The festival is included in the official celebrations on the occasion of the 20th anniversary from the signing of the Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO

More than 150 Bulgarian groups and performers from Malaysia and Moldova are going to present their traditions on the stage of the XXVI Stara planina Festival "Balkan Folk.

The festival will be held from 11 to 15 May on the stage of the Summer theater located in the Marno pole park. The event is included in the official celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.

On May 12, 13 and 14, the concerts of the emblematic cultural event and its accompanying events will be held. In 2023, accompanying events are the XIII Bulgarian National Championship of Folklore "Euro Folk" and VIII World Cup of Folklore - Veliko Tarnovo. The first day program starts at 13:00 o'clock to 20:25, the second day - from 12:15 to 21:35, and the third day - from 13:55 to 19:30.

The official opening of the folklore festival will be held on May 12th at 19:00, and the closing and awarding ceremony will be held on May 14th at 19:00. On May 13th participants are going to present their national costumes and part of their repertoire during the parade of participants that starts at 18:30 near the Monument "Mother Bulgaria" along the central street of the town getting to the Summer theater stage.

The evaluation commission includes experts from the Institute of ethnology and folklore sciences with Ethnographic museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IEFEM-BAS).

The events are held with the financial and logistical support of the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo in the frames of the Musical Feasts "Euro Folk".

Music and dance variety presented in the three forums will be preserved and disseminated through the possibilities of professional audio and television equipment, with the recordings of the best performances being broadcast repeatedly on four satellite televisions with coverage throughout Europe.

All concerts are free and can be watched live on the online platforms of the European Association of Folklore Festivals - EAFF and EurofolkTV.

Related Festivals

8.6
7 – 12 May 2025

XXVIII Stara Planina Fest Balkan Folk 2025

Veliko Tarnovo Bulgaria