Kremikovtsi is a residential area of Sofia, lying to the southeast in the foothills of the Balkan range. The name is associated with the sprawling metallurgical plant that polluted the area in totalitarian times, but also with its medieval monastery. The area around is delightful and is the starting point for many mountain routes - for hikers as well as cyclists. The monastery yard commands a wonderful view of the entire Sofia plain with the silhouette of Mount Vitosha in the distance. The first reliable written data about Kremikovtsi monastery date back to the 15th century, the period in which the church was built in its yard with its authentic frescoes, but the history of the cloister actually goes back to a time two centuries earlier. During the time of Ottoman domination it was a centre of education where many liturgical books were copied. The 1497 manuscript of the Kremikovtsi gospel is among the monastery's most valued possessions.

It was exactly 110 years ago that a teacher from Kremikovtsi village, Pavel Logatorski founded the local chitalishte (community culture club). To begin with he collected and exchanged books, then his work was taken up by many others. One small step after another, the efforts in the cultural sphere in the village bore fruit.

“Our building is far more recent - it was built in 1972,” says Vesselina Gyosheva from the Svetlina (light) - 1906 chitalishte. “We really have our hands full - we have folk dance ensembles - for children, for youngsters and for adults - modern dance groups and two singing groups. For the children we have a great many different clubs - art, foreign language, dancing, sports clubs. This year we mark several anniversaries - 110 years since the community culture club was founded, 160 years since there have been such clubs in the country and 10 years since the start of the Gergiovsko Veselie (St. George's day fun) international folklore festival, again organized by our chitalishte. We shall be celebrating them all with one big concert on 9 May in which all of our groups and ensembles will take part.”

The St. George's day folklore festival is one of the biggest events the community culture club in Kremikovtsi organizes. It is held every year on several stages - next to the club building and on the meadows around the monastery, whose patron saint is St. George. The festival features a wide variety of events, the participants also guest perform in one other Bulgarian town. This year they will be performing in Koprivshtitsa, a town with emblematic National Revival-time architecture.

“Over the years many groups have taken part in the festival - from Bulgaria and abroad,” Vesselina Gyosheva goes on to say. “I have always insisted on having a Balkan group. This year we have observed the tradition - we invited a great many Bulgarian groups, but also groups from Romania, Serbia and Albania. They are all top-level performers and I am proud to say the festival has asserted itself as a forum where excellent folklore is performed by amateur musicians.”

As always, on May 5, 6 and 7 the meadows around the St. George the Victorious cloister will be the venue of this year's Gergiovsko Veselie international folklore festival.

English version: Milena Daynova