January 1 - New Year
March 3 - National day of the Liberation from Ottoman Domination
Easter - Two days (Sunday and Monday) according to the Orthodox calendar
May 6 - Gergyovden (St. George's Day, and day of the Bulgarian Army)
There are a lot of rituals and celebrations, concerning St. George's day (Gergiovden). It is celebrated on the 6th of May, although some calendar changes brought by the Orthodox Church (all dates for celebration of the saints have been changed some time ago).
Saint George the Victorious ("Pobedonosez") was cannonized by the Church because of what he has done. He is usually painted on an icon as riding a white horse, holding a lance in his hand, stabbed in the throat of a beast - the dragon ("lamia"). According to the legend, a dragon used to attack the shepherds and their sheep and each time the dragon used to steal a sheep or a lamb. The shepherds were desperate. Then St. George appeared and killed the dragon. Since that day, the shepherds celebrate St. George every year and make a "kurban" - slaughter of a lamb (sacrifice for St. George). In every house of a village, a lamb is slaughtered. Before that some flowers are put on the lamb's horns and even a prayer is read. All village gates (doors) are covered with flowers. Early in the morning, people go to the river to wash themselves. On this days, people has to check their weight ("pretegliam se") - it has been the "only" day of the year when people checked their weight. There has also been a tradition that people goto a swing ("lyulka") on that day.
St. George's day (Gergiovden) has been pronounced (some years after the liberation of Bulgaria) as the day of the Army - the Bravery day. The main Army parade used to take place on this day. Recently, this festivity has been restored.
May 24 - Day of the Bulgarian culture and the Slavonic script
September 6 - National Day of Bulgaria’s Reunion in the year of 1885
September 22 - Independence Day
November 1 - Day of the Bulgarian Revival Leaders
December 24-26 - Koleda (Christmas Eve and Christmas)
An old national custom. Young men dressed in national costumes go from house to house, chanting carols for health, happiness and fertility.
December 31 - New Year's Eve
Bulgarians have a number of different traditional ceremonies, festivals and holidays.
There are events dated centuries back, combining pagan with orthodox and folk elements.
The Kukeri Festival is celebrated on 11 January in the region of the towns of Pernik and Dupnitsa. The participants, named Kukeri, wear traditional masks and costumes and perform ancient dances to drive away the evil spirits. Similar festivals take place at other parts of the country like the Rodopi and Strandja mountains.
St. Trifon Zarezan on 14 February is an ancient festival of the wine growers. Dressed in their Sunday-best, wine-growers prune the vines and sprinkle them with wine for a good harvest. Everyone then gathers for a delicious meal.
Granny Marta's Day is on 1 March.
On the first day of March, Bulgarians wish each other health and happiness with "Chestita baba Marta" - (in English "Happy Grandma Marta"). "Marta" comes from the word for March (Mart) in Bulgarian. This is an ancient Bulgarian (pagan) tradition (well - I can't tell you how old but I think that it's more than one thousand years old) and symbolizes the end of the cold winter and the coming of the spring. Usually we put a thread in red and white on ourselves (on our wrist or clothes) and when we see the first stork we throw the red and white thread on a tree. The red and white colours symbolize the snow and the blood from an old story where, a stork brings the blessing for health to a small child from its parents, who are far away. The giving of the "marteniza" makes you feel to expect the Spring very soon. The "arrival" of the stork indicates that this has happened.
The lack of "real" winter and "storks" raises some difficulties in implementing this tradition nowadays but
Bulgarians are still celebrating and very fond of the 1st of March (in a traditional and "modern" way at the same time).
Festival of Roses is celebrated in early June in the town of Kazanlak.
Koprivshtitsa Folk Festival is dedicated to the authentic Bulgarian music.
Other folk festivals are celebrated also in Shiroka Luka, Rojen, the Pirin and Strandja Mountains. National Festival of Romany Songs and Music (July) is celebrated in the town of Stara Zagora.
The International Jazz Festival (8-13 August) takes place in the town of Bansko, one of the most popular winter resorts in Bulgaria.
Apolonia is a popular arts festival held in the middle of September in the town of Sozopol on the Black sea cost.
Bulgarian must-see places
Useful advice for your stay in Bulgaria
Information about the most popular Bulgarian beach and ski resorts
The town of Bansko has developed into a modern winter resort in just few years with its ski facilities and hotels offering accommodation at average to high prices. The place is particularly popular among foreign tourists, drawn by the blend of antique Revival-time architecture and up-to-date amenities
General Visa and Passport Information for Bulgaria (Consular Information)
Links to the web-sites of all Bulgarian state institutions - the President, the Parliament, the ministries, etc. State agencies and commissions
Basic information about the social insurance, pension insurance, and health insurance systems in Bulgaria
Concise facts and figures about Bulgarian geography, government, economy, communications, transportation, etc.
Information about foreign embassies in Bulgaria. Addresses and telephones
Driving regulations in Bulgaria, driving conditions, violation fines, speed limits, etc.