What surprises are in store at Slavianski Bazaar?

Organizers maintain an element of surprise, announcing only the main names and novelties at the annual Slavianski Bazaar. Famous Russian singers, well-known in Belarus, will have solo concerts at the amphitheater stage. Meanwhile, Belarusian singers will also participate in the traditional concert programme, dedicated to the Day of the Union State.


Tickets went on sale earlier than ever this year, on March 20th, with prices up on 2014 by an average of 15 percent. The opening concert has been selling out fast, even without its final line-up being confirmed, as have seats at Grigory Leps’ (expensive) solo concert: the first such at the Vitebsk festival.

The youth project Europaplus TV. LIVE in Vitebsk is also being organised for the first time, as is the festival of street art, entitled On Seven Winds. The first is being hosted by the Summer Amphitheatre and, as my colleagues-journalists predict, is sure to prove a hit with younger audiences. The latter will transform the festival into a real carnival, with actors, artists, poets, musicians and singers delighting spectators with open-air entertainment. Collectives from Belarus, Russia, France and Ukraine will perform.The information concerning conditions of participation can be found at fest-sbv.by.

Selection rounds for the event’s vocal competitions have already taken place in Macedonia, Mexico, Ecuador, Lithuania, Estonia and Israel, with Russia and Belarus soon to announce their representatives. The jury of the international pop song performers contest at Vitebsk-2015 will be headed by People’s Artiste of Azerbaijan Polad Bülbüloğlu — a singer and composer. The Grand Prix is valued at $20,000, followed by prizes worth $15,000, $10,000 and $5,000. For the first time, the semi-final, taking place at the Vitebsk Concert Hall, is being televised.