Carpet Festival Azerbaijan – Complete Guide 2025

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The carpet festival in Azerbaijan celebrates the country’s oldest craft with exhibitions and performances across Baku’s Old City. It runs annually around May 5th - Carpet Makers Day, established in 2016. Artisans work on looms in caravanserais, kids try pattern design, and traditional music fills cobblestone lanes. Icherisheher turns into a living workshop for three days.

The Azerbaijani Carpet Festival is a colorful celebration of the country’s vibrant history and historical tradition of carpet weaving. This 2-day festival commences yearly on May 5th, “Khalchachi Day” or “Carpet Makers Day”.

This holiday was decreed in 2016 by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan to honor the carpet markers and recognize their significance to Azerbaijani cultural heritage.  In 2024 the first carpet festival, Baku Icherisheher (Old City), was celebracarpet festival bakuted in the old city, making this festival a new tradition. 

To truly appreciate what this festival has to offer, read below.  

Festival Dates and What Happens

The 2025 edition runs May 2-4 in Icherisheher. Day one kicks off with the International Carpet Forum - experts, designers, manufacturers talking traditional techniques and modern innovation. Registration’s limited.

Days two and three are open to everyone. Historic caravanserais and squares host exhibitions spanning centuries - 17th-century Dragon carpets next to contemporary pieces by local artists. Master weavers demonstrate vertical and horizontal loom techniques. Workshops let you try weaving basics, natural dyeing, pattern design, and even the final washing. These fill up fast, arrive early, or you're watching from the back.

Cultural programming runs all day: traditional dance, mugham music, costume shows, and food stalls. National pavilions from other countries also display their weaving traditions. The timing marks 25 years since Icherisheher was inscribed on UNESCO’s list (2000). It’s been 15 years since traditional carpets from Azerbaijan were made a heritage roster (2010). That recognition helped preserve techniques that were disappearing.

Understanding Carpet Heritage

The Azerbaijan Carpet Museum houses over 14,000 items. It’s the world’s most extensive collection of Azerbaijani rugs. The building is shaped like a rolled tapestry, sitting on Baku Boulevard. Inside runs the full timeline: reed mats evolving into complex pile rugs with hundreds of motifs.

Four regional schools define the craft - Guba-Shirvan (geometric, deep blues), Ganja-Gazakh (bold colors, stylized flowers), Karabakh (intricate florals, dragons), Tabriz (Persian influence, curved patterns). Over 600 design types exist. Patterns carry meaning: boteh represents a flame, dragons connect to Zoroastrian traditions, and the tree of life appears repeatedly.

A medium-sized quality piece takes 4-6 months of work. Weavers count knots per square centimeter - finer ones hit 1,000+ knots. Each step has techniques refined over hundreds of years.

Top 5 Festival Events

The festival mixes hands-on workshops with exhibitions and live weaving demos. Here’s what you shouldn’t skip at the Azerbaijani carpet festival 2025:

The live demos and dye workshops get packed midday. Hit those early, save exhibitions for the afternoon when crowds thin.

How to Buy a Carpet

Festival vendors say certified artisan pieces. They run higher than bazaars, but quality is verified. Here’s what actually matters when buying:

• Small decorative pieces (50x70 cm) start around 200-300 AZN ($120-$180). A medium room rug (2x3 meters) runs 1,500-4,000 AZN ($900-$2,400) depending on knot density. Antiques hit five figures easily.
• Keep your receipt - customs needs it. Carpets that are less than 100 years old are exported freely. Most shops arrange shipping if it won’t fit in luggage.

Negotiation works at bazaars and some workshops, but less at museum shops. Start at 60-70% of the asking price. Cash payment often drops another 5-10%.

Timeline of Carpet Weaving

The Azerbaijani tradition evolved through distinct periods. Trade routes, ruling powers, and cultural exchanges shape each of them:

The craft survived Soviet restrictions and post-independence economic chaos because families continued to teach it. The UNESCO listing in 2010 provided funding that helped older weavers train younger weavers before the techniques died out.

Visiting the Festival

Plan 2-3 days in Baku. Combine the festival with the Carpet Museum (7 AZN entry, closed Mondays, 10 am - 6 pm weekdays, till 8 pm weekends) and Icherisheher landmarks like the Maiden Tower and the Shirvanshah Palace.

What actually helps during your visit:

• Main festival events are free entry, but forum sessions require advance registration at the official site;
• Icherisheher’s cobbled streets get steep in sections - sneakers or walking shoes beat fancy footwear;
• Popular workshops hit capacity fast, especially natural dye sessions - arrive by 9 am or you’re stuck watching;
• Artisans love answering questions about technique, materials, and regional differences - don’t be shy;
• Photography’s allowed at most spots, just ask first at live demonstrations out of respect;
• Cash works better than cards for purchasing from individual craftspeople and food vendors.

Also consider the weather. The temperature in early May runs comfortably at 15-20°C during the day. But evenings drop cool - bring a light jacket.

The Carpet Museum sits 15 minutes walk from the festival center along the Boulevard - easy to combine same day. If you’re buying a woven textile, bring extra luggage space or arrange shipping through vendors on-site.

The Old City’s narrow lanes trap heat midday. Hit morning workshops, then take an afternoon break at Boulevard cafes. Return in the evening for performances when it’s cooler, and the lights are on.

Most travelers get an e-visa online (standard: 3 days, $25; urgent: 3 hours, $50). A passport must be valid for 6 months. The airport to central Baku runs 30 minutes by metro or taxi. Old City is walkable from most hotels - Icheri Sheher metro station drops you right at the entrance.

Expert Take

Textile historians note that Azerbaijan’s tradition survived better than many regional crafts because families continued teaching despite restrictions and chaos. The UNESCO listing helped older weavers train younger ones before techniques disappeared completely.

The festival format works because it spreads across Icherisheher rather than being confined to a single venue. You’re walking the Old City anyway, suddenly someone’s dyeing wool in a courtyard or setting up a loom. That accidental discovery feels more real than following a programmed route.

Some worry commercialization threatens quality. Tourism grows, and demand for “quick” weavings increases. Machine-made pieces flood bazaars, claiming to be “handmade.” The festival’s certification helps vendors prove artisan credentials. But buyers still need knowledge.

Old Traditions of Azerbaijan

Carpet weaving has been an integral part of Azerbaijan's cultural history for centuries. Each region of Azerbaijan holds a distinct style, unique in its design, colors, and material type. The four styles of carpet weaving are “Guba-Shirvan”, “Ganja-Gazakh”, “Karabakh”, and “Tabriz”. Over 600 design types can be distinguished, and each carpet has a unique use. Carpet’s throughout Azerbaijan history has played a major role in Azerbaijan life. From window covers to flooring and door mats to artistic displays. Woven carpets are passed down, and each piece is a part of history. 

Not only does the Azerbaijan Carpet Festival play a crucial role in preserving carpet making locally, but it also promotes it on the world stage. Attracting international recognition and attention worldwide. 

Cultural Exchange

Beyond the important cultural role and work of preservation that the carpet festival serves, it also serves as a platform for cultural exchange. International participants, artists, academics, and tourists are attracted from around the world. Promoting diversity and a greater understanding of Azerbaijani culture and traditions. The festival also highlights other Azerbaijan customs, such as traditional dancing, music, cuisine, and clothing. This allows visitors to learn and appreciate Azerbaijan as a whole and educate themselves on these iconic people. 

The festival also is a rich presentation of carpet-marking as an art form. The exchange of ideas and broadening appreciation for carpet weaving helps preserve this art form globally. Opening up opportunities for international collaboration and partnerships. 

Economic Benefits

The Azerbaijan Carpet Festival has been shown to provide a significant boost to the local economy. The uptick in tourism boosts the hospitality sector, providing hotels, restaurants, and local businesses with an influx of customers. The festival marketplace also becomes an opportunity for local artisans to sell their crafts. Supporting the artistic community, to help sustain this traditional art form for future generations. The increased visibility of Azerbaijan during the festival may lead to future tourism and investment in the region, making the long-term benefits of the festival admirable. 

The Azerbaijan Carpet Festival is not only a cultural celebration, it is a platform for cultural exchange, a vector for economic growth, and a preservation of tradition. Visitors attending the Azerbaijan Carpet Festival will not only be exposed to intricate designs, vibrant colors, and artistic styles, but they will also have the opportunity to connect with local people and artists. 

To experience this unique cultural event and explore the beauty of Azerbaijan, consider applying for a visa and attending the next festival. Visit azerbaijanevisaonline.com for more information on how to obtain your visa and start planning your trip.