National Folklore Festival This is the most important folklore event in Albania. It is organized in Gjirokastra Castle every four years. All Albanian folk groups take part together with Albanian groups from Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, Arber Italy, Turkey, USA, Greece and other countries. It is attended by folk groups from other countries, as well as foreign guests. “National typological festival of sase and folk orchestras”, the music of Korça Saze (Albanian traditional clarinet) is played throughout southern Albania and especially in urban centers such as Korca, Vlora, Pogradeci, Permeti, Berati, Leskoviku, etc. “National Festival of Rhapsody and Players on Folk Instruments”, Lying This festival features rhapsodes from Northern Albania. This is the only event entirely dedicated to rhapsods and bards who interpret their songs with instruments such as lahuta (a very special instrument with only one wire), chifteli and sharki. “National Festival of Urban Folk Song”, Elbasan This festival is organized annually in March as a tribune of folk songs from Albanian urban centers, where the traditional music inherited has been revisited with more modern methods of orchestration and interpretation. Thus, the resulting sounds and rhythms are fresher and more dynamic and require less acquired taste for the Albanian peoples. The festival is organized on the first day of spring, which is a traditional holiday in Elbasan. Each group competes to represent the music of their region. The festival also promotes talented young singers and performers of Albanian urban folk music. “National Isopolyphony Festival”, Vlora The National Typological Festival of Isopolyphony is a powerful popularizer of one of the most original trends in the isopolyphony of Albanian folk music. The festival not only promotes the popularization of isopolyphony in areas outside its borders, but also helps regions where isopolyphony is a tradition to support and develop this wonderful type of singing. On November 25, 2005, UNESCO declared Albanian isopolyphony a “masterpiece of the oral heritage of the human race”. National Festival of Folk Instruments, Gjirokaster This is a multicultural event where, in addition to the festival showcasing folk musical instruments in the Gjirokastra castle, fairs, book promotions, seminars and other events are organized in the historical center of Gjirokastra. “Permet International Multicultural Festival”, Permet This is the only international festival of ethnic, cultural and linguistic minorities in Albania under the patronage of CIOFF, an international organization promoting folklore. The Albanian branch of CIOFF is located in Permet. This event is a great asset of Albanian folklore, as it contributes to its promotion in the international arena. Permet was chosen to host the festival for minorities because a number of cultural traditions of different minorities coexist with each other in this setting. In addition, this is the city where such masters of the Albanian people as Laver Bariu, Mentor Jemali, Ramzi Lela and others were born. In addition to the festival, the city organizes a number of other events such as symposiums, shows and book promotions. Showing the musical traditions of minorities Folklore festival “Sofra Dardane”, Tropoia . The aim of the festival is to promote the research, preservation and enrichment of the folklore and ethnography of Northern Albania and Kosovo. Both of them are united, since the cultural basis of both regions is the same. Competitions are held on the main square of the city and in the beautiful valley of Valbona, combining tradition, music and nature. Although “OdaDibrannoe ” only started in 1994, it has now become a tradition of playful dances and songs. The festival brings together Albanian artists from all over the world under one roof. Ancient rituals, allegory and comedy are presented here to the accompaniment of traditional musical instruments. In parallel with the festival, a number of other shows are organized, such as photo exhibitions, painting exhibitions. Folk beauty contest “Logu i Bjeshkeve”, Malesi e Madhe A few years ago, an event called “Journal of the Bright” was held in the Kelmendi area. Its routes go through religious rites that took place in the churches of the villages of Selce, Vermosh, Vukel. Residents came from all directions to the holy ceremony. After the ceremony, people came out of the church, and all fair people that year showed themselves dressed in multi-colored traditional clothes. Meanwhile, the fist began with a traditional dance of the locality called “Log dance”. The fist continued with songs, dances, the most beautiful bright ones were chosen.
