The International Festival of Masquerade Games “Surva”, held every two years in the town of Pernik, near Sofia, is one of the most important cultural events in Bulgaria.
Surva has been officially organized by Pernik Municipality ever since 1966. Back in 1985 it became an international event and in 1995 the city of Pernik joined the International Federation of Carnival Cities as a full member.

29 January 2006 - Pernik, Bulgaria Anna Travali

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Exceptional dancing, outstanding singing, colourful, exquisite costumes and prodigious music all contributed to a marvellous concert held recently at the Military Club in Sofia, Bulgaria.
As well as the famous Bulgarian National folklore ensemble PHILIP KOUTEV, the visiting folklore ensemble DETELINA from Tokyo, Japan, performed Bulgarian national dances. The concert was breathtaking and...

6 December 2005 - Sofia, Bulgaria Anna Travali

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An interest in music recently brought Roberto Romagnoli, from Italy, to Bulgaria specifically to learn the art of playing bulgarian folk instrument tapan. Through Balkanfolk, lessons were arranged with a gifted tapan player, namely Genadii Rashkov who taught tapan at Balkanfolk workshop 2005 and played with "Zornitsa" Orchestra in the evenings.

19 October 2005 - Sofia, Bulgaria Anna Travali

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The tour to Turkey by "Zornitsa" ensemble was interesting and fun. This weeklong festival is held to coincide with Independence Day (September 5th) when Nazilli and surrounding villages were liberated from the Greeks. As well as "Zornitsa," groups participating were...

20 September 2005 - Anna Travali

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From the 7th till the 11th of august the international folklore festival in Varna was held.

There where 11 groups from all over Europe and further, from Latvia to Turkey and from France to Georgia and another 4 groups from Bulgaria.

12 August 2005 - Varna, Bulgaria Nanneke Schinkel

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Balkanfolk has released the first independent album of Vocal Folk Group Zornitsa. It is a beautiful collection of Bulgarian authentic folklore songs. Here one can listen to the curious singing in two voices, which is typical for the Western Bulgarian regions.
Pii Momche Vino (Drink wine, boy) is the song which gave name of the album.

15 June 2005 - Sofia, Bulgaria Boris Dimitrov

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Pirin Ensemble (Blagoevgrad) has already had 50 years left behind - years of sterling work and devotion to the folklore art. It represents on the stage the great variety of traditional songs and dances, customs and rituals, all taken from the authentic Bulgarian folklore. Pirin members are proud to revive, preserve, and spread our folklore peculiarities all over the world. And they are beautiful - unique and remembered.

8 October 2004 - Boris Dimitrov

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The fans call him `Orpheus from Yambol`. Stoyan Varnaliev is one of those Bulgarians, who are endowed with a rich voice, and believe performing of folklore songs is a mission of them. He is a student of the recognized Thracian singer Valkana Stoyanova, who passed more than a hundred authentic Thracian songs on to him. One part of them she had preserved, but never recorded. Some of the songs tell about shepherds and rebels, and while one listens he feels as though he could smell the baking lamb in the Mountain.

10 July 2004 - Sofia, Bulgaria Boris Dimitrov

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