Calendar of Events
Jan 1, New Years Day
March 1, Grandmother March Day people give each other martenitzi, little red and white tassels worn for health and happiness.
March 3, Liberation Day from Ottoman rule
March 22, official holiday of Veliko Tarnovo coincides with the beginning of the spring, three days of cultural programme.
Easter Sunday Orthodox Easter
Easter Monday Orthodox Easter
May (first two weeks), 'Balkan Folk' Festival with 10,000 folklore dancers, singers, musicians and orchestras from all over Bulgaria.
May, Festival of Humour, Gabrovo
May 1, Labour Day
May 6, St. George’s Day celebration of the Bulgarian Army.
May 9, Victory Day celebration of victory of Russian army over Nazi Germany in 1945.
May 24 Bulgarian Education and Culture, and slavonic Literature Day, celebrating Bulgarian culture and the Cyrillic alphabet.
July 18 to Aug 2, International Folklore Festival Folklore ensembles from Bulgaria and the world participate in concerts etc. http://www.d-soft.org/projects/iff/ Last year this fantastic festival included folklore groups from Ecuador, Russia, Ukraina, Thailand, Costa Rica, Turkey, Hungary, Chile, Mexico, Georgia, Malta, India, Iraq and Bulgaria.
August 7 - 16, Stage of Ages at Tsaravets Hill with opera, theatre and ballet performances.
Programme:
Aug 7, 8, 9: "Prince Igor" opera by Alexander Borodin
Aug 11: "Zorba the Greek" ballet by Mikis Theodorakis
Aug 14, 15, 16: "King Kaloan" opera by Pancho Vlatigerov
Sept 6 or 9, National Day of Bulgaria’s Reunion in the year of 1885 remembering the unification of Bulgaria and the eastern Rumelia.
Sept 22, Independance Day Independence from the Ottoman empire. National celebration in Veliko Turnovo with guests such as president, prime minister and the army parade. In the evening a "President's reception" is held at "Tsarevets hill".
Autumn, Religious Music International Festival held in Veliko Tarnovo every autumn to acknowledge the best achievements of Christian choir music.
Nov 1, Day of the Bulgarian Revival Leaders
Dec 8 Students' Day
Dec 24, Christmas Eve
Dec 25, Christmas Day
Dec 26, second day of Christmas