This year, the 13th edition of the Festival of Festivals in Bulgaria will be held on August 8, 9 and 10, as over 7,000 amateurs and lovers of Bulgarian folklore, traditions and customs will take part in it, explained to Radio Bulgaria the mayor of the National Revival Period town, Maria Toromanova. Preserved authentic songs, dances and customs from all geographical areas of the country will be shown with the participation of musicians of folk instruments, storytellers of forgotten legends, and reconstructions of local customs will also be made. 

It is precisely this comprehensiveness that is the reason why the National Festival of Bulgarian Folk Art was inscribed in 2016 on the UNESCO list for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, alongside the Chiprovtsi carpets, the Bistrikshte Babi folk ensemble, the firework display and the Surva custom.

"The event is extremely important for the preservation of Bulgarian traditions and folklore," Maria Toromanova says firmly.

A great deal of credit for the authenticity of the past that is being "born" before our eyes today also goes to the specialists from the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with the Ethnographic Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IEFEM - BAS), co-organizers of the event. 30 ethnologists and folklorists, divided into five-person jury committees, will also make the final assessment of the performances on the six stages in order to distinguish the most deserving among the representatives of all 28 regions of the country. Even the smallest detail in their outfits will be noted, even whether they have natural or artificial flowers in their hair, Maria Toromanova hints to us. And the best will be awarded with such a valuable diploma, a certificate of preserved heritage and authenticity from the past.

This is not just a festival, but a living museum of the Bulgarian soul - a place where history, art and national pride merge into one. Therefore, the place of its holding is not accidental - the meadows of the "Vojvodenets" area near Koprivshtitsa. "This area is specific, mostly because of the acoustics. Because these six built stages on the meadows, although they are very close to each other, they do not actually interfere with each other in terms of sound," explains Mayor Maria Toromanova.

"Very attractive for me are also the guests who are not participants in the competition - these are the foreign groups, who also come voluntarily and entirely at their own expense. This year there will be over 13 of them, including troupes from the USA and Great Britain. On Saturday, August 9 at 7:00 p.m. local time, they will be in the central square of Koprivshtitsa, and the concert with their participation will last almost until midnight. It is attractive for us, Bulgarians, that we see people living abroad who have a keen interest in our folklore", Maria Toromanova tells Radio Bulgaria.

"First, I want them to notice the difference between all other festivals and the National Festival of Bulgarian Folk Art. And of course, to feel the Bulgarianness, because there you see the color of all our folklore, and how diverse it is. It is not by chance that I said about the rites - in different regions we have different rites, but each of them is aimed at something specific, they were not accidental. And if they can (the younger ones - ed. note) understand why our ancestors performed them - it will be good. To see the heart of the Bulgarian spirit, and the old spirit, because nowadays it is somehow lost."

Featuring folk music, dances, crafts and customs, this magnificent celebration is proof of Bulgaria's rich cultural heritage, passed down from generation to generation. The National Festival in Koprivshtitsa also goes forward from generation to generation, built by amateurs - guardians of Bulgarian traditions for 60 years. And the grand opening of its 13th edition this year is on Saturday, August 9, at 11 a.m. Bulgarian time and will be broadcast live on the Bulgarian National Television. On the same day, at 9:30 p.m., the spectacle "Fire Mystery of the Nestinari" with ritual dances on embers will also be presented on the central square in the city.

The organizers of the National Festival of Bulgarian Folk Art are the Ministry of Culture, the Municipality of Koprivshtitsa, the Regional Administration of Sofia Region and the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies with the Ethnographic Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IEFEM - BAS).