Georgian capital holds Tbilisoba

On October 17-18 the capital of Georgia celebrates the day of the city – Tbilisoba.

The holiday is saturated with various thematic cultural events. Residents and guests of Tbilisi can visit cultural and culinary festivals, concerts, sports tournaments and a program for children.

This year Tbilisoba is being celebrated for the 36th time. The first celebration of the city was held in October 1979.

Guests of the festival will be able to enjoy Georgian wines, honey, tea, fruits, and buy handicrafts and artistic works by Georgian authors.

The festivities are traditionally held in the center of Tbilisi, in Rica Park, Abanotubani and Shardeni, where people can see folk and theater performances, listen to ethno-jazz, national music ensembles and much more, Sputnik Georgia reports.

The event will end with a gala concert 'Songs about Tbilisi' on Gorgasali Square.

But the biggest holiday was prepared by the mayor's office of the Georgian capital for theatergoers: after five years, today the Rose Park will host the opening ceremony of the International Festival of Arts GIFT, named after Mikhail Tumanishvili, which will continue until November 17. The artistic director of the festival and the famous Georgian film director Keti Dolidze presented its program, and the opening ceremony of the GIFT festival will be held in Tbilisi's Garden Hall.

"We have decided to revive the tradition of holding GIFT after a five-year break, and timed the opening of the festival for the Day of Tbilisi – Tbilisoba, which takes place this weekend," Dolidze said.

During the festival, performances of three Russian theaters are scheduled: the Grand Puppet Theatre from St. Petersburg, the Dmitry Krymov Laboratory and the State Academic Theatre of E. Vakhtangov from Moscow.

During the festival an exhibition by the Georgian designers Machabeli Simon and Natalie Kldiashvili will also be held.

The holding of the festival of arts was supported by Tbilisi City Hall. The head of cultural events of Tbilisi City Hall, Zurab Tsereteli, called GIFT "a feast for the theatergoers of Tbilisi."

"I would like to note that the program of the festival is very interesting. I recommend everyone to visit this festival and see performances by well-known actors," Tsereteli said.