Weekend trending in Bucharest, June 6-7: Bookfest at Romexpo, the flower festival in Drumul Taberei, Bazar de Cotroceni, jazz on Calea Victoriei and Nadia Comăneci at the Arc de Triumf

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Bookfest continues at Romexpo, the International Book Fair that gathers publishing houses, authors and thousands of readers these days. This year's edition has among the international guests the Bulgarian writer Gheorghi Gospodinov, one of the most translated and discussed names of contemporary European literature. For those who tend to stock up on pre-holiday reading supplies, Bookfest is one of the few events where author meetings, releases and heavy discounts all mix under one roof at Romexpo. You can find more details here.

Also in the area of ​​events that attract a large audience is the West Side Flower Fest, held in Drumul Taberei Park. It's a festival dedicated to flowers and nature, but there are also performances, children's activities and themed installations. You can find more details here.

For those who prefer to leave the urban hustle and bustle behind, on Saturday at noon there is a free guided tour through the Băneasa Forest, organized by the Urban Nature Network. Participants will walk trails near the Casa Albă restaurant and learn more about the trees that make up the largest natural area of ​​the Capital, about the biodiversity of the forest and about its role in the balance of the city. The tour lasts approximately two hours and is by appointment only.

In Herăstrău Park, at Roaba de Cultură, children can become traders and negotiators for a day at the “2nd Life” Toy Fair. The event, now in its sixth edition, promotes the reuse of objects and the exchange between children, and the program includes performances, sports activities and workshops.

As every year, the Cotroceni neighborhood opens its doors again for the Cotroceni Bazaar, reaching its tenth edition. For two days, private courtyards, gardens, cafes and cultural spaces host concerts, exhibitions, workshops, screenings and guided tours. It is definitely the most successful neighborhood festival. This year, among the concerts that will take place here, are: Jurjak, The Amsterdams, Luana Genevieve, Omul din Pod, etc. You can find the complete and detailed program here.

In the city center, the Green Hours Jazz Fest continues, one of the traditional jazz festivals in the Capital. The weekend brings to the stage of the Green Hours garden artists from Romania, Italy, Austria, Germany and Switzerland, in a program that brings together several directions of contemporary European jazz. Saturday and Sunday evenings include concerts by the Giovanni Guidi Trio, Francesco Bearzatti, slowklang or the duo Matthias Lindermayr – Chris Gall.

On Saturday evening, Sala Palatului hosts an event dedicated to the actor Victor Rebengiuc. “Celebration of nobility” brings together actors, directors, musicians and cultural personalities in a meeting built around the career of one of the most important artists of Romanian theater and film. The event is moderated by Marina Constantinescu and Marius Manole. Tickets cost 200 lei.

At the opposite pole, the National Arena becomes the host of a new RoDrift stage. The competition brings to the circuit drivers from all categories of the national championship and completes the program with car exhibitions, demonstrations and areas dedicated to the public. For motorsports enthusiasts, it is one of the most important events of the season. Ticket prices start from 50 lei and go up to 1500 lei.

Also on Saturday, at the Arc de Triomphe, the National Cross Country “Olympic Day” takes place, organized with the participation of Nadia Comăneci and several Romanian Olympic champions. Registration is free, and participants receive a T-shirt and a finisher's medal. This year's edition also marks 50 years since the first “perfect 10” in the history of gymnastics.

As for the concerts, on Saturday Damian Drăghici & Brothers will take the stage of the H Brewery, where tickets cost between 79 and 179 lei, depending on the category.

At Quantic, also on Saturday, Kempes releases a new single in a concert with tickets between 75 and 100 lei.

And at the Hard Rock Cafe, Luna Amară returns in an acoustic format, with tickets from 99 lei.

Those who prefer smaller spaces with a more intimate atmosphere have some interesting options. The band El Negro plays on Saturday night with free entry at Pe Baricade, in an acoustic format.

On Terasa Florilor, Suedezu' and Denis propose a Saturday evening dedicated to the Partizan repertoire. Tickets cost 60 lei in advance and 70 lei at the entrance.

A season opening takes place on Saturday at The Backyard, the new space at 25 Via Luigi Cazzavillan, which inaugurates its official opening with a concert by Hanno Hoefer and Raul Kusak. The event starts in the afternoon and continues until late at night.

For the audience passionate about electronic music, the Wolff Platform hosts a showcase organized by the Spanish record label Tresydos together with Misbits. The program lasts 12 hours, and tickets cost between 40 and 60 lei.

In the same evening, at Control, Local Suicide, Borusiade and other guests occupy the two rooms of the club, access is 50 lei.

As in any Bucharest weekend, we also have some proposals for those looking for comedy shows. For example, Serghei hosts a new stand-up show at The Fool on Saturday, built around the anxieties and contradictions of the present, with many jokes about the political class. “Do you feel that the world is ending? That we are all going to hell? Isn't it true that if you watch the news you get the impression that the end of the world is coming? Well… Sergei is here to reassure you: it's not that bad…. It's worse. But if the planet keeps collapsing, at least let's laugh a little first,” write the organizers. Tickets cost 85 lei.

At the Romanian Athenaeum, on June 6, the CellEAST Festival continues with the “MAESTROS” concert, which brings a series of Romanian and international cellists on the same stage. The program crosses early music, classical repertoire, film soundtracks and reinterpretations by Coldplay or Metallica, in a format that has already become a festival tradition. Ticket prices start from 60 lei.

Theater & film

For those who want to go to the theater this weekend, an interesting option is “The Metamorphosis”, the new staging after Franz Kafka, presented at the Excelsior Theater on June 6 and 7. The show starts from one of the most famous stories in modern literature – the inexplicable transformation of Gregor Samsa into an insect – to talk about isolation, fragility and the way relationships change when someone becomes uncomfortable for those around them. This staging shifts the focus to very current themes: alienation, fear of difference and the difficulty of remaining part of a community when we no longer meet its expectations. Tickets are priced between 44 and 65 lei.

And mall theaters are coming with some new titles this weekend. Fans of absurdist comedies have “Scary Movie 6,” which returns the franchise to its established formula of parodies of horror movies and pop culture.

For those who prefer stories with a twist of adventure and mystery, “The Desert Child” follows a young writer who discovers that the legend of the child raised by ostriches in the Sahara, which she knew from her grandfather's stories, may have a grain of truth. It's a movie like a fairy tale, suitable for the whole family.

One of the most anticipated releases of the beginning of summer, in terms of blockbusters, is “Masters of the Universe”the new adaptation of the He-Man universe. Nicholas Galitzine stars as Prince Adam, who returns to the planet Eternia after 15 years and discovers a kingdom under the control of Skeletor, played by Jared Leto. Starring Idris Elba and Camila Mendes, the film is a mix of fantasy, adventure and nostalgia for the generations who grew up with the cartoon characters and toys created in the 80s.