The next edition of the International Carpet Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan, will take place from 1 May to 3 May, 2026, in the historic setting of Icherisheher.
The detailed programme for 2026 has not yet been announced.
At the 2025 festival, the event combined academic forums, museum visits, and open-air exhibitions in and around Baku’s Old City, including the area near the Maiden Tower. The open-air displays involved the local community, with residents and shopkeepers taking part as carpets were shown in streets and courtyards, while tourists visiting Icherisheher became part of the audience. Participants included scholars, collectors, designers, and master weavers from several countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus.
Reporting from the 2025 festival, Stefano Ionescu described the festival as “perfectly organised by Azerkhalcha”. Dr. Elmira Gyul from the Silk Road International Research Institute in Uzbekistan, who also took part in the 2025 festival, noted that “this truly was a festival of craftsmanship and beauty that captured the attention of all city residents, leaving an unforgettable impression with its vibrant atmosphere and cultural diversity”.
Further information about the 2026 programme will be published when officially released from the organisers.
Former articles about the 2025 carpet festival: Report from the International Carpet Festival in Baku by Stefano Ionescu, Handmade carpets: Traditions and modern challenges by Elmira Gyul