World City Guide

Special Events

Marenitsa, the coming of spring is celebrated by wearing red and white tassels, Feb-Mar, throughout the city
St Trifon’s Day, a vine growing and wine making festival, 14 Feb, villages outside the city
Liberation Day, national holiday celebrating liberation from Ottoman rule in 1878, 3 Mar, throughout the city
Orthodox Easter, Apr, throughout the city
Labour Day, national holiday, 1 May, throughout the city
St George’s Day, Orthodox festival and official holiday, also agricultural celebration heralding the end of spring and beginning of summer, 6 May, throughout the city
Culture and Education Day, national holiday honouring Saints Cyril and Methodius for devising the Bulgarian alphabet, 24 May, throughout the city
Sofia National Book Fair, organised by the Association of Bulgarian Publishers, late May, NDK
Sofia Music Weeks, festival of classical and contemporary orchestral repertoire, May-Jul, Bulgaria Music Hall and NDK
Festival of European Co-productions, international annual non-competitive feature film festival, early Jun, Lumière Cinema, NDK
Birthday of St John of Rila, 18 Aug, Rila Monastery
Folk Music Festival, first weekend Aug, Koprivshtitsa
International Folklore Festival, last week Aug, Plovdiv
Day of Unification, national holiday, 6 Sep, throughout the city
Independence Day, national holiday, 22 Sep, throughout the city
Feast Day of St John of Rila, 19 Oct, Rila Monastery
Kinomania, three-week film festival, showing the newest and best international and Bulgarian films, Nov, NDK
International Jazz Festival, second week in Nov, various venues
Music Evenings, featuring classical music, early Dec, various venues
Sofia National Book Fair, organised by the Association of Bulgarian Publishers, mid-Dec, NDK
St Nicholas’ Day, 12 Dec, throughout the city
Christmas, national holiday – most families celebrate Christmas on 25 Dec, although traditional Orthodox Christmas is 7 Jan, 25-26 Dec, throughout the city
New Year’s Eve, festivities, 31 Dec, throughout the city