Vardavar

On July 23 at 12:00 Vardavar feast will take place near Swan Lake /main event/. Don’t miss an opportunity to become a part of this beautiful traditional Armenian feast. Vardavar or Vartavar  is an Armenian festival in Armenia where people of social groups drench each other with water. Although now a Christian tradition, celebrating the transfiguration of Jesus Christ (the Feast of Transfiguration), Vardavar's history dates back to pagan times. The ancient festival is traditionally associated with the goddess Astghik, who was the goddess of water, beauty, love and fertility. The festivities associated with this religious observance of Astghik were named “Vartavar” because Armenians offered her roses as a celebration (vart means "rose" in Armenian and var mean "rise"), this is why it was celebrated in the harvest time.