Marmatia Festival is the longest running event of its kind in Romania. Every year on 27 December, in Sighetu Marmatiei they meet in a
traditional show of song and joy of carolers from Maramures Country and all Romania.

Customs, mask games, carols carry in them the essence of the Maramures identity, since 1969, of the Romanian identity in general, an identity that we have an obligation to
preserve and cherish it. In the early years, during the communist period, it started as a gathering of Maramures carols sung in the theatre halls of that time. Since the third year, the event has been called the “Festival of Winter Customs and Festivals”, and since 2003, the event has been included among the International Festivals by the International Folklore Organization, a UNESCO-affiliated institution.

Nowadays, the festival is preceded by numerous carol concerts, exhibitions and book launches. The Festival of Winter Customs and Customs begins with a retinue of carolers from several Maramureș localities who sing traditional carols, stage a game with masks or prepare an artistic moment revealing the winter customs specific to their area. All these moments take place on the streets of Sighetu Marmației, after which the participants go on stage to offer to those present a show of winter customs and traditions with specific Maramureșean. Dozens of foreign tourists attend the festival, attracted by the unique winter customs, where you can find people dressed as devils or bears, boys riding horses, and sulky coconuts accompanied by their parents dressed in gowns with their slippers. Most of the time, the photos taken at the festival in Sighet go around the world, especially since the traditions and costumes of the people of Maramures are special.

That is why I invite you to join tourists from all over the world to attend the masks and folk costumes parade and the gala show, along with many other activities that will take place in the center of Sighetu Marmației, including wine tasting and traditional food.

More details can be found at www.primaria-sighet.ro