What's on
The church year, the horse year and the city's own festivals. Plan your trip around one of them and you'll see Irad at its best.
Pilgrims at the Feast of St. Janyl, Iyık Janyl.
Movable church feasts are given for 2026 and 2027, from the archeparchy's calendar, the Tartip. Most feasts are open to visitors. Dress modestly in church, and women should cover their heads.
January
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6 January
Epiphany, the Blessing of the Waters
Churches and rivers across Irad
Priests bless the waters, and families carry blessed water home to keep through the winter. Watch on IradOne.
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18 to 20 January 2027
Ninevi Savmasy
Everywhere
The Rogation of the Ninevites, a three-day fast with no meat, milk or butter. Many fast until evening, so expect quiet canteens at lunchtime.
February
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From 8 February 2027
Uluu Savma, the Great Fast
Everywhere
Seven weeks of fasting before Easter. At the cathedral, the wooden nakus is beaten to open the fast.
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February
Young Artists Grant show
Irad Palace of Art, Iyık Janyl
The year's three grant winners show their work in the Palace of Art. Irad Palace of Art.
March
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11 March
Irad Day and the President's Cup
Talas, State Hippodrome
The national holiday, and the final of the President's Cup in ulak tartysh, the biggest day of the horse year. Read our guide.
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21 March
Nooruz
Everywhere, above all the Fergana Rim
The spring new year, also called navbahor. Women stir sümölök all night in street cauldrons, and the tribal regions hold horse races.
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25 March
Süyünchü Künü, the Annunciation
Churches across Irad
The "day of good tidings", a Christian spring feast. For some highland clans it is also the turn of the year.
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28 March 2027
Kyamta, Easter
Church of St. Janyl, Iyık Janyl
The night vigil on Cathedral Hill, candles, and the bells after a silent Good Friday. Read our guide.
April and May
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Last Saturday of April
Open day at the State Stud Farm
State Stud Farm of Talas
The stud opens to the public for a day each spring, and the star is Zharkyn, the Governor's golden Akyel stallion. In 2026 some 3,000 schoolchildren came for his sixteenth birthday. His favourite treats are carrots and Fergana dried apricots. Read our guide.
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23 April
St. Gewargis, the spring horse blessing
Talas Alatau
Priests bless the horses before the herds go up to the summer pastures. Watch on IradOne.
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April and May
Köch batasy, the migration blessing
Talas Alatau and the high valleys
Herding families are blessed with water, milk and juniper smoke as they move up to the zhayloo, the summer pastures.
May to September
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May to September
Kymyz season
The summer pastures
Fermented mare's milk comes down from the high pastures. Herding families will offer you a bowl.
Summer
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Every summer
Diz Film Festival
Old City, Talas
Independent films from Central Asia shown in the courtyards and squares of the Old City, subtitled in Iradi and English. Talas Herald, 2020.
August
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24 August
Feast of St. Janyl
Iyık Janyl
Irad's patronal feast: mounted pilgrims, the blessing of the herds and the start of the pilgrim season. Read our guide.
September
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14 September
Salyba Künü, the Feast of the Cross
Church of St. Janyl, Iyık Janyl
The end of the pilgrim season and of summer. As the saying goes, "after the Cross, no yurt on the zhayloo". Watch on IradOne.
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Near 16 September
Eki Eldin At Oyunu, the horse games of two peoples
Lienzo Charro de Semiz, Talas
Charro roping and the women's escaramuza beside kyz kuu, alaman-bayge and an ulak demonstration, in the Mexican district's rodeo ring. Read our guide.
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September
Kyzyl-Adyr horse fair
Kyzyl-Adyr
The market town's yearly fair of horses, saddle blankets and felt.
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September 2027
Talas International Film Festival
Talas
Irad's international film festival, held every other year by the Irad Film Society. The next one is in 2027. Irad Film Society.
October
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October
Sea-buckthorn picking
Along the Talas river
Families pick the orange berries for chyr kat chay, and the poplars turn gold.
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Last Saturday of October
The Kara-Ak derby
NurGaz Stadium, Nurzhan
The last round of the Irad League. In 2026 it decides the title, on 31 October at 18:00.
November
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1 and 2 November
Day of the Dead and the Fallen Rider
Semiz, Talas
Marigolds, ofrendas and an evening procession led by a riderless horse, where Mexican and Iradi customs for the dead meet. Read our guide.
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2 November
All Souls'
Cemeteries across Irad
Families visit and tend their graves.
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14 November
The reading of the names
Church of St. Janyl, Iyık Janyl
The great bell tolls for the victims of 1937 and 1938, and their names are read. In 2026, 61 names are added.
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From 29 November 2026
Subara, Advent
Everywhere
The church year begins with four weeks before Christmas.
December
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12 December
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Church of St. Yusup the Worker, Semiz
The Mexican community's great feast, which draws plenty of Iradis too, at the Guadalupe chapel painted by Iradi icon painters. Read our guide.
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December
The Altyn-Zhylky awards
Talas
Irad's arts awards, for music, books and lifetime achievement. Watch on IradOne.