XXVIII Stara Planina Fest Balkan Folk 2025

Within the scope of Musical Feasts "Euro Folk" under the aegis of the European Association of Folklore Festivals - EAFF - ICH Partner of UNESCO

Musical Feasts "Euro Folk" have been held since 2003 in various cities and countries of Europe. Since 2007, they have been under the auspices of the European Association of Folklore Festivals - EAFF. Typical feature of Musical Feasts "Euro Folk" is that all of the performances are recorded with professional audio and television technics and the best of them are repeatedly broadcasted by more than 20 cable televisions in Bulgaria, by the satelite televisions "Rodina TV" and "T.TV.I.", as well as by television "EuroFolkTV" with free Internet access from all over the world. All this activities realize the main purpose of Musical Feasts "Euro Folk" - to popularize the traditional folk arts through the enormous possibilities of mass media.

Main event of Musical Feasts "Euro Folk" is No1 Festival in Europe for the traditional folklore arts - Stara Planina Fest "Balkan Folk". Every year from 7 000 to 15 000 musicians, singers and dancers take part in it. So far, nearly 200,000 (two hundred thousand) singers, musicians and dancers from all over Bulgaria and from another 30 countries from 4 continents have participated in the Stara Planina Fest "Balkan Folk".

Town host:

Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgarian: Велико Търново) is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars",  Imperial city of Tarnovo. Veliko Tarnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists with its unique architecture. The capital city Tarnovo, which was considered a "New Constantinople", became the country's main cultural hub and the center of the Eastern Orthodox world for contemporary Bulgarians. The old city is situated on three hills, Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora raising amidst the meanders of the Yantra. Tsarevets housed the palaces of the Bulgarian Emperors and the Patriarchate with the Patriarchal Cathedral, as well as a number of administrative and residential edifices surrounded by thick walls. Trapezitsa was known for its many churches and as the main residence of the nobility. In the Middle Ages it was among the main European centres of culture and gave its name to the architecture of the Tarnovo Artistic School, painting of the Tarnovo Artistic School and literature. Veliko Tarnovo is an important administrative, economic, educational, and cultural centre of Bulgaria.

Participants in the festival:

So far have participated groups from: Europe: Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Turkey; Asia: Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Iran; America: Canada; Africa: Algeria.

Purposes of the festival:

• providing a platform for cultural exchange where participants can show the rich cultural heritage through the diverse forms of folk art: music, song and dance
• expression of cultural identity
• promoting mutual respect and understanding between different nations and communities
• making new friendships
• preservation and promotion of traditional cultural elements through artistic performances that ensure their transmission from generation to generation

Simultaneously with Stara Planina Fest "Balkan Folk" in Veliko Tarnovo are held the Bulgarian National Championship of Folklore "Euro Folk" and World Cup of Folklore™ - Veliko Tarnovo.

Regulation for participation:

• Groups willing to participate in the Stara Planina Fest "Balkan Folk" must fill in an application form.
• Individual performers and collectives for authentic and processed folklore - vocal groups, folk choirs, dance ensembles, dance clubs and schools for Bulgarian folk dances, orchestras, groups for recreating customs, ensembles - can participate in the festival. Groups for old urban, classical, tourist and patriotic songs are also accepted for participation.
• There is no age or organizational affiliation limit for participants.
• Stara Planina Fest "Balkan Folk" does not have a competitive nature.
• Duration of repertoires: for individual performers, duet and trio - up to 5 minutes, for groups - up to 10 minutes, for ensembles - up to 15 minutes.
• It is recommended that groups for authentic folklore orient themselves to songs, melodies, customs and dances that are characteristic of the settlement and region they are from, which is of great importance for the color and prototype of the folklore material and tradition.
• Of great benefit will be the careful attitude to the costumes, props and musical accompaniment of the groups, which is of decisive importance for the domestic fidelity of the folk traditions.
• Participants can perform with orchestras (recommended) or with recorded music (on USB). No playback allowed.
• If a copyrighted work is used, the authors and arrangement must be indicated in the application form for participation.
• A link to a published YouTube video (if any) must be included in the application form. A short annotation and a photograph of the participant, not smaller than 1 MB, are sent after the confirmation of participation. These materials will be used for presentation publications.
• Each group should bring a flag of their country/ town or village and a flag of the group, if any, a board with the name of the group and the organization it represents, as well as a few gifts for visits to the Municipality or to exchange with the other participants.
• During the participation of the group, the organizers can invite it to take part in common events - Official opening, Official closing, parade, accompanying concerts, cocktail party, master class or others. The presence of invited groups is recommended.
• Participants can order complete recordings of their performances on DVD or Flash memory for a fee.

Awards:

The participants are awarded subject prizes, honored signs and diplomas for essential contribution at preserving and popularizing of the traditional Bulgarian folk arts. At the discretion of the jury, the participants can receive: "Discovery" Diploma, "Continuity between generations" Diploma, founded in the name of the creator of the Stara Planina Fest "Balkan Folk" - Iliyan Nikolov, Recommendation for participation in the EAFF Championship system and other awards established by sponsors and partners.

Preliminary Program:

Participation fee (for participants and accompanying persons):

• 09 - 12 May - 3 HB (3 nights/4 days on Half Board)
  • Standard                                          2* - 3 HB - 132 Euro
  • Comfort                                      2*/ 3* - 3 HB - 150 Euro
  • Luxury                                             4* - 3 HB  - 198 Euro
• 08 - 12 May - 4 HB (4 nights/5 days on Half Board)
  • Standard                                        2* - 4 HB - 176 Euro
  • Superior standard  / Comfort    2*/ 3* - 4 HB - 200 Euro
  • Luxury                                            4* - 4 HB - 264 Euro

The participation fee includes:

• Accommodation in 1/3 and 1/4 rooms, half-board (breakfast and dinner),
• Organization expenses
• Degrees*
• Invitation letter**  

The participation fee does not include:

• Supplement for lunch: 8-12 Euro, supplement for 1/2 room: 8/14 Euro per person per night, supplement for 1/1 room: 21/32 Euro per person per night
• Additional day in some of the hotels: it costs 49/ 55 / 71 Euro per person
• Transport, parking, insurance...
• Transport from airports /Sofia - 235 km., Burgas - 220 km., Varna - 210 km., Bucharest - 200 km., Istanbul - 420 km.; railway - Gorna Oryahovitsa - 11 km./
• Facultative tours - tour of Veliko Tarnovo (Visit to "Tsarevets" Fortress - Tsars Castle and Ethnological Museum), Sofia, Kazanlak, Gabrovo (Ethnographic complex "Etara"), Shipka, Ruse, Bucharest

Registration of the participants:

Registration of the participants, receipt of the presentation materials, signing and handing over of contracts and clarifications on the program will be carried out from 10:00 to 16:00 by the person in charge of the group /artistic director/ at the registration office next to the entrance to the stage of the "Marno Pole" Summer Theater in Veliko Tarnovo.

General Conditions:

Rest of payment 70% - 15 days before the beginning of the festival or upon arrival with permission of organizers.

With the receipt of the application form, the acceptance of the conditions defined by this regulation is certified.

The best place to watch the show is Tsar Ivan Asen square located right in front of Tsarevets.

Spirit of Veliko Tarnovo                                              - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-zvUh_Hbis