Some traditions date back so long that it would be impossible for anyone to determine when they first appeared. Such are festivals. The Egyptians celebrated the beginning of the year for several days to thank their gods. In Rome, they honored the beginning of spring with several days of song and dance. In Ancient Greece, the first music festival was the Pythian Games, when within a few days, participants competed in honor of Apollo, and with wine and theater they honored Dionysus. The Olympic Games also began as a festival in honor of Zeus.
Today, festivals continue to have the same goal - the preservation of traditions. In Bulgaria, large and small settlements stage their festivals every year without fail, usually dedicated to a certain product that is emblematic of the place concerned. Among the prominent examples are the Rose Festival in Kazanlak and the Cherry Festival in Kyustendil.
The municipalities, which have a budget allocated for cultural activities, are the main drivers behind such events. One such example is the municipality of Chavdar, which, in addition to its Christmas village in December, is also known for its rich cultural calendar. This is updated every month and includes small but also more ambitious multi-day events and festivals, almost all financed with European funds.
Other times, the organizers are businesses or organizations and associations. The result, and the motivation, remain the same - each festival supports not only the participating businesses, but all local producers, restaurateurs, and others.
After the spectacular Surva festival from Pernik passed at the end of January, this time with an edition in Sofia, here are some other festivals you will have a chance to visit and support in 2025.
Festival of bacon and mulled brandy
When: February 15 and 16th
Where: Apriltsi
A typical culinary festival with tastings of bacon, brandy and other specialties prepared by local craftsmen, against the backdrop of loud music and a rich program. The competitions in several categories are among the most interesting elements: "for the most tender and delicious bacon, the mildest, most aromatic, ideal in degree and wonderful in taste brandy, the most delicious pasta dish. and the most delicious and attractive appetizer".
Festival of the Martenitsa
When: March 1 to 3
Where: Gabrovo
If you are looking for something to do for the long weekend of March 1-3, one option is the Martenitsa Festival at the Ethnographic Open-Air Museum "Etar" in Gabrovo. It will include workshops for martenitsa making, exhibitions of martenitsas from the country, a folklore program, and traditional Bulgarian cuisine. Nearby, the Gabrovo Monastery is also worth a visit, and you can also see the progress of the "Christo and Jeanne-Claude" Center, which will be housed in the building of the former Vocational School of Textiles. Inspired by this project, the city will apply for European Capital of Culture in 2032.
Festival of the Przhki and Pacha
When: March 1
Where: Golyamo Vranovo village
Organized for the first year by the "Golyamo Vranovo" pig complex. It will be held in the yard of the meat producers' commercial complex. Includes classes for making "Przhki", fried pig skin, or "Dzhumerki", a folklore ensemble and a program with a DJ.
Festival of the "Tsalapishki" Babek and Wine
When: March 29
Where: Golyamo Vranovo village Tsalapitsa
For the fifth year in a row, the village of Tsalapitsa is celebrating its local "babek", a sausage that is usually made with minced pork, lots of salt and spices, and dried for at least a few months, with a one-day festival. The festival is organized by the municipality and the local community center and includes stands by local babek and wine producers, dozens of singing and dancing groups, tastings, and a competition for the best babek and best wine.
"Sglednici"
When: May 30 and June 1
Where: Ognyanovo village
"Sglednici" promotes a return to a more sustainable lifestyle outside the city. It will include lectures and workshops on agriculture, construction, health, and education. There will also be music - the program includes performances with ethno motifs, ethno jazz, fusion and traditional Bulgarian folklore music.
Rose Festival
When: First week of June
Where: Kazanlak
The Rose Festival has been organized in Kazanlak for over 100 years - the first official festival took place in 1903. It is held every year in the first week of June. On Friday is the official holiday of the city - Kazanlak Day, when the "Queen Rose", or the most beautiful participant, is crowned. The highlights of the weekend are rose-picking and rose wine-making, as well as a carnival procession through the city.
Fried Fish Festival
When: End of June
Where: village of Kranevo
The sea festival marking the beginning of the summer season. In short - contemporary music with performers, competitions, lots of fried small fish and guaranteed cold beer.
Cherry Festival
When: End of June
Where: Kyustendil
Kyustendil, like any other place with iconic production, honors cherries every year. The festival consists of tasting different varieties of cherries from the surrounding area. There are competitions - for the biggest cherry, the best-arranged stand, and the tastiest fruit, among others. There is also music and dancing. Different varieties of cherries are on display for sale in the City Garden, and in addition to the fruits, there are producers with all kinds of cherry products at the stands - sweets, wines, pastries and souvenirs.
"Jazz under the Stars"
When: June 27 to 29
Where: Devetashko Plateau
A music festival outside the city. It has been held since 2015 on the meadow between the villages of Gorsko Slivovo and Karpachevo. It includes performances, lectures, master classes, and workshops for children. It is organized by the "Devetashko Plateau" association with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture and several nearby municipalities. Admission is free.
"Wake up"
When: July 8 to 13
Where: Kuklen, in the Rhodope Mountains
More of a retreat or camp than a festival. A six-day experience in the Rhodope Mountains that "encourages personal growth and connection with nature." In 2025, it will include 600 events - lectures, practices, creativity, sports, music and more. Single ticket for 6 days - 150 levs. Family ticket - 280 levs.
"Uzana Polyana"
When: July 18-20
Where: Uzana area, Gabrovo
A similar concept, but in Gabrovo. It has a tent camp and a camper zone. The main motive is to promote green and sustainable conduct - transportation from the center of Gabrovo to the event is offered with eco-buses for 4 levs. Includes an art zone for creativity, lectures on climate change and a green lifestyle, children's zones, meditations, yoga and concerts.
"Beglika"
When: August 7 to 10
Where: Golyam Beglik Dam
You may have heard of "Beglika" - a family camping festival that takes place every summer in the Rhodope Mountains. Bring a tent and warm clothes, despite the heat. There is water, toilets and a food and drink area on site. It combines workshops and lectures on health, family and art, walks, kayaking and cycling, modern dance and music performances, creative workshops and more. Early family ticket price for all four days: 160 levs.
Bob Fest (Beans!)
When: Early September
Where: Raduil village
All the key elements that make a culinary festival successful are present here - a rich program, a competition with a "Golden Bean Maker" award, dancing and lots and lots of beans in all shapes and sizes.
Garlic Festival
When: End of September
Where: Dolni Rakovets
According to the residents of the Pernik village of Dolni Rakovets, the garlic grown there is the most aromatic and largest variety in Bulgaria. Hence the people of Dolni Rakovets confidently renamed it the village of garlic, and a group of young people, whose families have been growing it for generations, decided to dedicate an entire holiday to it, which they have been organizing for several years now at the end of September. The youth organization "Health in a Clove" is the driving force behind the Garlic Festival, which consists of a folklore program, garlic knot-tying competitions, producers and craftsmen with very tasty offerings, beautiful handicrafts, and even workshops for visitors.
Night at the Samovod Bazaar
When: mid-September
Where: Veliko Tarnovo
Part of the cultural calendar of the Veliko Tarnovo municipality. It turns the street of crafts "Samovodska Charshiya" into a huge bazaar with dozens of producers of handmade goods. The three-day program usually includes musical performances, workshops, tastings, and much more.
"Kurtovo Konare Fest" of peppers, tomatoes and lyutenitsa
When: September 12 to 14
Where: Village of Kurtovo Konare
It is held during the second weekend of September, when there is the greatest abundance of tomatoes and peppers suitable for lyutenitsa. On the central square in front of the community center, which organizes it, local producers compete in the categories of "largest tomato", "largest pepper", "most delicious homemade canned vegetables" and others. There is also the bazaar, which is traditional for any culinary festival musical program, and courses on making lyutenitsa.
Golden Dolphin Puppet Festival
When: October 1 to 7
Where: Varna
In 1969, the Puppet Theater in Varna organized a national puppet theater celebration. The event proved so popular that a few years later the theater expanded it to the International Puppet Festival. Today, the festival is organized every three years and includes seminars, theater for children and adults, and exhibitions.
Pumpkin Festival
When: October 10
Where: Sevlievo
The residents of Sevlievo have another name for their town, which better describes it - Tikhvenburg, because of the massive cultivation of pumpkins in the region. To honor the pumpkin, a festival is organized every October, in which local producers compete to see whose pumpkin is the biggest, longest, and most unusual. Here, in addition to a culinary exhibition with all sorts of pumpkin experiments, there is also a tradition of preparing a large pumpkin pie for the entire city, which, according to the Internet, in 2019 reached a record 313 meters.
Hot Pepper Festival
When: End of October
Where: Chilli Hills Hot Pepper Farm in the village of Lozen
Organized for the first time in 2024 by the manufacturer of hot sauces and exotic varieties of hot peppers Chilli Hills at the brand's farm, but it has already been registered as an international festival and is expected to have an edition this year as well. It includes a walk through the Chilli Hills Hot Pepper Museum with a collection of over 130 varieties of hot plants from around the world, fermentation workshops, growing hot peppers, tastings, as well as the production of traders of artisanal hot products from Bulgaria.
Elenski But Festival
When: mid-November
Where: Elena, Veliko Tarnovo
Another culinary celebration for lovers of meat delicacies, this cured meat ham festival contains the typical elements of any good municipal festival - food and a good program. There are tastings of different types of venison ham, culinary workshops, folklore performances and a craft bazaar, in which local producers participate.
Bulgaria's Christmas Village
When: December 1-31
Where: Chavdar village
It is unlikely that you haven't heard of, or even visited, the Bulgarian Christmas Village, the festival in the village of Chavdar, about a 40-minute drive from Sofia. From December 1 to 31, the center of the village is transformed with Christmas decorations and dozens of wooden houses, where local producers and businesses offer their goods. The shops are open every day, and on weekends there is a full-day program that includes concerts, shows, workshops, and more.
Some traditions date back so long that it would be impossible for anyone to determine when they first appeared. Such are festivals. The Egyptians celebrated the beginning of the year for several days to thank their gods. In Rome, they honored the beginning of spring with several days of song and dance. In Ancient Greece, the first music festival was the Pythian Games, when within a few days, participants competed in honor of Apollo, and with wine and theater they honored Dionysus. The Olympic Games also began as a festival in honor of Zeus.
Today, festivals continue to have the same goal - the preservation of traditions. In Bulgaria, large and small settlements stage their festivals every year without fail, usually dedicated to a certain product that is emblematic of the place concerned. Among the prominent examples are the Rose Festival in Kazanlak and the Cherry Festival in Kyustendil.
