On 1 and 2 August, the village of Gela, near Smolyan in the Rhodope Mountain will host the annual national Bagpipe Contest. Admirers of the Rhodope bagpipe from around the world are also expected to arrive, some of them of course taking part in the contest in the traditional Rhodope instrument. Depending on the age group, participants must perform tunes of varying difficulty.
The event is to take place during the local Ilinden Fair, always during the first weekend of August. Usually about 10,000 people gather on the Ilinden meadows close to the village of Gela, so Smolyan Municipality organizes special bus lines during the weekend.
The fair is the most populous in this region. Since time immemorial, it has brought together heirs of Rhodope families from near and far. It is also popular among foreign lovers of Bulgarian folklore. This year the Gela Fair expects guests from Japan, Hungary, the Netherlands, Britain, Scotland and other countries.
For more than 20 years in the city of Montana, there has been a tradition on January 6 for people to go to Montanenzium Park, where there is an artificial lake, suitable for conducting the Orthodox Christian ritual called "Saving the Holy Cross" on the..
The Orthodox church marks the day of Saint Sylvester today. A Roman Pope, who lived in the 3rd-4th century, and who, according to legend baptized Emperor Constantine I the Great and converted him to Christianity. In folklore belief, Saint Sylvester is..
In Yambol, a large Christmas carolling festival is traditionally organized on December 25, in which dozens of caroling groups (koledari) sing and dance. Only in Yambol the carollers not only sing and bless, but also dance. The Yambol Christmas..
Overcast, rain
Cloudy
Mostly Cloudy
Partly cloudy, chance of rain