More than 1,500 participants from municipalities located in Southwestern Bulgaria are to perform at the folklore festival “Pirin Sings” on July 30 and 31. The 60th anniversary of the festival will be marked at Predela saddle, which separates Pirin from Rila Mountains.

The history of the festival

The Pirin Sings festival was established in 1962. It was held every five years until 1985 when this outstanding manifestation of the authentic Pirin folk traditions ceased. The festival was restored in 1997. “Pirin Sings” is not a festival. It is rather a movement for the search, preservation and promotion of primary-source folk songs and traditions”, the residents of the Municipality of Razlog contend. Celebrations dedicated to the 119th anniversary of the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising and the 144th anniversary of the Kresna-Razlog Uprising are also organized within the frameworks of the festival.

The 16th edition of “Pirin Sings” is held under the auspices of Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev. The best performers are to represent the region at the National Festival of Bulgarian Folklore which will be held between August 5 and 7 in the town of Koprivshtitsa.