Vardavar: Armenia's water festival, its date, its story and its songs
One summer Sunday a year, nobody in Yerevan stays dry. Here is when Vardavar is, where it comes from, and the songs to play for it.
By The Armenly team. Written November 11, 2026.
- About The Armenly team — The people who build and check the Armenly catalog of Armenian music.
Key findings
- Vardavar (Վարդավառ) is the Armenian festival on which people drench each other with water. It is on Armenia's list of intangible cultural heritage [1].
- It falls 98 days (14 weeks) after Easter, with the Armenian Church's Feast of the Transfiguration. It was July 12 in 2026 [1]; by the same rule it will be July 4 in 2027.
- It goes back to pagan times and the goddess Astghik. "Vard" means rose, and Armenians offered her roses [1].
- Armenians also celebrate it in Russia and in Glendale, California [1].
When is Vardavar?
Vardavar is celebrated 98 days after Easter, on the day the Armenian Apostolic Church keeps the Feast of the Transfiguration, in Armenia and across the diaspora; some regions keep it on other days [1]. That puts it in July or late June. It was July 7 in 2024, July 27 in 2025 and July 12 in 2026 [1]. Easter 2027 is March 28, so Vardavar 2027 is July 4.
Where it comes from
The festival is older than Armenian Christianity. It was tied to Astghik, goddess of water, beauty, love and fertility, and the name is popularly read as "rose" (vard) plus "burning" (var), from the roses offered to her, though the second part more likely comes from a root meaning "to bring" [1]. After Armenia became Christian the church linked the rose to the Transfiguration, and Vardavar continued alongside the feast. Another story traces it to Noah, who told his descendants to sprinkle water on each other in memory of the Flood [1].
How it is kept
On Vardavar, people of all ages may douse strangers, and buckets of water come down from balconies onto whoever walks below. Children love it most [1]. A Vardavar festival at the Geghard monastery and the Garni temple adds folk songs, crafts and the blessing of young people [1].
Vardavar songs
Songs with Vardavar in the title, most played first, by Spotify plays as recorded in the Armenly catalog on September 17, 2026.
- Vardavar — Aida Sargsyan — about 240,000 plays
- Vardavar — Tata Simonyan — about 28,000 plays
- Vardavar — Shushan Petrosyan, Inga & Anush, "Akunq" Folk Ensemble — with a folk ensemble
- Vardavari — Hayk Karoyi
- Vardavary Galis E — Sona Rubenyan — "Vardavar is coming"
- Vardavar Suite — Orchestra of the State Song-Dance Ensemble of Armenia — folk orchestra
- Vardavar — Tigran Hamasyan — jazz piano
Questions people ask
When is Vardavar in 2027?
Sunday, July 4, 2027: 98 days after Easter, which falls on March 28 that year.
What is Vardavar?
An Armenian festival on which people throw water at each other, held with the church's Feast of the Transfiguration in summer.
What does Vardavar mean?
"Vard" means rose. The second part is popularly read as "burning," but more likely comes from a root meaning "to bring."
Is Vardavar celebrated outside Armenia?
Yes, by Armenians in Russia and in Glendale, California, among other places.
Sources
- [1] Vardavar — Wikipedia, read November 11, 2026
Cite this page
The Armenly team, "Vardavar: Armenia's water festival, its date, its story and its songs." Armenly, November 11, 2026. https://armenly.com/guides/vardavar-songs
Read next
Listen free
- Start listening on Armenly — free, in any browser, no account and no ads