Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Sofia celebrates 2024 with a light show and concert, the no-fireworks rule not quite working 

Photo: BTA

Residents and guests of Sofia welcomed the New Year 2024 at Alexander I Battenberg Square, where a festive concert and light show took place. 

Famous musicians as well as emerging artists took to the stage, creating a warm and festive atmosphere among the audience. These included ViliDJ Brazz & Brass Band from the Lyubomir Pipkov National Music School, young singers Krista, Donny and Neti, Ivo Papazov and the Trakia Orchestra, and the bands Tangra and Ostava. 

Traditionally, at midnight, the Christian Orthodox chant Na Mnogaya Leta, performed by the world-famous opera bass late Boris Hristov, was followed by the most popular Bulgarian chain dance - Diko Iliev's Dunavsko Horo, which made most people join hands and dance. 
Although this year Sofia Municipality banned fireworks at midnight, there was a thunderous celebration near the event, BGNES reported. In fact, the city was ablaze with fireworks, as seen from above, a Radio Bulgaria reporter saw.

Similar festive concerts to bid farewell to the old year and welcome in the new were held in all major cities.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

85 folk ensembles to participate in the "Sparks from the Past" festival in Apriltsi

A total of 85 folk ensembles from across the country will participate in the "Sparks from the Past" festival, which will take place in the mountain town of Apriltsi on July 26 and 27. The open-air stage for the performances will be set up at..

published on 7/26/25 5:45 AM

Red heat alert issued for 12 Bulgarian districts, orange code alert in effect for the rest of the country

On Saturday, it will be sunny and even hotter. In the afternoon, clouds will form over the mountainous regions of Western Bulgaria, and by the evening, also in the northwestern areas. Isolated thunderstorms and rain showers are expected in some..

published on 7/25/25 6:25 PM

President: Pogrom on the Constitution will continue to distort political life

The flaws in the Constitution, admitted by the government of the GERB-SDS and PP-DB coalition with the support of the DPS in 2023, were not removed by the Constitutional Court. That is how President Rumen Radev commented on the fact that yesterday the..

published on 7/25/25 5:46 PM