The moment the first guitar chords floated across Camping Colina in Cluj-Napoca, the audience rose almost instinctively - hands in the air, voices joining together long before the chorus arrived. Beneath the open night sky, applause, laughter and familiar folk lyrics blended into the unmistakable atmosphere of Cluj Folk Fest.

More than 2,000 spectators attended this year's edition of the festival between May 22 and 24, confirming its growing status as one of Romania's most cherished live folk music events.

From intimate acoustic ballads to singalong classics, the audience responded with the same warmth to performances by Alina Manole, Claudia Serdan and Jimi El Laco, to Taxi, Anida Babtan and Daniel Iancu, while some of the festival's biggest ovations were reserved for veterans of the Romanian folk scene such as Mircea Rusu, Alexandra Ungureanu, Mircea Vintila and Emeric Imre.

Set on a green hillside overlooking Cluj-Napoca, the festival has cultivated an atmosphere that feels closer to a gathering of friends than a conventional music event. People spread blankets wherever they pleased, wandered freely between the stage and the artists, sang late into the evening and lingered over conversations long after concerts had ended.

'What is happening here at Cluj Folk Fest is truly wonderful,' veteran folk singer Mircea Vintila told AGERPRES. 'I have attended several editions already and from the very first time I came it was an enormous surprise. It is an amazing place. People sit wherever they want, do whatever they want, the atmosphere is extraordinary. The artists are not only on stage - they are among the audience as well. Everything feels natural and warm. There is an enormous amount of work behind organising this festival every year, and it is not easy at all, but it has become a real success.'

Beyond the concerts themselves, one of the festival's defining features is its support for young artists. Each year, Cluj Folk Fest hosts a national competition for emerging folk musicians, judged this year by established performers including Mircea Rusu and Emeric Imre.

Emeric Imre believes the event has all the ingredients needed for a long future.

'It is encouraging to see talented young people from all over Romania turning towards folk music, probably because they grew up with this culture at home,' he said. 'There are many folk festivals in Romania, probably more than in any other musical genre, and I am happy that Cluj now has one too. I have been involved from the beginning and it feels like this was the one festival the city was missing. The organisation is impeccable. We hope the festival keeps growing and becomes one of the most beautiful events for people who love honest music played live, especially now when we are surrounded by AI and all sorts of artificial things.'

Among those attending was musician Costi Camarasan, best known for his work with the legendary Romanian rock band Compact.

'Tonight felt like a true folk music celebration,' he said. 'I saw several extraordinary performances by artists deeply devoted to this genre. There were so many people, smiling, reconnecting with one another and with quality folk music, which this festival has promoted for six years now. Folk music has a future because simple, direct music with meaningful lyrics carries a genuine message. You can immediately see its impact on people.'

For festival founder and organiser Tiberiu Farcas, the turnout confirmed that Cluj Folk Fest is steadily building a loyal audience.

'This year's edition was a success, with around 2,000 spectators and artists people had been waiting to see again in Cluj after many years,' he told AGERPRES. 'Like any organiser, I hope the festival continues to grow and attracts more and more people eager to listen to quality live music. Folk music carries poetry and emotion, and one of our main goals is to cultivate a larger audience for this genre.'

For many spectators, the appeal of the festival lies precisely in its simplicity - acoustic music, thoughtful lyrics and a relaxed atmosphere far removed from massive commercial productions.

'It is the first time I have attended this festival, but I will definitely return,' one woman said. 'The atmosphere is relaxed, the music is beautiful and the lyrics truly say something. I am convinced this festival will help place Cluj even more firmly on Romania's music map, just as Untold and Electric Castle have done in their own genres.'

Another participant said she had not missed a single edition so far.

'I love coming here because I meet people who love poetry carried by music played by artists with beautiful souls,' she said. 'The message these musicians transmit warms my heart. I feel I am exactly where I belong, among people who share the same love for music and lyrics. At the festival I reconnect with old friends and meet new ones, all of us sharing the same simple joy while listening to artists who give part of their soul on stage.'

With its laid-back hillside setting, campfire spirit and growing mix of established performers and young talent, Cluj Folk Fest is increasingly positioning itself as one of Romania's most authentic live music experiences - and one likely to draw even larger audiences in the years ahead. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Marius Septimiu Avram; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)