Atlas Weekend

Atlas Weekend is one of the largest and most popular music festivals in Ukraine, which has been annually held in Kyiv since 2015. This festival is the incontestable leader of the main cultural events 2018 in Ukraine related to music. The main purposes of Atlas Weekend are to develop festival culture in Ukraine, to attract foreign tourists to the country and to popularize Ukrainian music in the world. In different years, line-up of Atlas Weekend included performances of numerous famous artists such as The Subways, Apocalyptica, Kasabian, The Prodigy, Röyksopp, John Newman, Three Days Grace, Nothing But Thieves, Alex Clare, Boombox, The Hardkiss and many other. In 2018, Atlas Weekend will last 5 days. The guests are welcome to enjoy shows of 200 artists on 8 stages, and also to have fun on 30 entertainment locations on more than 80 sq. km of festival territory.
When: July 4-8, 2018
Where: Expocenter of Ukraine, 1, Hlushkova avenue, Kyiv

Molodist International Film Festival

The main purpose of “Molodist” International Film Festival, which is annually held in Kyiv from 1970, is to support work of young film-makers. Each year, many talented actors, producers and movie directors take part in the event. The festival also attracts attention of wide audience – from representatives of artistic intelligentsia to curious students. In different years, the festival was visited by such famous personalities from cinema world as Jos Stelling, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Jerzy Hoffman and many other. In 2018, organizers of “Molodist” decided to change its traditional dates and to hold festival in May instead of October. This decision is explained by several factors. Firstly, autumn season always has tight schedule of film festivals, and it provokes competition between different events. Secondly, spring weather brings more opportunities for arranging various outdoor locations. And finally, May is the best time for tourism in Kyiv – it means that “Molodist” International Film Festival may expect significantly larger number of foreign guests.
When: June 26 - July 2, 2018
Where: Kyiv

Arsenal Book Festival

Arsenal Book Festival in Kyiv, one of the most important main cultural events 2018, is the largest event in Ukraine where art and literature come together. This is major annual book- and literature-themed event in Eastern Europe, held since 2011. Arsenal Book Festival is aimed at promotion of Ukrainian literary environment and books’ market through international exchange and dissemination of best practices. Traditionally, the festival becomes a platform for writers, philosophers and artists, literary agents and book industry professionals to network and share their experience. Book Arsenal has a distinct interdisciplinary approach with a great variety of programs: literary, art, music, children and other. The geography of the Arsenal Book Festival in 2017 was vast, the guests were arriving from the US, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Poland, Latvia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Belgium, Romania and other countries. No doubt, that Arsenal Book Festival 2018 will be an exciting event for all lovers of literature.
When: May 23-27, 2018
Where: Mystetsky Arsenal exhibition hall, 10-12, Lavrska street, Kyiv

Leopolis Jazz Fest

Leopolis Jazz Fest (ex-Alfa Jazz Fest) is an international jazz festival, annually held in Lviv from 2011. In 2016, famous “The Guardian” mentioned this event as one of the best jazz festivals in Europe. Traditionally, the festival events take place on three stages in the city: the main stage in Bohdan Khmelnytsky park, the stage on Rynok square and the stage in Pototsky palace yard. The list of headliners of Alfa Jazz Fest 2017 included such well-known artists as Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, Buika, Yellowjackets, China Moses, Gregory Porter, Chucho Valdes and many other. Along with jazz concerts, the program of the festival also offers jam sessions, master classes and autograph sessions of world jazz stars.
When: June 27 - July 1, 2018
Where: Lviv

Odesa Classics

“Odesa Classics” is an international festival of academic music, which takes place in Odesa each year from 2015. Along with classic music concerts, festival program includes exhibitions of paintings and synthetic modern art, discussions and conferences on issues of development and popularization of different forms of art. Being an important classic music event, “Odesa Classics” also provides wide opportunities for avant-garde, experimental, modern academic music and unusual approaches to concert traditions. In 2017, concerts of world-famous virtuosic violinists Vadym Repin and Daniel Hope were the key points of “Odesa Classics” program. Both artists were invited by president of the festival – Olexiy Botvynov, who is famous for being a part of the international pianism elite.
When: June 1-10, 2018
Where: Odesa

Koktebel Jazz Festival

The oldest music festival in Ukraine Koktebel Jazz Festival 2018 will take place this summer near Odesa. For 16 years the event has been gathering lovers of jazz on the best beaches of the country to share the love of music and wonderful location. Traditionally the festival will feature three regular stages: Nu Jazz, Open Stage, and Special Stage, as well as a secret location that will appear only in 2018. Koktebel Jazz Festival will start with the grand performance of the Ukrainian musician Onuka who will light up the stage with her best hits and new songs from the Mozaïka album. There are four types of tickets that give different access to the festival: one-day pass, four-day pass, tent town voucher, and a special Backstage Bruch Club with the chance to attend an excursion to the backstage.
When: August 16-19
Where: Chaika Recreation Center, Chornomorsk, Odesa region

Upark Festival

Truly the largest summer music festival of 2018 in Ukraine, Upark in Kyiv will present the world-wide famous musicians that need no introduction. During two days the Valeriy Lobanovskyi Dynamo Stadium will be filled with live music by Gorillaz, Massive Attack, Tove Lo, Kaleo, Little Dragon, and Bonobo. Revolutionaries and Grammy nominees will give their first concerts in Ukraine for the eager audience. The tickets for the festival are sold quite quickly, and fest's organizers even changed the location for a bigger one after the massive spike of interest. The price starts at UAH 1000.
When: July 25-26
Where: Valeriy Lobanovskyi Dynamo Stadium, Kyiv
Enjoy art in all its forms visiting the main cultural events 2018 in Ukraine!
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