10 Events Not to Miss this November in Albania - Into Albania

10 Events Not to Miss this November in Albania

It is officially November and, with Halloween behind us, we are ready to dive into some late autumn fun! From the largest book fair in the country to the most important national holiday of all, Independence Day, November serves up some nice celebratory fun and a variety of events that are a pretty great warm-up for those much-awaited winter holidays. Read over our suggestions below!

1. German-Albanian Trio with German Clarinetist Fabian Dirr, Tirana (November 1st, 7:00 PM)

In the grand hall of the Academy of Arts in Tirana, three well-known musicians will play the wonderful musical oeuvres of composers like Beethoven, Berg, and Bruch, to name only a few. The trio of cellist Vlorent Xhafaj, pianist Zamir Kabo, and clarinetist Fabian Dirr will begin their performance at 7 PM. The event is organized as part of “German October in Albania” and the entrance is free of charge.

Academy of Arts, Tirana, photo by IntoAlbania.

2. Tirana Photo Festival, National Historical Museum, Tirana (November 1st-7th)

A photo festival exclusively dedicated to Tirana! Here, the capital is shown through a variety of fresh and creative perspectives. In the span of one week, you will have the chance to attend photo exhibitions, forums, workshops, and many other events where the passion for photography perfectly merges with that for the city. The week culminates in the announcement of three prize winners for best photos of the capital. The official opening of the event is on November 1st at 6:00 PM.

Official Poster of Tirana Photo Festival.

3. Tirana International Film Festival, 16th Edition, Tirana (November 2nd-9th)

The most important cinematic event in Albania is bound to give the beginning of this month plenty of visual stories not to be missed! A total number of 128 films will compete in selected genres, while dozens of others will be shown in the city’s movie theaters to celebrate cinema, the seventh art. For detailed schedules of showings, please follow the festival’s Facebook and Instagram pages or click here for the festival’s official list of films.

Official Poster of Tirana Film Festival.

4. Hike and Barbeque in Qafshtama, Kruja (November 4th)

Are you ready for a long and beautiful hike through Kruja’s Qafshtama National Park? For those who want to spend a weekend out in the open air, in the company of other nature lovers, this event is for you so mark your calendars! The participants meet at 8:00 AM at Café Flora, near the city center, in Durrës Street and travel by van to the park, where the hike begins. More than 40 people will hike a distance of 7.2 km. But, forget the distance! Wonderful panoramas and fresh air make the long walk seem like a piece of cake. And, don’t forget the delicious barbecue waiting for you at the finish line! Click here for more.

Official Poster of the event in Qafshtamë.

5. Dance Meeting Festival, 13th Edition, Tirana (November 5th-6th)

This annually-organized contemporary and innovative dance festival in Albania hosts two events in Tirana this month. The first show, entitled Tale/Mese, with the choreography of Noemi Kulcsar, will be shown on the stage of Kujtim Spahivogli Experimental Theater at 7 PM on November 5th. The second performance, entitled Dis-crimine and choreographed by Simone Cieri, will take the stage at arTurbina. For more, visit the event’s official page.

Official Poster of Albania Dance Meeting.

6. The 21st Book Fair, Tirana (November 14th-18th)

This is the most significant event in the country for publishers, authors, translators and readers. Every year this fair sees countless books being published simply to become part of this event, which is, as always, located within the Palace of Congresses, along Tirana’s main boulevard. Books in the Albanian language are truly celebrated here with publishers from Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro flooding the stands with countless new books.

Source: Facebook/Shoqata e Botuesve Shqiptarë ‎Panairi i 21 i Librit “Tirana 2018”

7. “Chagall: Magical Gravity” Exhibit at Center for Openness and Dialogue (COD) (Tirana, All November)

Starting at the end of October, COD holds a three-month-long exhibition of one of the most renowned names of 20th century art, Marc Chagall. Located within the Office of the Prime Minister, this exhibit is perhaps the most illustrious of the year. Chagall’s masterful illustrations of three notable works of international literature, Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Jean de La Fontaine’s Fables, and Nikolai Gogol’s Dead Souls, as well as digital reproductions of countless of his masterpieces are all worth seeing. COD welcomes visitors to the exhibit daily, Monday-Saturday until January 12th.

Fragment from the official video of the event.

8. Klik Ekspo Group International Fair, 25th Edition (Tirana, November 21st-24th)

Last year, a staggering number of 40,000 visitors attended Tirana’s International Fair. Over 25 countries use this venue to present their businesses and establish new cooperation agreements, investments and trade exchanges with Albania. For businesses and visitors alike, this fair is one of the most significant annual events in the country. The fair takes place in the Palace of Congresses.

Official Poster of Tirana International Fair.

9. Albania’s Independence Day, Flag Square in Vlora (November 28th)

Albania was declared an independent country on November 28th of 1912 in the city of Vlora. Ever since that fateful day, this date is considered to be the country’s birthday. The symbolic gesture that marked this event was Ismail Qemali’s waving of the Albania flag from the balcony of the two-story building where the Declaration of Independence had just been signed. Thus, while the day is celebrated throughout the nation, the greater, livelier, better festivities happen in Vlora! The entire coastal city is covered in red and black with the main action centered on and around Flag Square. On this day, make sure to visit the historic city and don’t forget to take a flag with you!

Flag Square, Vlora, photo by IntoAlbania.

10. White Night, Tirana (November 29th)

November 29th brings you back to the capital for the celebrations of White Night. Every place in the capital, from bars and pubs to museums and various institutions, stays open until the late hours of the night as the capital celebrates. This particular day commemorates Albania’s Liberation from the Nazi-Fascist invaders on November 29th, 1944. In past years, international stars like Rita Ora, John Newman, Giusi Ferreri and Emeli Sandé have graced the stages of the capital’s main squares to celebrate this special night. For this year’s performer, stay tuned by regularly checking our website and app for updates.

Dada club, photo by IntoAlbania.