Bulgaria is a country rich in age-old traditions and culture. They are re-created in music, dance and in the various traditional festivities and are still an integral part of the everyday life of the Bulgarians. Still alive are many crafts and specific production technologies of typical Bulgarian products, such as rose oil, ljutenitsa (a specialty made of tomatoes, carrots, and peppers), zelnik (puff pastry), etc.
Many holidays, music and dance festivals, outplay festivals, customs and traditions are closely connected to the Bulgarian soul.
If you want to get acquainted with the Bulgarian lifestyle, the best way is to visit some of the most famous annual festivals and feasts in Bulgaria. All of them are celebrated with parades, games, various contests, dancing, songs and lots of fun. According to the theme of the feast the participants wear various fancy dresses and national costumes.
Besides, there are many traditions and customs descending from the ancient times of Bulgaria: weddings, dance performances, historical events, the daily life of the Bulgarians in the 20th century, and many others.
The Rose Festival has become probably the most famous international event in Bulgaria. It is celebrated in several locations in the Rose Valley and the most popular festivals are in Kazanlak on the first weekend of June and in Karlovo on the last weekend of May. More information about the Rose Festival in Bulgaria.
Dates for 2025: 8th June 2025
About a month after the Rose Festival celebrations, the fields of the Rose valley have already changed their colors from pink to purple. And the aroma of oil-bearing roses has been replaced by that of the lavender.
The Lavender festival is a relatively new feast, but it becomes more and more popular every year. Two bigger Lavender Festivals are held in the southern part of Bulgaria in the second half of June – the Festival of Lavender and essential oil crops in Karlovo and the International Lavender Festival in the region of the town of Chirpan.
* An interesting, yet not very popular fact is, that Bulgaria is a world leader in lavender oil production. In fact, for several years the country has overtaken France to become world’s biggest producer of lavender.
Dates for 2025: 20th till 22nd June 2025
“Surva”, the International Festival of Masquerade Games held in the town of Pernik, is the biggest event of this type not only in Bulgaria, but on the Balkan Peninsula as well. It promotes variations of ancient customs, where men, wearing costumes, scary masks and bells are banishing the evil spirits and preparing for a new beginning. These customs are an important part of the folklore tradition of many Balkan countries.
With its competition program, the “Surva” festival is not only a gathering but also a contest for the living bearers of this tradition, the Kukeri and Survakari. The festival is included in the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO. “Surva” is held annually on the last weekend of January.
Dates for 2025: 24th till 26th January 2025
It’s not that popular of a fact, that Bulgaria is a great place for wine lovers and foodies. Archaeological finds testify that our country has millennia-old traditions in wine-making, leading to today’s production of high-quality wines of different varieties. The Bulgarians’ love for wine and good food is in the heart of the many, many holidays, celebrating this fine drink.
The wine festivals are a great place not only to enjoy some nice wines, but also to spend quality time exploring the culture, cuisine and local lifestyle of the country. Some of the most intriguing festivals, offering great quality Bulgarian and foreign wines in captivating atmosphere, are:
The cultural calendar of Bulgaria is pretty rich. A lot of various concerts and annual themed festivals are held each year, just to name a few – Opera in the Park, Stage of the Ages, Wake Up Open Air Fest, Wrong Fest, Midalidare Rock Fest, Open Buzludzha Festival, etc. Other intriguing events are:
Muses on the water, part of the Opera in the Park Fest
For a few years now, the Pancharevo lake near Sofia becomes a natural setting for the performances of the “Muses on the Water” festival in July and August. The program includes opera masterpieces, ballet classics, such as “Swan Lake” and musicals, that are presented on the unique stage under the stars.
Dates for 2025: 11th July till 3rd August 2025
Wagner Festival
Another annual summer festival is the Sofia Opera Wagner Festival. Wagner’s tetralogy The Ring of the Nibelung is presented on the stage of the National Opera in Sofia in July. The operas are performed in German, with Bulgarian and English subtitles.
Dates for 2025: 26th June till 5th July 2025
A to Jazz Festival
The International A to Jazz Festival is a remarkable part of the cultural calendar of Bulgaria’s capital Sofia. The festival’s rich program includes more than 25 concerts, jam sessions, art-bazaar of local handicrafts, workshops, yoga and sport events. It is held in July, marking the beginning of summer and presenting the best of jazz and beyond artists in one of Sofia’s beautiful parks.
Dates for 2025: 4th till 6th July 2025
Other interesting and unusual festivals and feasts, typical for Bulgaria, are the countless folklore festivals. Different customs, traditions, typical songs and dances, dishes, foods and drinks, costumes, mystical and ancient practices and many more are being celebrated every year all over the country. Some of them, like the Nestinarstvo and Surva festival, are recognized by UNESCO as World cultural heritage, and an increasing number of Bulgarian festivals are gaining international fame.
Nestinarstvo – the Fire dancing festival
The Nestinarstvo rite has its roots from the ancient Thracians who have inhabited the Bulgarian lands since before Christ. This pagan ritual is based on the cult of the Sun god and today the Nestinari feast honors the two saints Constantine and Helena. The mystical ritual is performed on the night of June 3rd by dancers, barefoot on live coals. Nestinari dancers spend the whole day in preparation to finally fall into trance to perform their dance on the coals. It is a curious fact that the Nestinari have no traces of burns on their feet and esoterica, religion and science have many explanations for this mystery.
Today, this ritual is best preserved in the villages of Strandzha Mountain and in parts of north Greece. The fire dances could be observed in other places in Bulgaria as well, as part of tourist attractions.
Since 2009 this mysterious rite in part of the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Festival of the National Costume in Zheravna
The picturesque mountain village and also an architectural reserve Zheravna is where the Festival of the National Folk Costume takes place. The festival is held for three days on the second last weekend of August. In order to achieve maximum authenticity and recreate the Bulgarian way of life of 150 years ago, there are strict rules the visitors must respect. First, you must be dressed in folklore attire. It is prohibited to use a number of objects from modern life, such as mobile phones, cameras, plastic products, etc. But one thing is guaranteed – you will have an extraordinary authentic experience, full of positive emotions and unforgettable memories!
International Bagpipe Festival in Gela village
The song of hundreds of bagpipes can be heard over the lush green meadows of Gela village in the Rhodope Mountains in the first weekend of August. Bagpipers of all ages, coming from different parts of the world, participate in the contest of bagpipe overplaying. This exciting festival is preserved by the locals and is aimed to promote their traditional culture, folklore and the magic of the Rhodope music – probably the most powerful and influential Bulgarian folk music.
Cherry Festival
The town of Kjustendil, the “fruit garden” of Bulgaria, hosts this annual celebration of the cherries in the second half of June. More than 100 different varieties of cherries are presented, along with culinary demonstrations and unique works of art, created with the bright red fruit. Visitors can taste the delicious cherry dishes and drinks and enjoy the fun, music, games and competitions during this feast of fruitfulness.
If you are interested in any specific event that it is not described in the list, please contact us and we will gladly provide you with detailed information.
