Celebration - The Times Of Central Asia

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Nauryz

How Kazakhstan’s Southern Cities Celebrated Nauryz

Across southern Kazakhstan, cities welcomed the arrival of spring with vibrant Nauryz celebrations that combined centuries-old traditions with modern cultural elements. Public squares, parks, and pedestrian areas were transformed into festive spaces filled with concerts, exhibitions, national games, and family activities. Almaty Kazakhstan's biggest city is one of the main venues for celebrating Nauryz. In 2026, the city marked the spring holiday on a particularly large scale, hosting more than 200 events across various locations. The main festivities unfolded in central squares, where concerts, exhibitions, craft fairs, and interactive cultural zones were organized. One distinctive feature of the celebrations was the concept of blending traditional rituals with modern technologies. Themed yurts were installed in public spaces, each dedicated to different aspects of Great Steppe culture, from musical heritage and archaeological reconstructions to contemporary ethno-design. [caption id="attachment_45770" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Image: TCA[/caption] Pedestrian streets were decorated with light installations, LED displays, and interactive digital projects. In the evening, there were concerts by Kazakhstani performers and light shows. Residents attended the celebrations with their families, many wearing national costumes. Ethno-villages were also set up in several districts of Almaty, where sports competitions and children’s programs took place. Shymkent Nauryz was also celebrated on a large scale in Shymkent. Ethno-villages were organized throughout the city, allowing visitors to learn about Kazakh traditions, sample national dishes, and watch performances by local artists. A distinctive feature of the celebrations in Shymkent was the balanced combination of traditional festivities with modern cultural initiatives. Alongside folk performances, guests could explore digital exhibitions, interactive spaces, and educational programs dedicated to Kazakhstan’s history and heritage. [caption id="attachment_45769" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Image: TCA[/caption] Concerts and theatrical performances featuring well-known national performers became a central part of the program, blending traditional motifs with modern stage production. Craft fairs, entertainment areas, playgrounds, and creative workshops were organized for children and families in the city’s main public spaces. Taraz In Taraz, Nauryz was celebrated with lively public festivities reflecting both tradition and contemporary creativity. Central squares were transformed into festive ethno-villages, with yurts installed, folk craft exhibitions arranged, and traditional dishes offered to guests. Residents and visitors watched theatrical performances dedicated to the history of the Kazakh people and the arrival of spring. Folklore groups, dance ensembles, musicians, and young performers took to the stage throughout the day. [caption id="attachment_45772" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Image: TCA[/caption] The celebrations also incorporated modern elements. Visitors could see robots dressed in national costumes, an unusual symbol of the connection between cultural heritage and technological progress. Playgrounds, swings, and various entertainment activities were organized, while many residents took photographs against the backdrop of yurts, traditional decorations, and spring floral displays. The holiday concluded with a large open-air concert and mass public celebrations, reinforcing the sense of unity, joy, and renewal that accompanies Nauryz each year in Kazakhstan.

Independence Day

Kyrgyzstan Independence Day Marked by Celebrations

Kyrgyzstan marked the 34th anniversary of its independence on August 31 with large-scale celebrations across the country. For the first time, the central venue for the national festivities was the southern city of Jalal-Abad, the country’s third largest urban center. The official program featured cultural, social, and sporting events, including a large-scale choreographic performance titled Future Kyrgyzstan, involving 600 dancers in the city’s main square. [caption id="attachment_35595" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @president.kg[/caption] [caption id="attachment_35596" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @president.kg[/caption] Celebrations Nationwide Events were held across all regions. In Bishkek, several thousand people gathered in Ala-Too Square for a garrison parade by the Internal Affairs Directorate. In the Issyk-Kul region, festivities included traditional equestrian competitions and other national games. Development and Investment During the festivities, President Sadyr Japarov inaugurated 100 new social facilities and more than 60 industrial facilities via online launch. He also encouraged domestic and foreign investors to take advantage of the country’s ready-made industrial zones: “We invite all business structures, from small to large enterprises. We have ready-made industrial zones, we can provide land, help with infrastructure and documentation,” he said. [caption id="attachment_35597" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] @president.kg[/caption] In Jalal-Abad, Japarov also opened a new art school and a 450-unit social housing complex. Concluding his address, Japarov offered a metaphor for the country's trajectory: “Kyrgyzstan is like a galloping horse,” he said. “Thirty-four years of independence is only the beginning of our long journey.”

Day J

Kazakhstan Marks Media Workers’ Day with “Day J” Festivities

Kazakhstan will celebrate Media Workers' Day on June 28, a professional holiday honoring everyone in the media industry, including reporters, editors, producers, technicians, and executives. Established by presidential decree, the date commemorates the launch of Turkestan Vedomosti, the first official print publication on the territory of modern-day Kazakhstan. It began publishing in Orenburg on June 28, 1870. For the past decade, “Day J” has brought together journalists and PR professionals to recognize outstanding achievements in Kazakhstani media in a creative, informal atmosphere. This year’s event, timed to coincide with Media Workers’ Day, will be held in Almaty on June 27. The Times of Central Asia is proud to serve as an information partner for “Day J,” an initiative inspired and organized by the communications agency 2BAgency. Theme: Romance of the ’90s This summer’s “Day J” will take participants back to the 1990s, an analog era remembered for cassette-recorded interviews, pager messages, single-cigarette purchases, denim-on-denim fashion, and a shared sense of optimism about the future. A highlight of the evening will be the annual Day J Awards, honoring professionals in five categories: Best Reporter Best Business Journalist Best Investigative Journalist Best Blogger Best Presenter Nominees and jury members were selected via the “Day J” Telegram channel and social media, reflecting recognition from within the journalistic community. Partners and Support As in previous years, the event is made possible by key partners. Sponsors of this year’s celebration include: Forte, a systemically important Kazakh bank Eurasia Insurance Company, a market leader Munchen Pub, renowned for its hospitality KazMinerals, one of the country’s top mining firms Tickets.kz, a leading travel platform ARTиШОК, the acclaimed independent theater RG Brands, producers of ASU and AVA beverages First Brewery, makers of Zhiguli Barnoe beer Additional media and organizational support comes from CheckPoint, BesMedia, Shishkin Like, Tribune, Profit, BlueScreen, Finratings, newtimes.kz, Offside.kz, aleminform.kz, optimism.kz, and bizmedia.kz. Following the event, The Times of Central Asia will publish coverage of the Day J Award winners and explore how this year’s celebration contributes to the evolving story of Kazakhstan’s media landscape.

Victory day

Victory Day in Central Asia: Honoring Sacrifice Amid Shifting Narratives

For the countries of Central Asia, Victory Day holds a deep significance. Although debates over the nature of the May 9 commemorations have intensified in recent years, the importance of the holiday remains unchallenged. A War That Touched Every Family Attitudes toward the celebration marking the defeat of Nazi Germany are largely shaped by each nation's level of participation in the war effort. Kazakhstan mobilized over 1.2 million people, nearly 20% of its pre-war population of 6.5 million. Of these, more than 600,000 perished at the front, with an additional 300,000 dying in the rear due to malnutrition, forced labor, and inadequate medical care. With a similar sized population, Uzbekistan sent approximately 1.95 million people to the front - or one in every three residents. Around 400,000 Uzbeks did not return home. Over 500 Kazakhstani and more than 300 Uzbekistani soldiers were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. [caption id="attachment_31602" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Eternal flame and Crying Mother Monument, Tashkent; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] Kyrgyzstan, home to just 1.5 million people at the time, sent over 363,000 to the front. Approximately 100,000 perished, and 73 received the Hero of the Soviet Union medal. Tajikistan mobilized more than 300,000 troops, with over 100,000 never returning. Fifty-five Tajiks received Hero of the Soviet Union honors. Turkmenistan, with a population of 1.3 million, sent around 200,000 soldiers and officers; 16 received Hero status. Central Asian soldiers played vital roles in major battles, including the defense of Moscow. They helped liberate territories across the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. The region also contributed 20-30% of its horse population, then a central component of local economies, for military use. The war profoundly reshaped Central Asia. Thousands of Soviet enterprises were relocated to the region, fueling industrialization. Millions of refugees from Nazi-occupied zones found sanctuary in Central Asian republics. Many children were taken in by local families and raised as their own. Today, many in Central Asia feel that outsiders fail to grasp the weight of Victory Day. While countries like the UK, U.S., Italy, and France recorded wartime deaths of 380,000, 417,000, 479,000, and 665,000 respectively, the USSR suffered over 26 million losses. German losses are estimated at 8.4 million. Celebrating Amid Controversy Recent years have brought a shift in how Victory Day is perceived in Central Asia. Symbols such as the Guards ribbon, criticized for echoing imperial Russian motifs, have sparked debate. Some argue that the holiday reflects colonial oppression, as the peoples of Soviet Asia were conscripted into a foreign war. These debates have grown louder since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, with some now viewing the May 9 celebrations as a tool of Russian influence in the region. Nonetheless, Central Asian leaders have rejected efforts to "cancel" Victory Day, reaffirming its deep personal and national resonance. Efforts to distinguish the celebration from Russian state narratives are evident. Many events now emphasize patriotism rather than Soviet nostalgia. On May 7, Kazakhstan held its first military parade in Astana in seven years,...

May Day

May Day in Central Asia: From Soviet Parades to a Celebration of Unity

In Soviet times, May 1 and 2 were public holidays. May 1 was International Workers' Day, marked by large-scale parades celebrating the proletariat, while May 2 served as a day to recuperate before returning to work. Today, three of the five Central Asian republics have preserved the tradition of celebrating May Day, effectively marking the arrival of spring twice, once through Central Asian customs – Nauryz - and again through European ones. Workers of the world, unite! Coined by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in The Communist Manifesto, this famous communist slogan once appeared on the coats of arms of the Soviet Union and its republics. International Workers' Day became the living embodiment of this phrase. Celebrated on 1 May, May Day began as a European festival of spring but gained global significance through the labor movement. The Second International, formed at the 1889 International Workers Congress in Paris, called for an annual demonstration advocating an eight-hour workday. The date honors the U.S. general strike that started on 1 May 1886 and led to the tragic Haymarket massacre on 4 May. The date became a powerful symbol of working-class solidarity and a yearly tradition across large swathes of the globe. [caption id="attachment_31352" align="aligncenter" width="1174"] Soviet-era poster for International Workers' Day[/caption] Before the Bolsheviks came to power, political agitators in the Russian Empire used May 1 to call for change with slogans such as “Down with the Tsar” and “Give us freedom.” After the October Revolution, May 1 and 2 became official state holidays, with May Day becoming synonymous with International Workers' Day and mandatory parades. Unlike the more formal and solemn celebrations honoring the October Revolution, however, May Day events were often met with genuine enthusiasm. After the collapse The fall of the USSR brought about a widespread reevaluation of Soviet holidays. The celebration of the October Revolution on November 7 was widely discarded, but many post-Soviet republics retained May 1 as a public holiday, albeit with new interpretations and meanings. In Central Asia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan do not officially celebrate May 1. Turkmenistan has developed a distinct holiday calendar, while in Uzbekistan, May 1 is observed symbolically as the Day of Fountains. [caption id="attachment_31353" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Day of Fountains, Tashkent; image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] Though celebrations are more modest and it is no longer officially a day off, Tajikistan has retained the holiday’s Soviet-era name, International Workers’ Day. Some traditions, such as honoring outstanding workers, persist. Kyrgyzstan calls the holiday Labor Day, in line with its American equivalent. It is marked by festive events and activities organized by trade unions. Kazakhstan has taken a different approach, reimagining May Day as the Day of Unity of the People of Kazakhstan. The name reflects the country’s emphasis on stability and interethnic harmony, a model promoted by the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, an institution established on March 1, 1995, at the initiative of the country’s first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. Since 2016, March 1 has also been celebrated as Thanksgiving...

Nauryz

How Nauryz Was Celebrated in Kazakhstan: Traditions and Festivities in Astana, Almaty, and Taraz

Nauryz, one of Kazakhstan’s most cherished holidays, marks the arrival of spring and the renewal of nature. This year, cities across the country held vibrant celebrations, blending national traditions with festive performances and heartfelt hospitality. Astana: Festivities at the EXPO Site In Kazakhstan’s capital, the main Nauryz celebrations took place at the EXPO site, where a grand stage hosted performances by folk artists. Attendees enjoyed traditional dances, songs, and theatrical productions that showcased the cultural legacy of the Kazakh people. The city was adorned with national ornaments and bright spring-themed decorations, creating an atmosphere of renewal and joy. In addition to the cultural program, sports competitions were held, drawing both professional and amateur participants. A bustling crafts fair was a central attraction, offering handmade felt goods, traditional attire, and jewelry crafted by local artisans. Almaty: Ethno-Festival Meets Innovation In Almaty, Nauryz was marked by large-scale festivities in Central Park, headlined by an ethno-festival featuring yurt villages and traditional Kazakh delicacies like baursaki, koumiss, and Nauryz kozhe. Folk ensembles performed kui and songs, immersing visitors in a celebratory ambiance. A standout feature of the event was its integration of modern technology. A robot chef, for instance, fried baursaki on-site in an eye-catching fusion of tradition and innovation. Prominent brands showcased their goods, and interactive workshops for children included felt weaving, ceramic painting, and dombra playing. As night fell, the city transitioned into lively Nauryz-themed parties, where national melodies blended with contemporary hits. Themed cocktails inspired by spring renewal added a modern twist to the age-old celebration. [caption id="attachment_30089" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Image: ТСА, Tamila Olzhbaekova[/caption] Taraz: Art, Crafts, and Nomadic Spirit In Taraz, the streets came alive with folk art exhibitions. Inside ornately decorated yurts, local artists displayed paintings depicting Kazakh landscapes, mountains, rivers, and historic sites. Woodcarvers showcased their craft through traditional musical instruments, utensils, and intricately carved animal figures and jewelry. Every detail reflected national symbolism, echoing the life and spirit of the steppe. Visitors were also greeted by performers in authentic Kazakh armor, with men dressed in nomadic attire reenacting historical scenes. Batyrs holding majestic eagles evoked the ancient tradition of falconry, drawing crowds eager to connect with Kazakhstan’s nomadic past. [caption id="attachment_30085" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] Image: ТСА, Tamila Olzhbaekova[/caption] Nauryz in Kazakhstan is more than just a spring festival, it's a heartfelt return to cultural roots, a celebration of heritage, and a joyful embrace of a new beginning. Whether in Astana, Almaty, Taraz, or beyond, the holiday brings people together in a shared spirit of kindness, unity, and renewal.