Welcome back to our “The Month Ahead” series! Once a month we’ll share a look at some of the upcoming cultural events in and around Chisinau for interested readers. This section is done in partnership with the team behind Digital Nomad Moldova - the one stop shop for those considering taking advantage of Moldova’s new digital nomad visa process! Learn more on their website.
The Legends of Mărțișor
Beginning March 1st, Moldovans begin celebrating spring with the ancient traditions of Mărțișor (pronounced muhr-tsi-shor). This tradition dates back possibly as far as 8000 years ago where evidence exists of small red and white tokens being used by ancient peoples in the area. Modern Moldovans purchase small red and white thread pendants to exchange and wear to bring good luck for the year. At the end of the month, these pendants are hung on fruit trees to bring a bountiful harvest. Across the city beginning in late February, these pendants and other red and white decorations can be purchased from street vendors. Be sure to get yours before they are sold out!
But why wear red and white? There are many legends and stories explaining this tradition but most fall under two categories. In all the stories the red typically symbolizes blood and life while the white symbolizes the winter’s snow and purity.
One variation of the legend is as follows. The sun, disguised as a beautiful girl, came down to earth where she was kidnapped by an evil dragon. Without the sun, the land was covered with snow and ice. A brave hero fought the dragon and drops of his blood began melting the ice. Once the sun was free of the dragon, spring returned to the earth.
The second story involves variations on the legend of the old crone, Baba Dochia (pronounced baba dok-i-uh). Baba Dochia’s precious son Dragobete married against her wishes, a young, beautiful maiden. Baba Dochia was jealous of the girl and liked to torment her. One winter, Baba Dochia sent the girl to a stream with wool from a black sheep and told her to wash it until it was clean. The girl attempted to wash this wool without success until a being appeared from the sky and gave her a red flower and told her to touch this flower to wool. The wool magically turned red. Upon seeing the red flower and wool, Baba Dochia assumed spring had arrived and set out in her 9 coats to collect wild flowers. As she warmed up she would take off a coat and shake off the dust from the winter. This gives us the added legend of the late spring snows being connected to Baba Dochia taking off her extra coats, causing these late snows. After removing all her coats, a cold spell returned and Baba Dochia froze to death as her punishment for being so cruel to the girl.
March Holidays and Important Dates
Sunday March 8th - International Women’s Day - be sure to get your restaurant reservations in advance if you want to celebrate in the city.
Sunday March 29th 03:00 AM - Daylight savings time begins in Moldova. Clocks will spring forward at 3:00 am.
Mărțișor Celebrations
For the 60th anniversary of the Martisor Music Festival, the Ministry of Culture has organized 12 days of events. A complete list of events can be found in this document published by the Ministry. Some highlights include:
March 6th and 7th - The National Ballet “JOC” presents “The Legend of Martisor”, a extravaganza of traditional dance.
March 9th - Irina Rimes - Popular singer Irina Rimes will perform a concert at the National Palace “Nicolae Sulac”. Information and tickets available here.
In addition to the music festival, other spring and Martisor celebrations can be seen around town.
The National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History presents a temporary exhibit show many different designs of Martisor pendants. More information is here.
Concerts and Culture
March 14th - Adrian Ursu - The popular Moldovan singer and television host, Adrian Ursu, will perform a concert dedicated to “Mothers, Wives, and Daughters.” The show will include support from the Moldovan Chamber Orchestra as well as a complement of background dancers. Tickets are available here.
March 15th - Spring Harmonies at the National Ballet and Opera “Maria Biesu.” This concert features a range of music billed as “From Vienna to Broadway.” Tickets and details available here.
March 27th - “We are Romanians” - A large spectacle at the Chisinau Arena will be held featuring a long list of Romanian language performs including The National Ballet “JOC” and many singers that are locally popular. The full list of participants and tickets are here.
March 28th - The national ballet will present the ballet - “Don Quijote”. This 150 year old ballet features vibrant costumes and lively dancing. Tickets available here.
Through March 10th - The National Museum of History presents a photo exhibition, “The Road of War” to mark the 4th anniversary of the war in Ukraine. This exhibition shows the impact of the war through photos taken by two photo journalists. Details here.
Around Town
Shopping Malldova - Spring Events - Throughout the month of March, the popular shopping mall “Shopping Malldova” will have events including a free Women’s Day concert on March 8th and a fashion show by local traditional clothing designer, Alina Bradu, on March 28th.
March 5th and 19th - Drinking Liberally at the Litra Taproom - Join Drinking Liberally on first and third Thursdays from 6:30-8:30 pm. This free discussion group gives everyone a chance to talk about the events of the day and politics. Sign up for the email list here.
March 15th - IMOM’s Trivia - The IMOM’s celebrates it’s birthday in Chisinau with a trivia game a Look’s Resto Bar. This group’s mission is to connect women from around the world. More information can be found here or on their Facebook page.
Sports
March 14th - The Milestii Mici Wine Run - Join fellow running and wine enthusiasts for a 10k run through the cellars of Milestii Mici. Details here.
March 27th - Moldova’s National Football team prepares for the World Cup with a match against Lithuiana’s team at the Sheriff Sports Complex in Tiraspol. Tickets and details on this and other matches can be found here. The Moldovan team will also play an away match in Cyprus on March 30th. Look for it on television or at your favorite pub.
Fun for Everyone
The Chisinau Zoo is open daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. The zoo recently shared a video of the new baby animals at the recently completed “Country Yard”. View the video here and get more information on the zoo on their website.
The Republican Puppet Theater continues to offer a variety of shows for children of all ages. For a full list of performance dates and times, visit their official website here.
Chisinau Circus - Beginning March 7th, every Saturday and Sunday at 12:00 pm and 4pm, the Chisinau Circus will perform their show “Waterfall of Emotions”. To see images of the show and more details, visit the Circus’s official website here.
Editorial Note: Moldova Matters is not receiving payment to share any of these events and does to endorse or make any guarantees about the event or its organizer. This new section is just that - new!! Feel free to leave some feedback in the comments and share any upcoming events that we might have missed!!