The International Folklore Festival "Vršački Venac" was established in 1993 with the aim of preserving, nurturing and promoting the finest traditions of folk songs and dances, following the example of renowned international folklore festivals. For more than three decades, the Festival has presented outstanding achievements of the international folklore scene to both the general public and professional audiences, while celebrating authentic traditions and contemporary stage interpretations of folklore.

In addition to its main concert programme, the Festival offers a rich accompanying programme featuring concerts, exhibitions, lectures in the fields of ethnology and ethnomusicology, an ethno fair, and workshops dedicated to learning traditional Serbian dances, providing visitors with a unique opportunity to experience folklore in many different ways.

Since its foundation, the Festival has welcomed hundreds of ensembles from four continents and dozens of countries, including Spain, France, Italy, Türkiye, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, the Republic of Srpska, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Canada, the United States of America, Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Costa Rica, Chile, Argentina, Peru, Afro-Colombia, Sri Lanka, Côte d'Ivoire, India, Indonesia, South Korea and China.

The Festival has also hosted numerous scientific conferences bringing together distinguished ethnologists, ethnomusicologists and choreographers from Serbia and abroad, including Dr Milina Barišić, Dr Petar Vlahović, Dr Nikola Pantelić, Nice Fracile, Emilia Comișel, Stoiu Djoudev, Lajos Varga, Vilma Niškanović, Vesna Marijanović, Dragana Jovanović, Desanka Đorđević, Bogdanka Đurić, and many others.

For many years, artistic stage interpretations of folklore, as creative adaptations of authentic folk heritage, were evaluated through the Festival's competitive programme and awards. Since 2016, the International Folklore Festival "Vršački Venac" has been a member of CIOFF® (the International Council of Organizations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Arts), an official partner of UNESCO. Since then, the Festival has been held as a non-competitive international folklore event.

As a meeting place of diverse cultures, the International Folklore Festival "Vršački Venac" contributes to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, encourages international cultural cooperation, and promotes the values of tolerance, mutual respect and friendship among peoples. This is the Festival's enduring mission—to bring people together through music, dance and tradition, and to affirm cultural diversity as one of the greatest treasures of the contemporary world.

 WELCOME!