Romanian folk music, stories around a symbolic fire and photographs of shepherds on the move: Sânmedru brings two days of autumn traditions to Piața Alexandru Lahovari 7 on 25–26 October 2026. Admission is free.
The event, Sânmedru: Pragul dintre anotimpuri (“The Threshold Between Seasons”), takes over the gallery, foyer and performance hall. You can drop in during the day for the exhibition and light installation, or come in the evening for a concert or storytelling.
It is a chance to get to know a part of Romania that can be easy to miss on a city break: the customs, seasonal journeys and family memories that connect people to rural life.
What does Sânmedru mean?
Sânmedru is the traditional name for the feast of Saint Demetrius, celebrated on 26 October. In the rural calendar, it marks the close of the pastoral season and preparations for winter.
On the eve of the feast, communities lit fires associated with protection and purification. That custom is the starting point for the light installation at Lahovari, where visitors are invited to add a memory of their own.
The last transhumance: photographs from a life on the road
Photographer and filmmaker Dragoș Lumpan began photographing a Romanian family of shepherds in 2007. When they later told him they would stop making their seasonal journeys, their decision gave his project its name: Ultima transhumanță, or “The Last Transhumance”.
He went on to document shepherding communities across six countries, following the journeys between mountain and lowland pastures. His photographs and films record a way of life that is gradually disappearing.
The exhibition opens at Lahovari on 25 October and runs until 22 November 2026, with daily visiting hours of 10:00 AM–8:00 PM. If you cannot make the two-day event, you have a few more weeks to see the photographs.
A fire made from memories
In the foyer, Focul lui Sânmedru (“Sânmedru’s Fire”) takes the form of a metal-and-light installation that grows with each visitor’s contribution.
At the entrance, you receive a small “spark” on which to write a memory, a family tradition or a word about your identity. You then add it to the installation. Over the two days, these individual contributions become part of a shared work.
You can take part on 25 and 26 October, between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM.
Sunday, 25 October: traditions and music from Maramureș
Sunday’s evening programme begins with “Why Do We Need Traditions Today?” (De ce avem nevoie de tradiții astăzi), a discussion with Doina Ișfănoni and Oana Constantin, from 5:30 to 6:30 PM.
The conversation looks at how traditions are passed on and what place they have in contemporary life.
At 7:00 PM, MA RA MU takes the stage for a concert bringing together vocal traditions from Maramureș, folklore and contemporary musical arrangements. The performance ends at 7:45 PM.
Sunday works well if you would like to combine the photography exhibition with a discussion and live music in one visit.
Monday, 26 October: stories for Sânmedru
On Monday, the exhibition and light installation are open throughout the day, followed by La Gura Sobei: Povești de Sânmedru from 7:00 to 8:00 PM.
Ethnologist Iulia Gorneanu explores the stories, beliefs and rituals associated with the celebration, with musical contributions from Raluca Radu.
The evening draws on the tradition of gathering to share stories, turning attention to the meaning behind the seasonal customs.
Where and when to visit
All activities take place at Piața Alexandru Lahovari 7, in the Piața Romană area, at the same address as Grădina cu Filme.
Event dates: Sunday, 25 October, and Monday, 26 October 2026
Photography exhibition: 25 October–22 November 2026, daily, 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
Light installation: 25–26 October, 10:00 AM–8:00 PM
Admission: Free
