A Chinese tradition came to life within the framework of the first two-day Dragon Boat Festival in Bulgaria, which is one of the numerous events that are part of the program of "Summer with Chinese Culture in Bulgaria" (June-August).

The colorful competition attracted the interest of many enthusiasts – more than 20 crews of 10 or 20 people competed in the synchronized rowing and speed contests.

The sporting event aims to popularize this sport in Bulgaria, as in 2025 Bulgaria will host an event of the Dragon Boat World Championships. It will be held in the Danubian city of Ruse, where more than 100 teams and nearly 40,000 enthusiasts from all over the world are expected to arrive.

Those who were not tempted by the sports contest had the opportunity to learn about traditional Chinese games, crafts, clothing and cuisine, as the demonstrations were part of the program of the Dragon Boat Festival near Pancharevo.

We hope that each and every event of this summer's cultural calendar will leave a lasting mark on the cultural exchange between Bulgaria and China, will make the hearts of participants beat in sync and will cause an unceasing positive response," the organizers from the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Bulgaria and the Chinese Cultural Center in Sofia say.

You can learn more about the events that are yet to come from Radio Bulgaria’s article:

• “Summer with Chinese culture in Bulgaria” kicks off on 20 June

Text: Elena Karkalanova

English: Al. Markov

Photos: BGNES and Elena Karkalanova