More than 220 folklore ensembles and individual performers will take part in the 14th Balkan Championship of Folklore “Euro Folk – Jiva Voda 2026”, which will be held in Hisarya from June 5 to 7.

The official opening of the event will take place on June 5 at 7:40 PM at Ivan Vazov Community Centre – 1904. The championship is organized by the Municipality of Hisarya, Ivan Vazov Community Centre – 1904, and Euro Folk Academy, under the auspices of the European Association of Folklore Festivals (EAFF).

Among the official guests at the opening ceremony will be the Mayor of Hisarya Municipality, Iva Valcheva, the Director of the Championship, Maria Sharalieva, and the President of EAFF, Kaloyan Nikolov.

Participants will compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals, as well as nominations for the Grand Prize “Golden Orpheus”. The winner of the Grand Prix “Golden Orpheus” and the title “Absolute Balkan Folklore Champion 2026” will also receive a cheque worth €500, provided by the Municipality of Hisarya.

The competition performances will take place on the stage of Ivan Vazov Community Centre – 1904 throughout the three festival days. A highlight of the programme on June 6 will be the traditional parade of participants along the route from the centre of Hisarya to the community centre, showcasing the colourful beauty of traditional costumes and the richness of folklore traditions. On June 7, at 5:00 PM, the official award ceremony for the distinguished participants and the closing ceremony of the championship will be held.

All concert programmes will be broadcast live through the online platforms of EAFF and EurofolkTV.

Accompanying events of the forum include the Traditional Bread Competition and the exhibition “Living Human Treasures – Bulgaria”, which will be presented in Hisarya from June 5 to 7. The exhibition, prepared by a team of researchers from the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with Ethnographic Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, presents elements from Bulgaria’s National Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage for the period 2008–2024.

The Balkan Championship of Folklore “Euro Folk – Jiva Voda” is among the established international forums dedicated to preserving and promoting folklore heritage and annually brings together performers, artists, and admirers of traditional culture in Hisarya.