What's on in Chișinău (Kishinev), Moldova through the year

Quiet — school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in January.

Quiet — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in February.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Festival

  Mărțișor

  1–10 MarMajor festival

  Everyone pins a red-and-white thread to their coat on 1 March and wears it until the trees flower, and the city runs a ten-day music festival around it. Street stalls sell nothing else that week. Source ↗

Busy — Orthodox Easter and Blajini, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  Orthodox Easter and Blajini

  5 Apr – 20 May · usuallyEaster & Holy WeekClosuresCrowded

  Midnight services, then a week later Paștele Blajinilor, when families eat at the graves and the roads out to the villages jam solid for a day. Offices and a lot of shops close for both. Source ↗

Busy — Orthodox Easter and Blajini, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Orthodox Easter and Blajini (5 Apr – 20 May (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in June.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in July.

Busy — Independence and Limba Noastră, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

• Holiday

  Independence and Limba Noastră

  26 Aug – 1 SepNational holidayClosuresCrowded

  Independence Day on 27 August and the language holiday on the 31st run back to back, with a fair and concerts on the Great National Assembly Square and government buildings shut through the middle. Source ↗

Busy — Independence and Limba Noastră, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Chișinău Marathon

  10–20 Sep · usuallyMajor festivalClosures

  The city's one big international race, starting on the main square and closing the central boulevards for a Sunday morning. Autumn is the sensible half of the year to run here. Source ↗

Still on: Independence and Limba Noastră (26 Aug – 1 Sep)

Peak crowds — National Wine Day, Chișinău City Day

• Festival

  National Wine Day

  3–4 OctHarvestCrowdedBook early

  Held on the first weekend of October, when the whole industry — from Cricova down to farmers with two hectares — sets up on the central square and pours. The one weekend of the year Chișinău hotels are actually full. Source ↗

• Holiday

  Chișinău City Day

  13–15 OctNational holidayCrowdedClosures

  The capital's hram on 14 October: a craft fair down the middle of Ștefan cel Mare, concerts in the evening and a public holiday for the city only. It lands a week or so after Wine Day, so the two often merge into one busy fortnight. Source ↗

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in November.

Quiet — school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in December.