7Nov
Every year in early November; 2026: 7–8 November
Samarkand Marathon
An international charity run starting by the Registan every autumn: marathon, half marathon, 10 km and 5 km, plus children’s and inclusive races.
Samarkand
Events
Silk and Spices Festival
A crafts festival that, in odd-numbered years, turns Bukhara’s old town into a party: a caravan parade from the Ark to Lyab-i Hauz and a fair beneath the trading domes.
Photo: Marat Nadjibaev · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
About the festival
Silk and Spices is an international festival of Uzbek crafts and cultural heritage. It used to be annual; it was later split in two, with Silk and Spices in odd-numbered years and the Gold Embroidery and Jewellery Festival in even ones. It is organised by the Tourism Committee, the Bukhara regional administration and the Hunarmand crafts association. The last edition ran on 6–8 June 2025.
It opens with a colourful procession: to the sound of karnay and surnay, musicians, dancers, tightrope walkers, riders and artisans cover roughly a kilometre from the Ark fortress to Lyab-i Hauz, sometimes joined by camels. At its heart is the craft fair — Margilan silk, Rishtan ceramics, Bukhara gold embroidery, carpets, jewellery and musical instruments. Hotels in the historic centre book up fast during the festival.
Sources (3)
Photos
21Mar
Every year on 21 March and the following days
Navruz fairs
Spring fairs across the country on 21 March and the days that follow: cauldrons of sumalak, concerts, kurash, kupkari and markets.
April
Every two years, usually in April; the 2027 venue and dates have not been announced
International Festival of Bakhshi Art
A biennial festival of epic singers that moves to a new region each time: Termez 2019, Karakalpakstan 2021, Syrdarya 2023, Khiva 2025.
Surkhandarya, Karakalpakstan +2
April
Every spring, in April (2026: 17–19 April); next date not yet announced
International Embroidery Festival (Samarkand)
A celebration of embroidery in Samarkand’s historic centre: suzani exhibitions, masterclasses, a souvenir fair and folk performances.
Samarkand
April
Every two years, 25–30 April (2022, 2024, 2026); next expected in 2028
Lazgi International Dance Festival
Khiva’s biennial celebration of Khorezm dance: an international competition, an academic conference, masterclasses and concerts; 2026 saw the third edition.
Khorezm
May
Every spring, in early May (2026: 1–7 May, 13th edition)
Boysun Bahori International Folklore Festival
A spring folklore festival at the foot of the Baysun mountains: folk ensembles from around the world, a yurt camp, kurash, kupkari, tightrope walkers and craftspeople.
Surkhandarya
May
May 2026 (exact date not announced in advance)
International Kupkari Festival (Syrdarya)
An international kupkari tournament held in spring in Syrdarya district, Syrdarya Region: hundreds of riders and thousands of spectators.
Syrdarya
May
Every year in May (2025: 10–11 May; 2026: 6–10 May)
Urgut International Paragliding Festival
An international paragliding festival in the Andak area of the Urgut mountains — colourful canopies and competitions every May since 2025.
Samarkand