Traditional Calendar
JUNE
Every first week of June, in Kazanlak, takes place the Rose Festival. The rose is the symbol of Bulgaria. The Bulgarian rose oil is the best in the world and it is used mainly in the luxury French perfumery. Rose oil is extracted from roses that are picked in the period between the end of May and the beginning of June, early in the morning before the morning dew falls. For the manufacturing of about 1 kg. of rose oil 3000 kg. of rose petals must be processed. Therefore rose oil is even more expensive than gold, but that's not so important. What is important however, is that rose oil is one of the symbols of Bulgaria, it does not exist nowhere else except Bulgaria, nor is manufactured elsewhere. Roses could be found everywhere and they are always beautiful, but Bulgarian rose, that magical rose, which every woman carries with her parfum, without even knowing it, exists only in Bulgaria and not everywhere in the country, but only in Kazanlak and Karlovo region, where climate conditions are very specific. The festivals refer mainly to the traditional rituals of rose picking and rose boiling, recreated in authentic environment with many songs, dances and carnival parades. The festival continues two or three days. Young men and women, dressed in national costumes, welcome the guests of the festival and decorate them with garlands of rose blossoms. The most beautiful girl on the festival is nominated and crowned as the Queen of Roses. Guests are treated with the traditional banitsa, rose jam and rose liquor.
On June 24th is Enyovden (the Midsummer Day), which is the day of the summer equinox. Enyovden is considered to be the most magical day of the year, when spells and charms for love are made. Early in the morning herbs are picked as it is believed that they have best healing properties.
On Saint Peter’s Day (29 June) is the end of Peter’s Lent which lasts for two weeks. Chicken dishes are served on this day.
Every first week of June, in Kazanlak, takes place the Rose Festival. The rose is the symbol of Bulgaria. The Bulgarian rose oil is the best in the world and it is used mainly in the luxury French perfumery. Rose oil is extracted from roses that are picked in the period between the end of May and the beginning of June, early in the morning before the morning dew falls. For the manufacturing of about 1 kg. of rose oil 3000 kg. of rose petals must be processed. Therefore rose oil is even more expensive than gold, but that's not so important. What is important however, is that rose oil is one of the symbols of Bulgaria, it does not exist nowhere else except Bulgaria, nor is manufactured elsewhere. Roses could be found everywhere and they are always beautiful, but Bulgarian rose, that magical rose, which every woman carries with her parfum, without even knowing it, exists only in Bulgaria and not everywhere in the country, but only in Kazanlak and Karlovo region, where climate conditions are very specific. The festivals refer mainly to the traditional rituals of rose picking and rose boiling, recreated in authentic environment with many songs, dances and carnival parades. The festival continues two or three days. Young men and women, dressed in national costumes, welcome the guests of the festival and decorate them with garlands of rose blossoms. The most beautiful girl on the festival is nominated and crowned as the Queen of Roses. Guests are treated with the traditional banitsa, rose jam and rose liquor.
On June 24th is Enyovden (the Midsummer Day), which is the day of the summer equinox. Enyovden is considered to be the most magical day of the year, when spells and charms for love are made. Early in the morning herbs are picked as it is believed that they have best healing properties.
On Saint Peter’s Day (29 June) is the end of Peter’s Lent which lasts for two weeks. Chicken dishes are served on this day.
