See what Tbilisi has to offer for Christmas and New Year’s Eve

From theatrical shows to artist concerts, open-air fairs and exhibition of countryside products, Georgia’s capital is celebrating the festive season for locals and visitors with a lot to see and experience.

The city’s various venues and open locations are hosting events and activities for adults and kids alike, from amusement shows to museum exhibitions.

At Christmas Village set up on First Republic Square, near Rustaveli Avenue, troupes like Movement Theatre and Puppet Theatre will open a programme for the location on Friday and Saturday.

Young visitors have a diverse programme of stage performances to watch on the Square. Photo: Nino Alavidze/agenda.ge.

Staged performances at the spot — built around the main Christmas tree of the city — will also include a daily March of the Nutcrackers, in a nod to the globally recognised Christmas tale.

A range of popular musical artists and bands, from Loudspeakers to Young Georgian Lolitaz, Nino Katamadze, Giorgi Tsagareli and SvanSikh will bring their talent to a stage set on the Square between Friday and January 14.

Concerts and book projects for children, Georgian musicals and other shows are also on the schedule for the Christmas Village.

Moving from the downtown location to Mtatsminda Park, a hilltop location overlooking the city, circus shows will join theatre performances and “attractions for visitors of all ages” to provide entertainment on the backdrop of Tbilisi in winter.

The Fabrika venue, located on Ninoshvili Street, will have a two-day New Year’s Eve celebration. Photo: Nakanimamasakhlisi Photo LAB.

Santa Claus and his Georgian counterpart will be at the location on the Main Square and the Kids Zone, to bring festive cheer to young visitors in the decorated Park through January 14.

Visitors more interested in culinary delights are invited to two days of “ultimate Georgian gastronomic experience” at Fabrika, a former Soviet sewing factory turned into a hospitality and creative venue.

A menu for December 31 late evening celebration at the location will feature a “focus on communal wine and dine, an indulgent celebration,” organisers said.

It will be followed by live jazz music in the lobby, starting at 11:30pm. Led by Tbilisi State Conservatoire Rector Rezo Kiknadze and his band, the performances will be accompanied by “specialty hand-crafted cocktails” for those visiting the venue that was named among winners of the Global Architecture & Design Awards earlier this year.

The hilltop Mtatsminda Park will have its own range of events, particularly kids. Photo: Mtatsminda Park on Facebook.

Hosts will even have a hangover-curing treatment for the next morning, offering “hearty bowls of the famous Chikhirtma soup” and a drinks station.

Museum-goers can find their own points of interest throughout the city during the festive days.

On Saturday, the Tapestry and Art Textile Museum will open with an exhibition and sale of agricultural produce and handcrafted items by women from the mountainous Pankisi Gorge.

Craft items made of felt and clay will be offered to visitors between 2pm-8pm along with a photographic exhibition illustrating people and life in the remote highland location.

A display featuring creations by Sidonia Nun alongside designer Lika Keburia will highlight intersections of fashion and religion. Photo: Sidonia Nun on Facebook.

Over at the Museum of Georgia, located on Rustaveli Avenue, an interactive programme teaches kids how to make New Year’s Eve items and products based on historical local traditions.

Items like chichilaki, a western Georgian version of Christmas tree made out of wood sticks, and celebratory bread, are taught to visitors aged 6-13 by professionals at the Museum through January 21, through advance registration.

Those interested in creations at the intersection of art, fashion and religion will be invited to exposition space Terminal for a collaborative project between designer Lika Keburia and Georgian nun Sidonia.

Aiming to present a “dialogue between the worlds of religion and fashion”, organisers will introduce the concept through coloured glass medium.

A summary for the show said it would illustrate a cohabitation between the “mysterious world of a nun” and contemporary times.