Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Sofia celebrates 2024 with a light show and concert, the no-fireworks rule not quite working 

Photo: BTA

Residents and guests of Sofia welcomed the New Year 2024 at Alexander I Battenberg Square, where a festive concert and light show took place. 

Famous musicians as well as emerging artists took to the stage, creating a warm and festive atmosphere among the audience. These included ViliDJ Brazz & Brass Band from the Lyubomir Pipkov National Music School, young singers Krista, Donny and Neti, Ivo Papazov and the Trakia Orchestra, and the bands Tangra and Ostava. 

Traditionally, at midnight, the Christian Orthodox chant Na Mnogaya Leta, performed by the world-famous opera bass late Boris Hristov, was followed by the most popular Bulgarian chain dance - Diko Iliev's Dunavsko Horo, which made most people join hands and dance. 
Although this year Sofia Municipality banned fireworks at midnight, there was a thunderous celebration near the event, BGNES reported. In fact, the city was ablaze with fireworks, as seen from above, a Radio Bulgaria reporter saw.

Similar festive concerts to bid farewell to the old year and welcome in the new were held in all major cities.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgarian-Ukrainian organizations to hold marches on third anniversary since the start of war in Ukraine

Bulgarian-Ukrainian associations and non-governmental organizations are organizing marches in the evening in Sofia, Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo o n the occasion of the third anniversary since the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24...

published on 2/24/25 9:38 AM

Bulgaria's PM congratulates Friedrich Merz and CDU/CSU on election victory in Germany

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov congratulated the German conservatives from the CDU/CSU and their leader Friedrich Merz on the social network X for the "impressive election victory". The Prime Minister points out that after the elections..

published on 2/24/25 9:13 AM

Sofia hosts annual B40 Mayors' Forum

The most prestigious local government  forum in the Balkans, B40, will take place in Sofia between February 24 and 25. The theme of the meeting in Sofia is "The Future of the Balkans: Innovation, Cooperation, Green Transition and Growth" and the..

published on 2/24/25 6:10 AM