World Cup of Folklore - Veliko Tarnovo will be held for the third consecutive year in the ancient Bulgarian capital and it is gaining serious popularity among folklore performers not only Bulgaria but also in other countries! The competition element is a challenge for more and more performers to present in most precise way the beauty of folklore art in all its forms.

In the first edition of the World Cup in 2016, 15 groups and individual performers took part in the competition and now in its third edition more than 60 groups and individual performers are involved in the program (about 1200 participants from Bulgaria, Yakutia (Russia), Sweden, Slovakia, Canada, Iran, Indonesia, Georgia, Lithuania). Some of the countries will be presented by more than one group. 

This year, the World Cup of Folklore - Veliko Tarnovo will be held simultaneously with the 9th Bulgarian National Championship of Folklore "Euro folk" and Festival No. 1 in Europe - 22nd Stara planina Fest "Balkan folk". About 5000 singers, musicians and dancers from all the ethnographic ares of Bulgaria will take part in the twenty-second edition of the "Balkan folk" festival. 

During the large folklore celebration (six seven-hours concerts!) a lot of interesting accompanying events will be held: two parades in the town's center; two master classes - "Friends in diversity"; meeting with the Mayor of Veliko Tarnovo Municipality; official opening and closing ceremonies which will be attended by official guests and representatives of institutions and embassies of countries, which will be presented by the groups. 

All the concerts will be broadcast live on Internet by the official media partner of the event - EurofolkTV - tv.eurofolk.com.

Folklore samples from the treasure chest of Bulgarian, European and world folklore will be presented at the Summer Theater stage in Veliko Tarnovo from 10th till 20nd of May 2018. You can find the program on the official website of the European Association of Folklore Festivals - EAFF.