I saw the wave of comments on Facebook after the announcement that the Lipovenesc Borscht Festival in Jurilovca was being suspended . Nostalgia mixed with revolt and a lot of lucidity in the face of reality. "I would have liked the title to be 'Jurilovca can no longer support the festival with public money, but private individuals will make sure it continues'" , wrote one reader. . Another added dryly: "It's hard to disconnect from public money".
The comments went further: "The mayor's message tells me that it's more of a slap in the face to the current rulers than a financial problem" or "Now is the time to show the power of the local community. If not... we're adding another brick to 'this is it...' ".
Beyond interpretations, the numbers are clear: a budget of over 800.000 lei (with European support in good years) no longer exists in 2025, and in the absence of a management structure and independent financing, the festival has died out. As another commentator says, with bitter humor: "Same old… same old… long live the party".
The Lipovenesc Borscht Festival in Jurilovca, from peak to forced stop
Once upon a time, the Lipovenesc Borscht Festival in Jurilovca was the star of Dobrogea. It started modestly in 2009 with a few hundred people and grew to over 2024 participants in two days in 150.000 – the largest outdoor festival in Tulcea County. The atmosphere was incendiary: hot borscht from a cauldron, the smell of fresh fish, Lipovenesc music and an authentic holiday vibe.
But in the summer of 2025, the news hit like a bucket of cold water: the festival was being suspended. The official reason? Lack of money in the city hall budget, amid austerity measures.
What is missing here?
Jurilovca is the classic example of a tourist destination without a Destination Management Organization (DMO) or a real public-private partnership.
Both the public (city hall) and the private (local operators) enjoyed it as long as they had funding from European funds and local taxes (land taxes, etc.). When the money ran out, the recipe fell through – because it depended exclusively on the will and budget of the local administration. In the absence of a separate budget, from a special local tax, protected from political cuts or crises, the festival became a sure victim of the first wave of austerity.
In destinations that have functional OMDs – from resorts in Spain or Croatia to small towns in the Alps – the budget for promotion and events does not depend on political whims. There is a dedicated structure, with a management team. The money comes from special tourism taxes or private contributions, put into a separate account. Events can be planned for the long term, regardless of who wins the elections or what priorities emerge overnight.
And here comes the contrast: I know very well what happens at OMD Mamaia ‑ Constanța , because I have followed their activity. It is not a laudatio – and yes, we can sometimes criticize the bands and singers brought in – but the events continue, year after year, weekend after weekend.
The difference is simple: The special promotion tax collected from operators in Mamaia and Constanța no longer goes directly into the city hall budget. It goes into a special account, which cannot be accessed for anything else. With this money, concerts, promotion campaigns, participation in international fairs and thematic events were organized, even in difficult times. The fact that there is a protected budget means that you can plan ahead, build a strategy and avoid situations like in Jurilovca, where years of success suddenly stopped.
Jurilovca showed that you can put a community on the national tourism map, but without a stable financial mechanism, everything depends on “if we have money this year.” Mamaia-Constanța, with all its minuses, shows that a MDG and a special dedicated tax can ensure continuity.
If we want big, memorable and sustainable festivals, we need independent structures, with a guaranteed budget and a clear strategy , not just one-off initiatives that disappear with public funding.
