Tbilisoba

About Tbilisoba Festival

The main event takes place in Rike Park, on the banks of the Mtkvari River. Every other step here you will find a place to try delicious natural Georgian products from every part of the country – fruit, Georgian cheeses, honey, wine, Georgian candy, and more.

Booths display colorful hand-woven crafts and handmade souvenirs made from wood, ceramics, and metal. Artists wearing traditional clothing ply their trades, and self-taught musicians sing folk songs and play folk music. Children are entertained by animators, theatre shows, sporting competitions, and rides. It is a festival for all ages and walks of life.

One of the most exotic attractions of Tbilisoba takes place in Rike – the pressing of grapes in a Satsnakheli. A Satsnakheli is a tub made of a single large piece of wood, into which the grapes are placed. Then they bring the tradition of former centuries back to life, with people climbing into the Satsnakheli and crushing the grapes under their feet while singing songs. This is an ancient method of pressing grapes which you may have seen in movies. The pressed grape juice is poured into barrels and then taken to the wine cellars to ferment.

Tbilisoba, which has taken place since 1979, names and awards people every year who have distinguished themselves in the social scene of Tbilisi and Georgia through their activities.

The end of the two-day Tbilisoba festival is marked by an outdoor concert in Rike, with live music and dancing until dawn.

It is a wonderful demonstration of Georgia’s dynamic and hospitable culture.