International Chamber Music Festival is the eldest chamber music festival in Europe, founded in 1964, and staged each year in the atmospheric Old Town of Plovdiv, with concerts set in landmark architectural venues such as the Regional Ethnographic Museum and other historic sites. Typically running from mid-May to mid-June, the festival presents a focused series of chamber concerts and masterclasses, bringing together leading Bulgarian and international soloists and ensembles in a program that balances beloved classics with rarer discoveries. After a brief interruption in 2020, it continues as one of Bulgaria’s most enduring classical music forums—pairing artistic excellence with the unique ambience of Plovdiv’s heritage setting.

One Dance Festival is Bulgaria’s leading international contemporary dance and performance festival, staged annually in Plovdiv with a bold program of premieres and acclaimed productions from Bulgarian and international choreographers, alongside talks, workshops, and special events that turn the city into a meeting point for today’s dance scene. Formerly known as ONE DANCE WEEK (and earlier Sofia Dance Week), it has grown since 2008 into one of the Balkans’ key platforms for innovative movement and cross-genre performance, combining artistic ambition with an accessible, citywide festival atmosphere.

Nestinarstvo (Fire-Dancing Ritual) is a centuries-old feast in Bulgari, Bulgaria, held each June 3–4 to honour Saints Constantine and Helena and seek the village’s well-being and fertility. By day, sacred icons are carried in procession to a holy spring for blessings; by night, initiated nestinari enter a trance to the beat of drum and gaida (bagpipes) and dance barefoot across glowing embers, turning the village square into a smoke-lit theatre of faith and folklore.

Фестивал на розата (Rose Festival) is Bulgaria’s most fragrant celebration, held each June in the Valley of the Roses, the world’s leading producer of rose oil. Locals in traditional costumes gather at dawn to harvest delicate Damask roses, while visitors join in lively parades, folk performances, and rose-picking rituals. The festival also showcases rose-based treasures—from perfumes and liqueurs to sweets and crafts—highlighting the flower’s deep cultural and economic importance. Blending color, scent, and centuries-old tradition, the Rose Festival of Kazanlak is a joyful tribute to Bulgaria’s national bloom.

Празник на черешата (Cherry Festival) is Kyustendil’s sweet salute to the cherry harvest in Kyustendil, Bulgaria, held each late June when the town proudly leans into its nickname, the “Fruit Garden of Bulgaria.” The center fills with an exhibition-bazaar of gleaming cherry varieties and inventive cherry displays, plus tastings and take-home treats—jams, syrups, cakes, and pastries—all backed by lively folk music and dance that turns a simple fruit celebration into a full weekend of local pride and summer flavor.

Международен фестивал за танци и песни „Златни дни“ (International Festival of Dance and Songs “Golden Days”) brings performers to Varna, Bulgaria in early July to celebrate folk dance and traditional songs through a friendly, non-competitive showcase of ensembles from different countries. Expect colorful costumes, live rhythms, and stage concerts that highlight each group’s signature styles, plus a festive defile (parade) atmosphere that spills into Varna’s seaside streets, blending cultural exchange with breezy Black Sea summer energy.

Празници на изкуствата „Аполония“ (Apollonia Festival of Arts) turns Sozopol, Bulgaria into a seaside stage each late August to early September, celebrating the richness of Bulgarian culture through concerts, theatre premieres, film screenings, exhibitions, and literary evenings. Events spill across the Old Town—anchored by the open-air Apollonia Amphitheatre—with artists and audiences drifting between shows, pop-up talks, and book launches. Expect a relaxed Black Sea atmosphere, plus masterclasses and a lively kids’ program that keeps the town buzzing from afternoon to night.