Datini și obiceiuri de sărbători | Romanian Christmas & New Year Traditions

A special performance celebrating Romania’s rich winter holiday folklore and a recital of traditional Christmas carols.
About this Event

Romanians of DC is delighted to invite you on Sunday, December 27, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm, to another edition of “Datini și obiceiuri de sărbători” (Romanian Christmas and New Year Traditions), a special performance celebrating Romania’s rich winter holiday folklore. The program will feature Romania’s famous masked folk performances – the Goat, the Bear, and the Little Horses dances – as well as a medley of traditional dances representing several of Romania’s major folkloric regions, performed by Bucovina Folk Group. The afternoon will also include a recital of traditional Christmas carols and folk music by Mihaela Stan. The performance will take place at Blue Moon Night Club Lounge, 7201 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, Virginia.

A recurring event brought to the community by Romanians of DC, this celebration has become a cherished part of our community’s holiday calendar. It offers a truly unique opportunity to experience the traditions, music, dances, and rituals that have been part of Romanian Christmas and New Year celebrations for generations. It is also a wonderful opportunity for American friends and anyone interested in Romanian culture to discover these traditions firsthand.

The restaurant will serve a Romanian menu and beverages from Romania and the Republic of Moldova for this event.

Christmas caroling and New Year’s traditional greetings are among the richest and most colorful expressions of Romanian folk culture. The centuries-old customs of singing carols to celebrate the birth of Christ and welcoming the New Year with wishes of good fortune, gifts, music, dancing, and festivities carry deep cultural meaning and preserve unique rituals passed down from one generation to the next.

Bucovina Folk Group was established in 2011 by a group of passionate dancers led by Garofaș and Irina Milici, with the goal of introducing American audiences and Romanian communities across the United States to authentic Romanian folk dance, traditions, and folklore. Its repertoire includes traditional dance suites from Bucovina, Maramureș, Crișana, Transylvania, Oltenia, and Bessarabia, as well as ancient winter, Christmas, and New Year rituals and traditional wedding customs. The group has performed at Romanian festivals throughout the United States and represented Romania at international folklore festivals in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia.

Mihaela Stan is an accomplished Romanian folk singer deeply rooted in the musical traditions of the Banat and Ardeal regions. Her artistic foundation was built at the prestigious “Ion Vidu” National College of Art in Timișoara. Blending a deeply resonant traditional style with modern rhythms, she has grown into a highly sought-after live performer. Her discography features popular singles like “Omule, nu mai fi rău” and “Așa-i soarta omului”, alongside widely streamed collaborative tracks recorded with prominent folklore ensembles and orchestras like Formația Vulturii Banatului, Modern Music, and Maistorii.

Tickets are $25 per person (including children over the age of 2) and are available online at datini26.eventbrite.com. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 3:30 PM. Free parking is available.