Music Weeks were held for the first time in Varna in 1926. They set the beginning of the International Art Festival Varna Summer.
Every year from May till the beginning of October Varna turns into a crossroad of artists who work in the field of music, the theatre and dance. The May Choral Competition is held at the end of May. At the beginning of June actors and lovers of the theatre come to Varna from all over the world for the Theatre Festival.

June and July are dedicated to classical music. The Jazz Fest and the International Folklore Festival are held in August. One of the most prestigious cultural events is the International Ballet Competition. It was founded in 1964 and is a biannual event.
No doubt the two autumn film festivals - Love is Folly, and the biennale of the Bulgarian Film - The Golden Rose, attract numerous fans of the film art. Every two years the close of the festival summer in Varna is marked by the International Festival of Puppet Theatres - the Golden Dolphin.


The resort of Golden Sands keeps the tradition to organise festival and cultural events in the summer months. The magnificent festival of masked dancers is a vivid illustration of the Bulgarian folklore. The two festivals - jazz and rock - attract a growing number of young people.
At the beginning of June during the Golden Albena Festival, the resort of Albena becomes the pivot of the television and advertising business in Bulgaria. Foreign holidaymakers at the resort are fascinated by the international folklore festival Dobrudja Sings and Dances.

The children’s festival We - the 21st century brings to Albena children from all parts of the country.
The two literary festivities dedicated to Dora Gabe and Yordan Yovkov (the latter is held every five years) focus on the eternal values in Bulgarian literature. Their venue is the town of Dobrich.
Among the prestigious cultural events which the town hosts are the Pancho Vladigerov National Folklore Competition of young performers, the Easter and Christmas music festivities, the Anastas Petrov ballet festivities and others.

Some of the most impressive performers who take part in the programme of the Varna Summer Festival also give guest performances on stage in Dobrich in July and August. In May every year the town hosts the Sarandev Youth Pop and Rock Festival.
The children’s choir festivals in April, the Pancho Vladigerov national competition for piano and violin players and the Modern Bulgarian Drama theatre festival in May, as well as the Madara Horseman Music Festival held in the second half of June in the cave of the Madara Horseman Reserve are among the most prestigious events in the cultural calendar of Shoumen.
Every year the town hosts an international folklore festival within the Varna Summer Festival, as well as the Days of Shoumen cultural festivities and Winter Music evenings.



Events in Varna

  • Day of the vine-grower and wine producer- Trifon Zarezan, February;
  • Festival of the martial and eastern arts, February;
  • Rumy and Albena Modern Gymnastic Tournament, March;
  • Song about Varna Competition, March;
  • Days of Greek culture in Varna, March;
  • Festival of the amateur art activities, April;
  • National Competition for performance of works by Czech and Slovak composers, April;
  • 7th National Competition for physical and show look-alikes "the Twin", April;
  • Saint Lazar's Day and the related custom, April;
  • 4th Frederic Chopin National Competition for young piano players;
  • Saint George's Day, Valour Day, May;
  • Prof. Georgi Dimitrov International May Choir Competition, May;
  • The VARNA Prize awarding ceremony, May;
  • Day of the Bulgarian education, culture and the Slavonic Script, May;
  • Sea and Memories International Festival of the old town song, May;
  • The Golden Fish International Festival of Fairy tales, spring;
  • Varna Summer International Theatre Festival, June;
  • Concerts of the Municipal brass band, June;
  • International Ballet Competition, June-July;
  • Varna Summer International Music Festival - 75th anniversary, June-July;
  • The 4th Bulgarian Riviera International Choir Assembly, June;
  • Concerts of the Municipal brass band, July;
  • Varna Summer International Summer Music Academy, July;
  • Varna Summer International Jazz Festival, August;
  • Varna 2001 International Folklore Festival, August;
  • Week of the Sea, August;
  • Day of Varna, the Assumption of the Holy Virgin, August;
  • Love is Folly Film Festival, August- September;
  • Modern Gymnastics Tournament for the prize of HRH Queen Margarita, September;
  • International Print Biennale , September- December;
  • The Golden Dolphin International Puppet Festival, every three years, the 12th editiion in October 2002;
  • The Golden Rose Festival of the Bulgarian Film, October;
  • International Day of Music and Day of Bulgarian poetry, October
  • The 4th Fall of Leaves of memories Festival of bands of retired people who perform old town songs and authentic folklore, October;
  • Saint Nicholas' Day, December;
  • The 9th Christmas Dancing Competition National Dance Contest- Varna, December;
  • Promising Youth International Table Tennis Tournament;
  • International Bridge Festival;
  • Traditional Small Goal Football Tournament;
  • National Christmas Wu-Shu Festival, December.


Events in Varna region

Shoumen

  • Performances of the Drama and Puppet Theatre - in Shoumen, on Wednesdays during the season;
  • Concerts of the Shoumen Philharmonic Orchestra, on Thursdays in the season;
  • The Art Gallery of Shoumen-based artists opens an exhibition of local and gueSt artists, every three weeks, 18 October is the traditional opening day of the exhibition;
  • Saint Trifon's Day in the village of Osmar, February;
  • Wine Fest, February;
  • Saint Todor's Day at the Kabiyuk stud farm, March;
  • Children's Choir Festivities, 1-8 April;
  • Pancho Vladigerov National Competition for piano players, 2002 for violinists, 2003 - international; the cycle is repeated, 29 April- 5 May;
  • Traditional Gathering of reading Club members, May;
  • New Bulgarian Drama Theatre Festivities, 11-16 May;
  • Days of Shoumen 2001 Cultural Festivities, 11-24 May;
  • The Madara Horseman Music Days at the cave in the Madara Reserve, beginning at second half of June on four consecutive Thursdays;
  • International folklore festival Shoumen 2001 as a part of Varna Summer Festival, beginning of August;
  • The Water Melon Festival in the village of Salmanovo, end of August;
  • The Festival of Abundance, 14 October 2002;
  • 20th anniversary of the inauguration of the Founders of the Bulgarian State Monument and the building of the Regional History Museum and the Regional library- Shoumen, 28 November 2001;
  • Winter Music Evenings, from 1 December on four consecutive Thursdays;
  • Shoumen Expo Autumn Exposition, October.

Dobrich

  • Ivan Georgiev National Folklore Competition for young performers;
  • Sarandev International Youth Pop and Rock Festival, May
  • Promising, Talents, Masters International Youth Music Festival, September
  • International Varna Summer Festival, July and August
  • Easter and Christmas Music Festivities
  • Gifted People of Dobrich, December
  • Days of Yovkov, every five years, November 2000
  • Anastas Petrov Festivities of the Art of Ballet, every five years, June
  • Dora Gabe Literary Festivities, jointly with the village of Dabovik, August

Razgrad

  • Day of Razgrad, 28 January
  • Dimitar Nenov Music Days 2000, every other year, May
  • National Competition for singers and piano players, 2001, every other year, May
  • The Children of Bulgaria Dance National Competition 2001, 23-25 May
  • International Fine Arts Plein Air 2001, every other year, June
  • International Exhibition of Satirical Drawings, 2002, every two years, July
  • International Folklore Festival 2001, every other year, July
  • Trade Expo Traditional Autumn Fair, 2nd ten days of September
  • Balkan Theatre Festival 2000, every other year, 3rd ten days of September
  • Stanka Nikolitsa-Spaso Elenina Literary Days 2002, every 5 years, November