VARDAVAR
Buckets, Fire Trucks & Absolute WATER CHAOS in Yerevan!
GENERAL VARDAVAR INFO
⚠️ DO NOT EXPECT TO STAY DRY IN CENTRAL YEREVAN!
📍 LOCATION: Across Armenia… I celebrated in Yerevan
💦 TYPE: Traditional Armenian water festival
📅 MY VISIT: 27 July 2025
🎟️ COST: FREE
🇦🇲 TRADITION: Ancient Armenian festival later incorporated into Christian tradition
⛪ TODAY: Celebrated alongside the Feast of the Transfiguration
💧 EXPECT: Buckets, hoses, water pistols & absolutely NO chance of staying dry!
📍 YEREVAN HOTSPOTS: Republic Square, Northern Avenue & Swan Lake
😂 VIBE: Complete and utter WATER CHAOS!
Vardavar takes place ALL throughout Armenia and has roots in ancient traditions!
💦 VARDAVAR WATER FESTIVAL💦 ~ This was seriously absolutely CHAOTIC but SO much fun!!
This festival is a very MUCH LOVED pagan & christian tradition celebrating water / love & renewal and one enormous country-wide water fight where pretty much EVERYONE becomes fair game
We had buckets and guns and started walking down towards all the noise of screaming and shouting in the city centre, NO ONE was dry… we knew things were getting serious when we saw fire trucks come out and started spraying cold water over everyone! People were throwing water from their balconies, hosing every one, fountains were being used as swimming pools and once we got to the Republic Square… forget it!! it was utter chaos!! you couldn’t go 1mm without a bucket load of water splashed into your face!
Do not expect to stay dry in ANY part of the city centre!
If you wear neon or bright colours ( Nicole Bomoushakian learnt the hard way lol) you are a huge target – a woman was wearing a shower cap… YEP, she was definitely a huge target, not a dry spot on her – a guy with a motorcycle helmet… YUP, he was a popular target… constantly getting pelted! A girl who looked like she’d just got her hair done? YEP! target target target! 😳🤣💦🔫
The beginning… when we were all dry!
SO… WHAT ACTUALLY IS VARDAVAR?
This festival goes back to Armenia’s pre-Christian past associated with water, renewal and ancient traditions all connected with LOVE & FERTILITY, but after Armenia adopted Christianity, it became part of the Feast of the Trabnsfiguration of Jesus Christ… interesting…
We got to our first stop, SWAN LAKE… which ended up being tame to the rest of the day and our pit stops!
They saw us as fresh meat and we were pelted with water instantly!
They were selling water pistols everywhere and the sellers were also getting attacked lol
The pulpulaks on Northern Avenue was crowded as with people trying to refill
Armenia’s little public drinking fountains suddenly become VERY useful during Vardavar…everyone crowds around them filling bottles, buckets and water pistols ready for the next attack!
Those on the balconies were also throwing water down and helping to refill everyones bottles with hoses etc – loved it!
Then the fire truck came by and started spraying everyone with a really strong hose!
REPUBLIC SQUARE… Where Things Got SERIOUS!
We got to Republic Square and it was NUTSSSS!
Any tiny hope of staying even remotely dry officially disappeared! THE SQUARE WAS PACKED!
The good thing was that the water was cold in this fountain!
There was no way you were going to be dry over here…
Every now and again we all reconvened and took a breath… and then continued!
On the way back we passed by Swan Lake again and it was even more packed!
We had to walk back home because that afternoon we had an engagement for Haig and Gassia and had to get ready… the whole time back we were getting buckets thrown at us lol what a fun day!
MY VARDAVAR SURVIVAL TIPS
- 📱 Waterproof your phone – seriously! or dont take it!
- 👕 Wear clothes you don’t mind soaking
- 👟 Wear shoes with some grip
- 🔫 Buy a water pistol – they’re sold all over the city
- 💧 Expect absolutely everyone to be a potential attacker
- 🌈 Apparently DON’T wear bright colours! 😂
- 🚿 Don’t assume a shower cap will save you
- 💄 This probably isn’t the day for perfect hair and makeup!
- 😂 Most importantly… ENJOY IT! lelelellee
IMPORTANT NOTE – WHEN IS VARDAVAR?
Vardavar doesn’t fall on the same date every year because its date is connected to the Armenian Apostolic Church calendar… ALWAYS check the date before planning your trip around it!
Ask me! I can help plan your trip – info@armeniaandbeyond.com
26 JUL 2025
