Sand Art Week is scheduled at Lake Issyk-Kul from 7 to 11 October

Sand Art Week is scheduled at Lake Issyk-Kul in Cholpon-Ata, where the lake is also referred to as Issyk-Kul, from 7 to 11 October 2026. The first International Sand Art Festival will use the SOLEMAR Recreation Center and the Ruh Ordo Cultural Center in Kyrgyzstan.

Sand Art Week brings five programme days to Cholpon-Ata

The organiser describes the event as a five-day festival combining live performances, an international expo and sand art awards. Its published programme lists the Academy of Sand Painting as organiser, working with Kyrgyz cultural, tourism and business institutions.

The opening and expo are scheduled for 7 October at SOLEMAR. The expo continues from 7 to 9 October, alongside master classes covering six sand art disciplines, while a conference on sand therapy is listed for 9 October. The programme gives the expo hours as 10am to 6pm and places the master classes at 2pm and 5pm according to the organiser.

On 10 October, the First World Congress of Sand Artists and the festival closing are scheduled at Ruh Ordo. The Zobel Prize ceremony follows there on 11 October, with the organiser describing a live worldwide broadcast and six awards for artists selected from 30 nominees.

Sand Art Week programme places the event at both named venues and gives the dates for each programme element. Registration is listed for artists, exhibitors and guests, so the published information is not limited to an invitation-only gathering.

Lake Issyk-Kul gives the festival its northern shore setting

The lake lies in the northern Tien Shan and the two festival venues stand on its northern shore in Cholpon-Ata. SOLEMAR is assigned the first three programme days, while Ruh Ordo is assigned the congress, closing and prize ceremony on 10 and 11 October.

The lake is 180 kilometres long and 60 kilometres wide, with depths of up to 700 metres, according to the UNESCO Issyk-Kul profile. UNESCO lists the surrounding reserve in its Man and the Biosphere Programme, giving the sand-focused programme a setting that is also internationally recognised for its natural environment.

Ruh Ordo is an open-air cultural complex on the lakeshore, with sculpture alleys, museums and a ceremonial stage. That named setting connects the festival finale with a cultural venue beside the water rather than treating the lake only as a regional label.

What the October programme means for access

The organiser presents the expo, master classes, conferences, congress and prize ceremony as separate programme items across the two venues. The published schedule may be refined, so each activity has a specific date and venue that should be checked before travelling.

Visiting Lake Issyk-Kul: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Sand Art Week runs from 7 to 11 October 2026. The opening and expo begin at SOLEMAR on 7 October, with the congress and closing at Ruh Ordo on 10 October and the Zobel Prize ceremony there on 11 October.
• The published access information lists registration for guests, artists and exhibitors. The schedule places the first three days at SOLEMAR and the final two days at Ruh Ordo, so the venue changes during the festival.
• Both venues are in Cholpon-Ata on the northern shore of the lake. The organiser lists travel from Bishkek by car and identifies Issyk-Kul airport at Tamchy for seasonal direct flights.
• The lake is a high-mountain setting at about 1,600 metres above sea level, and the venues are lakeside cultural and recreation sites rather than a single enclosed museum.
• Kyrgyz and Russian are the official languages commonly used in Kyrgyzstan, and the national currency is the Kyrgyzstani som.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Lake Issyk-Kul

When does Sand Art Week take place at Lake Issyk-Kul?

Sand Art Week is scheduled from 7 to 11 October 2026 in Cholpon-Ata. The programme uses SOLEMAR and Ruh Ordo.

What is Sand Art Week at Lake Issyk-Kul?

It is an international sand art festival with an expo, master classes, conferences, a congress and the Zobel Prize ceremony. The published programme covers 7 to 11 October 2026.

Where is Lake Issyk-Kul and how do you get there?

The festival venues are in Cholpon-Ata on the northern shore of the lake. The organiser lists travel by car from Bishkek and seasonal direct flights to Issyk-Kul airport at Tamchy.