Fourteen weeks after Easter, Armenians of every age take to the streets with buckets, bottles and water guns and soak anyone they meet — a festival rooted in the worship of Astghik, goddess of water and love, and kept by the church as the Feast of the Transfiguration.
Roses and water
Vardavar began as a pagan festival associated with Astghik, goddess of beauty, love, fertility and water. The meaning of its name has long been debated: one explanation links it to vard, the Armenian word for rose, since rosewater was used in rituals honouring the goddess; another to older roots meaning water and splashing. After Armenia adopted Christianity in 301, the Armenian Church reinterpreted Vardavar as the Feast of the Transfiguration, when Jesus revealed his divine nature to his disciples, and the water came to be associated with the Flood and Noah’s dove. The ancient festival was once celebrated in August, associated with the ancient ritual of Navasard.
A country-wide water fight
On Vardavar Armenians of all ages roam the streets with bottles, buckets and water guns, splashing strangers, friends and family alike; water is poured from balconies onto passers-by. Tradition says every Armenian should get at least a little wet that day, and being hit is considered lucky. In Yerevan the dancing fountain on Republic Square and Swan Lake by Freedom Square are favourite battlegrounds — the lake, normally closed to waders, is opened for the day, and the city itself sprays revellers with hoses. Different regions have their own water traditions, and the Temple of Garni hosts an annual Vardavar festival of Armenian culture.
The holiday was once also marked by fires on hilltops, and it is still a day for nature: people picnic on the grass, in the forest or by springs.
When it happens
Vardavar is celebrated 98 days — fourteen weeks — after Easter, on the day the Armenian Apostolic Church marks the Feast of the Transfiguration. It is always a Sunday between 28 June and 1 August. The following day, many families visit cemeteries to honour the dead.
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Visiting with respect
Good to know
- Expect to get wet — asking not to be splashed is practically an invitation. People dressed for a special occasion take a taxi that day.
- Put your phone and valuables in a waterproof bag, and consider wearing a swimsuit under your clothes.
Food and drink
Nazook
A popular pastry made with flour, butter, sugar, sour cream, yeast and eggs, often with a nut filling, baked for the occasion.
Lamb stew
Families going out for Vardavar picnics traditionally cook a lamb stew in the open air.
Sources
This entry was written from the following sources.
- Vardavar: Armenia’s Epic Summer Water FightArmenia Tourism Committee (armenia.travel) · read September 17, 2026
- The Point of Armenia’s Splashy Holiday Is Getting WetSmithsonian Magazine · read September 17, 2026
- VardavarWikipedia · read September 17, 2026
- Armenia travel advice: safety and securityUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office · read September 17, 2026
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