From August 16 to 18, the third edition of the “48 Hours Varusha South” community festival will take place in Veliko Tarnovo. This event is part of the Cultural Calendar of the Municipality of Veliko Tarnovo. Over 120 participants, including artists, creators, craftsmen, locals, businesses, and institutions, have joined the festival program. Attendees can enjoy 108 events spread across 47 locations in the Old Town.
Chef Uti Bachvarov and his team will headline the Samovodene Onion Festival in the Veliko Tarnovo village of Samovodene. Set for August 31, this highly anticipated food festival in Veliko Tarnovo will take place in the picturesque square in front of the “Izvor-1873” community center. The festival, which honors the village’s rich history of onion cultivation, offers a day filled with culinary delights, entertainment, and cultural activities for visitors of all ages.
For the first time, the picturesque village of Draganovo will host a unique competition centered on traditional Bulgarian food, particularly the beloved garden soup. This event coincides with the annual Gardener’s Festival, a cherished holiday that celebrates the village’s pivotal role in pioneering European horticulture.
Draganovo, widely recognized as the birthplace of horticulture in Europe, maintains a friendly rivalry with the neighboring village of Polikraishte, which also claims this title. “Our dispute is like the Hundred Years’ War,” jokes Draganovo’s mayor, Ivan Kishev. Despite this rivalry, Draganovo proudly honors its legacy through the Gardener’s Festival, which pays tribute to the hardworking men who taught Europeans how to cultivate exceptional fruits and vegetables.
There are about 190 foreign participants, and nearly 150 Bulgarian participants, Yorgova said. For the first time in the festival, the audience will see representatives of Uruguay, East Timor and Comoros, she added.
On Lazarov Day, April 27, Saturday, little lazarky from the folklore formations of the Municipal Children’s Complex will demonstrate the custom of Lazaruvane from 10 a.m. at the Samovodska charshia. The celebration continues on the Vladish bridge. From there, the little girls will throw their flower wreaths into the Yantra River, calling for health and love.