Festival tourism has become more and more popular in recent decades. There are festivals of international, national and regional levels on the oblast territory. The most well-known events take place in the city of Hlukhiv, village of Mohrytsia of the Sumy Oblast and the city of Trostyanets (centre of the Trostyanetska AH), which is the festival capital of the Sumy Oblast.

International land-art symposium in Mohrytsia

For more than 20 years the participants of the symposium have been presenting their artistic works with the transfer of ideas and art objects to the expo-space. Participants are both professional artists and amateurs. The symposium is located on a Cretaceous Plateau between the chain of hills of ancient settlements, washed by the Psel river.

Hlukhiv "Flax Fest", Putyvl history and Horiuny of Nova Sloboda

During a meeting with Michel Tereshchenko, mayor of the city of Hlukhiv, the traditional “Flax Fest” was presented for Hlukhiv residents and guests. This year it was held in early July. The festival is regularly organised on a field plot, sawn with flax. The participants of the festival are dressed in national costumes.

From the 4th to the 18th of August, one more festival is expected at Hlukhiv – the combat hopak training.

The Novoslobidska AH has a unique museum of Horiuny culture, which was created at the expense of the SFRD in 2016. The project cost was covered by UAH 578 thousand from the fund, and by UAH 150 thousand – from the local budget.

An excursion over the museum is carried out in the Horiuny dialect, here the guests can listen to the Horiuny songs. A tavern and a mini-hotel are planned to be established on the basis of the museum.

Trostyanets as festival capital of the Sumy Oblast

Trostyanets is the festival capital of the Sumy Oblast, since four major festivals take place in the city every year. About 20 thousand tourists annually come here to take part in the events. These are the Old Fortress Festival, Knight Fight Festival, Tchaikovsky FEST, open air Classical Music Festival, Skhid-Rock Festival, due to which Trostyanets is called the rock capital of Ukraine, and the “Neskuchnyi” Cycling Fest, sports event for people of different age with different routes.

Initiation and organisation of such festivals, as in Trostyanets, not only positively affects the image of the territory, but also opens up the possibility of additional impetus to the development of hromadas.

Study tour to Sumy Oblast took place with the support of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme.

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