTIVAL "PEARL IN THE SEA" IS THE LAST FOR THE SEASON IN BUDVA

Festival days in Budva (Montenegro) has a great success. The XI International music and dance folklore festival "Pearl in the sea" was held from 20th till 24th of September, it was attended by groups from six countries.

"More than 300 participants from Latvia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Finland had the opportunity to present their folklore songs and dances in Budva. Participants received certificates and gifts and in their spare time they traveled to Kotor and Herceg Novi. They were on the beach and had a boat trip to Boka Kotorska. Festival in September was the last one in Budva. In 2018 we successfully organized 11 festivals in Budva, Montenegro with about 5000 participants from 39 countries.", informed the organizer of the event Zoran Strezovski. 

 NEWS ABOUT THE FESTIVAL                                   Published on 26.09 2017

FESTIVAL “PEARL OF THE SEA” IS THE FINAL EVENT FROM THE FESTIVAL SEASON OF BUDVA

IX International Festival for Music and Folklore Dances “Pearl of the sea” was held in the period September 21^st – 25^th in Budva, Montenegro, announced Zoran Strezovski – the director of the festival.

“8 groups from Netherlands, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania took part in the festival. We organized a meeting with the artistic directors of the groups. Both festival evenings were conducted in Tree Canne square. After the second concert all the participants enjoyed a common party, where we gave them Certificates for participation and gifts.”, informed Zoran Strezovski.Director also added: “With this festival we put the end of the festival season in Budva, Montenegro for this year. In 2017 we organized 10 festivals in Budva and we welcomed 73 ensembles, choirs and majorette teams and about 2300 participants from more than 25 countries. We are grateful to WOFA – the World Festival Association  for the support and partnership for all the festivals”.

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Reviews from the groups: 

This festival has review of 9 groups and average estimation is VERY GOOD   - 8,8/10