Tbilisoba

Name: Tbilisoba
Start: 2025-10-03
End: 2025-10-04
Location: Tbilisi

Celebrating the Heartbeat and Pride of Tbilisi—The City’s Autumn Festival

2026/10/02 - 2026/10/03

Every autumn, the streets and parks of Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, are transformed by the vibrant festival of Tbilisoba. On a weekend in October, the cobblestone lanes of the Old Town and Rike Park fill with music, laughter, and the mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked bread and sizzling kebabs. Locals and visitors come together to celebrate Tbilisi’s history, diversity, and famously warm hospitality.

Tbilisoba is held annually from early to mid-October, welcoming families, friends, and travelers from around the world. With folk dances, homemade wine tastings, and the city’s unique rhythm, this festival is a special opportunity to experience Tbilisi’s charm with all five senses.

Main Attractions

Open-Air Concerts and Folk Performances

Special stages set up in Rike Park, on Metekhi Bridge, and in the Old Town squares host traditional polyphonic singing, folk dances, and performances by local bands. The rhythm of drums, the shimmer of costumes, and the cheers of the crowd energize the entire city.

Parades and Festive Processions

The highlight of Tbilisoba is the grand parade, with floats decorated with grapes, pomegranates, and city symbols winding through the streets. Brass bands, children in traditional dress, and multicultural performers showcase Tbilisi’s diversity, with Armenian, Azerbaijani, Russian, and other communities joining the fun.

Key Events

During the festival, you’ll find wine tastings, artisan markets, and workshops in bread baking and carpet weaving. Sports competitions, children’s games, and grape-stomping contests are also popular. The awarding of honorary citizenships and spectacular fireworks are festival traditions.

Costumes and Decorations

Festivalgoers dress in beautifully embroidered national costumes and chokha (traditional wool coats). Stalls and stages are decorated with colorful banners, grapevines, and autumn flowers. The feel of velvet, silver jewelry, and the bright colors of harvest baskets make the festival a feast for the senses.

Traditional Food & Drink

The city turns into a gourmet paradise, with mtsvadi (kebabs), freshly baked khachapuri, and churchkhela (walnut and grape candy) everywhere. The aroma of grilled meat, herbs, and fermenting wine fills the air, and homemade wine flows freely. Every table becomes a place to linger, toast, and savor the richness of Tbilisi.

Cultural and Historical Background

Tbilisoba was first held in 1979, during the Soviet era, as a “Day of Tbilisi’s Founding.” The idea was to create a new tradition for citizens to celebrate the city’s long history, multiculturalism, and civic pride together. The Old Town squares, parks, and riverside areas became stages for folk performances, regional cuisine, music, dance, and parades, making it a major event that showcased the capital’s diversity and vibrancy.

During Soviet times, when ethnically diverse festivals and free expression were often restricted, Tbilisoba became a rare opportunity for citizens to reconnect with their cultural roots and local pride. After Georgia’s independence in 1991, the festival became a symbol of Tbilisi’s revival and a new era, helping unite the city during times of war and hardship and keeping hope alive.

Today, Tbilisoba has grown beyond a simple city festival—it is a living symbol of Tbilisi’s spirit, bringing together people from all generations, ethnicities, and regions. Both the old streets and new parks become stages for sharing memories and joy, passing on the pride and hope of Tbilisi to future generations as a cherished cultural heritage.

Participant Voices

When I visited Tbilisi for Tbilisoba, I was overwhelmed by the city’s energy. Dancing in the streets, tasting homemade wine, and talking with locals about history—it truly felt like joining a huge family celebration.

Fun Facts

The name “Tbilisoba” combines “Tbilisi” with the Georgian suffix “-oba,” meaning “the day of.”
During the festival, honorary citizenship is awarded to people who have made significant contributions to the city.