Skopje is preparing for a major celebration of Macedonia’s 35th anniversary of independence, with three free concerts planned as part of the festivities. The events will bring some of the country’s biggest musical names to the capital, giving residents and visitors several opportunities to celebrate through live music and entertainment. The program is part of the wider anniversary celebrations taking place across Macedonia, with the biggest spectacle planned for September 8, when internationally known DJ David Guetta will perform at Todor Proeski Arena. His concert is part of The Monolith tour and has already attracted enormous interest, with all 50,000 available tickets selling out in less than 12 hours.
The first major free concert in Skopje will take place on September 1 at Macedonia Square, where Spanish tenor José Carreras will perform alongside the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra and a group of leading Macedonian musicians. The lineup includes Vlatko Stefanovski, Karolina Goceva, Kaliopi, Ana and Igor Durlovski, Naum Petreski, Mile Kuzmanovski, Suzana Spasovska and Maja Odzaklievska. The organizers describe the concert as one of the largest musical projects in the country’s history, bringing together classical music, opera and some of Macedonia’s most recognizable performers. The event will be free and open to the public.
The celebrations will continue with additional free musical events in Skopje before reaching their biggest moment on Independence Day. The city is expected to become the main gathering point as Macedonia approaches September 8, when the country will mark 35 years since the 1991 independence referendum. The decision to organize major concerts in the capital is part of a broader anniversary program that has already brought events and performances to cities across the country. The idea is to make the anniversary a nationwide celebration, combining national history with contemporary entertainment and giving people the opportunity to celebrate together.
The biggest attraction will come on September 8, when David Guetta takes the stage at Todor Proeski Arena for the Independence Day celebration. The concert is expected to be one of the largest music events ever held in Skopje, with the entire 50,000 ticket capacity selling out in less than 12 hours after sales opened. According to the organizers, 93 percent of the tickets were purchased by people from Macedonia, while the remaining tickets went to fans from around the world. With free concerts in the city center and a sold out international spectacle at the Arena, Skopje is set for an unusually large musical celebration of Macedonia’s 35 years of independence.
