This Thursday is shaping up to be one of the most eventful and exciting days in the country's cultural calendar this summer.
Residents and guests of several Bulgarian cities will have the opportunity to choose between world music events, traditional festivals, theater performances and charity art exhibitions.
Here are the most important highlights of the day's program:
Top-class progressive rock and opera under the stars in the capital
The musical event of the evening in Sofia is undoubtedly the concert „BEAT: King Crimson Celebration Show“. The progressive rock project, uniting legendary musicians, will blow up Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture at 7:00 p.m. Fans of heavy and complex sound will enjoy a reassessment of some of the most influential albums in the history of rock.
For fans of classical art, Sofia offers a different, but equally spectacular experience. On July 9, the large-scale festival „Opera on the Square“ officially opens. Under the open sky, the audience will be able to be transported to the world of dramatic Italian masterpieces with the premiere performances of the operas “Rural Honor“ and “The Executioners“.
Carnival Spirit by the Sea and Vase Celebrations in Sopot
The summer spirit conquers the Northern Black Sea Coast with the official start of „July Nights Kavarna – Carnival 2026“. The four-day festival starts on Thursday and promises to turn the seaside town into an arena for large-scale parades, dances and a round-the-clock music program for tourists.
On the same day, the traditional Vase celebrations. With a series of solemn events, the city will pay tribute to the work of the patriarch of Bulgarian literature Ivan Vazov, attracting patriots from all over the country.
Debut art and international literature
The art scene in Sofia will be enriched with the charity exhibition „On the Brink“ by artist Iva Tsolova-Kutsarova. The exhibition of 15 paintings opens at 7:00 PM in the alternative space of the Water Tower in the Lozenets district.
A little earlier, at 6:00 PM, in the "Pencho P. Slaveykov 1921" National Community Center will be held a prestigious Literary Salon. The free-entry event will award the laureates of the international competition "Fine Pen 2026-Chicago" and the new book by writer Snezhana Galcheva will be presented.
Comedy and laughter in Veliko Tarnovo
The cultural wave will not pass by the old capital either. Actor Dimitar Rachkov is visiting Veliko Tarnovo with his popular humorous show „Rachkov and the Women“. The spectacle, filled with laughter and life's irony, promises to fill the hall and give an unforgettable evening to the Tarnovo audience.