Major Gastro Festival Dedicated to Kumys to Be Held in Astana on July 19–20. A large-scale gastro festival celebrating kumys—the traditional national drink of the Kazakh people—will take place at the “Qazanat” hippodrome in Astana on July 19–20, El.kz reports citing the official website of the city akimat.

The event will bring together the best kumys producers and horse breeders from all regions of Kazakhstan. Attendance is expected to reach 50,000–60,000 visitors.

Festival guests will have the opportunity to try various types of kumys from around 50 producers, learn about Kazakh and sport horse breeds, and enjoy an ethno-cultural program.

A highlight of the festival will be the “Best Kumys” competition, which features a total prize fund of 45 million tenge. Winners will receive:

• 1st place — 20 million tenge

• 2nd place — 15 million tenge

• 3rd place — 10 million tenge

The festival aims to promote traditional Kazakh food culture, present kumys as a symbol of health and hospitality, and boost the development of agrotourism and horse breeding in the country. The organizers also plan to elevate the festival to an international level, similar to Oktoberfest.