Event: Bulgaria - Kazanluk

Festival of Roses

When:	6 - 9 Jun 2008 (annual)
Where:	Kazanluk

In Bulgaria the rose is a symbol of youth, beauty and health. Of the thousands of different varieties in the world, only three or four produce oil. Of these, the Kazanluk rose, which has been produced in the Valley of the Roses for over 300 years, is the best. This traditional event celebrates its harvest in the town of Kazanluk.

The Kazanluk rose yields 70 per cent of the world's attar of roses (rose oil), which is an essential ingredient in perfume production.

In late May or early June every year the rose-picking season starts in the valley, which stretches between the Balkan Range and the Sredna Gora Mountains. Picking starts at dawn, before sunrise and before the rose fragrance has had a chance to disappear.

This is the time of the Festival of Roses, which usually takes place on the first weekend in June. The festivities begin on Friday night with a parade and exhibitions of dancing from youth groups across Bulgaria and Eastern Europe. The carnival begins and continues on Saturday, when there is a competition to find the best local dance troupe and a choral concert in Shipka Cathedral in the evening. Usually there is a new art exhibition at the Archaeological Museum and Art Gallery to coincide with the event.

On Sunday the celebration takes place in the rose fields, with singing, dancing and ritual rose picking by children and adults dressed in traditional costume before everyone heads to the Rose Museum for the ritual crowning of the Rose Queen.

Young women carry bread and rose liquor as offerings to the Rose King and Queen and VIPs. Outside the Kukeries begin - masked men and boys in traditional costumes with huge bells hanging from their arms, hips and ankles make plenty of noise and have a lot of fun to mark the end of the event.