There are several great festivals and events in Bucharest that showcase Romanian culture and history. Expats definitely won’t be lacking entertainment in this Eastern European capital.

Here are some of the more popular events in Bucharest.

Annual events in Bucharest

Bucharest International Film Festival (April)

Originally started in 2005, the Bucharest International Film Festival is a prestigious event that showcases the best in local and international independent films. The event sees 10 days of workshops and film screenings at a number of venues across the city.

Europafest (May)

Europafest is an international music festival held each year in spring that brings together four music genres in one event: jazz, blues, pop and classical music. Local and international musicians descend on Bucharest to participate in concerts, workshops and cultural events in several venues in the city.

Bucharest Pride (May/June)

This week-long celebration is held in honour of LGBT rights in Romania. Various festivities take place across Bucharest, including film screenings, art exhibitions and parties. The celebrations culminate in the March of Diversity, which usually sees more than 2,000 people march in a parade in central Bucharest.

George Enescu International Festival and Competition (September)

This classical music festival is held every three years in honour of the famous Romanian composer, George Enescu. The festival is celebrated in cities across the country, but the main festivities are staged at the Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest. Over 3,000 local and international musicians converge on Romania for over 80 cultural and musical events.

Bucharest International Marathon (October)

The Bucharest International Marathon takes place in early October each year and sees almost 8,000 participants joining in for either the full or half marathon. There are also many more social and fun events, including a relay race as well as children’s races. The race starts at Izvor Park and finishes at Constitution Square in front of the Palace of Parliament in central Bucharest.

Further reading

►Read Getting Around Bucharest for an overview of the city's transport network.

►For some of Bucharest's famed sites, read See and Do in Bucharest.

Expat Experiences

"There are so many things to do in Bucharest! Most weekends, and even a lot of week days, we struggle to choose something to do. This weekend, for example, there is a craft beer festival, a pumpkin carving contest, a visiting Polish band, and a 5km run. During the summer, we attended festivals, saw midnight art exhibitions, danced at roof parties and went kayaking outside of the city." Read more about Jessica's experience of expat life in Bucharest in her interview. 

Are you an expat living in Bucharest?

Expat Arrivals is looking for locals to contribute to this guide, and answer forum questions from others planning their move to Bucharest. Please contact us if you'd like to contribute.