Folklore Festivals in the Mountains

The mountains in Bulgaria are unique with their great variety of flora and fauna, pure rivers, high peaks and panoramic trekking routes. But there is something else, specific to the mountains and this is the music. Bulgarian folklore is famous all over the world maybe because so many Bulgarians live abroad and they took this unmatched part of Bulgaria with them. There are many festivals across the country, carried out and dedicated to the music but there are few of them which are famous not only in Bulgaria.

This year (2015), for the first time for nine years, in Rhodope Mountains was organized the festival of Rozhen, one of the largest and most substantial in the area. The festival is held on the Rozhen’s meadows, an area at the foot of the peak with the same name, deep into the mountain’s heart. I don’t think that anyone, no matter whether they’re Bulgarian or a foreigner, can stop their tears, when the symbol of the festival – The Hundred bagpipes orchestra (Stote Kaba Gaydi), begins to play the Rhodope’s anthem, Bela sum, bela, yunache. This feeling is beyond description and makes you a part from this beautiful mountain and its brave people. The festival lasts three days, usually at the end of July or the beginning of August. It has over one hundred years of tradition. The first festival was organized in 1898 by the idea of father Angel Indjov – the priest of the village of Sokolovtsi. He urges his parishioners to honor all the saints of the Rozhen chapels on the Day of St. Panteleimon – July 27, at the chapel “St. Kirik and St. Julita” where even today the festival is held down. Rozhen becomes a place where once a year relatives and friends can meet and share their joys and pains together. Imperceptibly, these meetings turn into a nationwide singing competition, gathering singers of the unique Rhodope music. The Rozhen meadows are located very close to one of the most famous Bulgarian winter resorts – Pamporovo. Very interesting landmark near the area is the largest astronomical observatory in Southeast Europe and the Balkans – NAO Rozhen, located at the Rozhen Peak.

A short film about 2015 Rozhen Festival:

As we are in the Rhodope Mountains, we can’t omit one of the most emblematic villages, located only 16 km from Pamporovo Resort – the village of Shiroka Laka. It is one of the places where Rhodope song was born and developed. Many of the most famous singers and pipers of the Rhodope folklore were born here. Proof of this is created in 1971, National School of Folk Arts which is one of the most famous in this field. There is a very noteworthy tradition in the village which you definitely need to see. Every year, the first week of March ends with a mummers fest, named Pesponedelnik. The large mummers monsters girded with wooden swords, painted in bright red, are dancing around the village, decorated with garlic, beans and peppers. On their waists hang bells and every leap makes them rattle and clamouring. They are playing and jumping through the yards to chase away any evil from the houses and people’s souls. All along the way they are accompanied with the sounds of the pipes and the voices of the singers.

Cheverme or lamp on a spare is one of the specialities in the Rhodopes

Very close to Shiroka Laka, there is another small but picturesque village, named Gela. As well as its outstanding nature, it is famous for the yearly organized competition in playing bagpipes. A bagpipe contest in the village is traditionally held every year on the first weekend of August. The festival takes place on the meadows to the chapel St. Elias, above the village. During the event all over the glades are revolving barbecues with lambs, on the lawn are stretching many-coloured rugs and the melodies of the bagpipes sounding late at night.

The Rhodope Mountains are not the only place in Bulgraia famous for its festivals. If we take west, we will reach another beautiful mountain, named Pirin. Every year, in the beginning of August, at the fascinating area, named Predela is organized the world-famous festival – Pirin Sings: “Pirin Pée”. It was founded in 1962 and thanks to it, today many songs, dances, rituals and traditions still exist. Right from the beginning, eminent Bulgarian folklorists, ethnographers, choreographers and musicians are involved in the organization of the event . Over time the initiative exceeded the amateur performances and became the scene of talent. The meeting with “Pirin Pée” is unmatched – magic, combining authentic folk songs, dances, costumes, rituals. Long, colorful ring dances are played around the green meadows of Predela in Pirin Mountains filled with the most beautiful Bulgarian songs.

There is a town in the Balkan Mountains where you can turn time back to the most problematic part of the Bulgarian history, the Ottoman Slavery. In the town of Koprivshtitsa were born many of the bravest men in Bulgaria and here was initiated the bloodiest rising, The April Uprising. This episode creates one of the most beautiful and sad folk songs in the country which can be hear till today. In every five years since 1965, in the town of Koprivshtitsa is organized an annual National Festival of Bulgarian Folklore. The festival popularize in an incredible way the Bulgarian folklore by collecting in one place singing and dancing ensembles from around the country. As a tradition, the fest is held in the Voyvodenets area.

Costume of a “Kuker”