Fall: Tbilisi’s festival season
By Mariam Chanishvili
Friday, October 13
Fall in Tbilisi is a special time for the nature to expose its beauty, and for its residents and travelers to enjoy the mild weather and diverse cultural events.
The most important events in Tbilisi during autumn are Rtveli and Tbilisoba.
Rtveli is a traditional grape-picking and wine-making process accompanied by celebrations that mark the end of the agricultural cycle of the year. The vine also has an iconic and religious significance in Georgia and the tradition of Rtveli dates back to ancient times, having its roots in the celebration in mid-autumn.
Most families that possess agricultural land usually grow vineyards and make a couple of hundred liters of wine for personal consumption each year. Less than 5% of the wine that the population drinks is bought bottled in shops.
Tbilisoba, which has taken place on October 7-8 this year, is one of the most attractive festivals for the tourists. The two-day event celebrates the diversity and history of the capital of Georgia. People from all over the country and from abroad join the celebration.
With regard to the festival season, from 5 October to 29 November, Tbilisi is hosting two unique exhibitions of renowned Italian artists Sandro Botticelli and Caravaggio. The exhibitions are united under the title “Universal Values,” the Beauty by Sandro Botticelli and the Light by Caravaggio. One of the famous paintings of Botticelli, The Birth of Venus kept at Torino Sabauda Gallery, is also exhibited at National Gallery on 11 Shota Rustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi.
“The exhibition also includes digital replicas of 40 artworks by Caravaggio, master of lights and shadows,” an official statement reports.
Tbilisi will also be an interesting destination for jazz lovers in the region this season. Tbilisi Jazz Festival is slated for November 2-5 this year.
The city residents and theatre lovers shall enjoy Georgian International Festival of Arts in Honor of Mikheil Thumanishvili. The GIFT Festival is an annual celebration bringing the best of the visiting arts in Tbilisi, as well as leading our country’s unique cultural profile internationally. GIFT will be held from October 15 to November 23.
The 6th Tbilisi Marathon is planned in the city center on October 22, 2017. This is a charity event. There is a 10 km run and a Half Marathon (21.097km). For children, there is 500 and 1000 meters race. All the running routes pass through the center of Tbilisi.
Newkaz, a dynamic travel company, offers a full tourist service for Tbilisi Marathon 2017 participants and guests including flight bookings, accommodation bookings, transfers and transportation. The company also organizes 1, 2 and 3-day pre- and post-tours to the most attractive touristic directions of Georgia such as Mtskheta, Kazbegi and Kakheti, to fully grant an opportunity to its customers enjoy nature, cuisine, culture and wine during their stay in Georgia.
