Winter Customs and Traditions Festival "From Ancestors, from Good People"
The Winter Customs and Traditions Festival "From Ancestors, from Good People" is a traditional event organized annually in December in the Revolution Square in Botoșani . The event brings together thousands of spectators and local or invited folklore ensembles that present masked dances, the goat, the bear and old carols.
The Winter Customs and Traditions Festival "From Ancestors, from Good People" is one of the most important folklore events dedicated to the winter holidays in the Moldavian region. Organized annually in the municipality of Botoșani, the event aims to preserve, promote and transmit to future generations the wealth of authentic Romanian traditions.
The event transforms the city center into a living stage of rural spirituality. The highlight of the festival is the spectacular parade of folk ensembles, which parade through the main streets in an explosion of color, sound and movement. The participants, coming from various ethnographic areas of Botoșani County, but also from neighboring counties or abroad, wear priceless traditional folk costumes, specific to their areas of origin.
During the open-air show, the audience can watch extremely dynamic ancestral rituals. Among the most appreciated moments are the games with zoomorphic masks – such as the bear, goat or horse dance –, along with groups of urators, carolers and masked people who stage moments of folk theater and wishes for abundance for the new year. Through its complexity, the festival manages to connect the modern community with its deep cultural roots, offering a complete picture of how Romanians celebrate winter since their ancestors.