If you’re planning a trip to North Macedonia, it’s worth thinking about taking advantage of the country’s annual festivals and booking your visit to coincide with a unique cultural event. With everything on offer from modern music festivals to traditional events that date back centuries, there’s plenty of options to suit all tastes.

In Skopje and Kumanavo, don’t miss...

Dazzling audiences for almost four decades, the annual Skopje Jazz Festival takes place every October and features musicians from all over the world. Small in comparison to similar festivals, it’s still worth checking out.

Growing out of the original Skopje Jazz Festival, Offest takes place in the city every June and features a few jazz-like performances but is essentially aimed at providing a platform for so-called world music. Previous festivals have seen inspirational bands from as far away as Africa and South America on the bill.

Skopsko Leto, or Skopje Summer, hits the city every July with a host of events including music performances, art exhibitions, film screenings and more. Events take place at a range of interesting venues throughout the city.

North Macedonia’s wine industry celebrates in the capital every September in the form of Vinoskop, a lively festival made up of several evenings of music and plenty of local food and drink. The event takes place in one of two main squares. See the website for more information about the exact location.

If you happen to be in Kumanovo during the summer, keep an eye out for the annual Malinski Photo Festival, a small-scale event organised by a group of serious locals who as well as concentrating on their own work are also dedicated to helping young photographers learn the craft. The festival organises several exhibitions in different locations during the few weeks that the event takes place.