Event Details
Cherry Festival Kyustendil – Bulgaria's Sweetest Folk Celebration
From 26 to 28 June 2026, the western Bulgarian town of Kyustendil celebrates its most beloved annual tradition: the Cherry Festival. The event dates back to 1896, when Kyustendil hosted Bulgaria's first national fruit-growing exhibition, earning the city the title "Mother of the Bulgarian Fruit Gardens." Since 2008, the festival has been organised by Kyustendil Municipality and the Institute of Agriculture in Kyustendil, attracting over 200 cherry growers, traders and craftspeople from across the country.
Highlights
- Over 100 varieties of sweet cherries from across Bulgaria on display in the City Garden
- "Cherry in Crafts" competition featuring categories such as "Biggest Cherry" and "Best Arranged Cherry Stand"
- Folklore festival "Chereshchitsa Rod Rodila" with choirs, dance ensembles and solo performers
- Presentation of new cherry varieties by the Institute of Agriculture
- Live cooking demonstrations by leading Bulgarian chefs
- Free guided city tours in Bulgarian and English
- Open-air concerts each evening throughout the festival
Program 2026
Friday, 26 June: Festival opening with live performances by Trio Bulgarina, ETNOTIX and Molets. The cherry market, crafts alley and cherry chill zone in the City Garden all open simultaneously.
Saturday, 27 June: Concerts by Kristian Yankulov, Bilyana Dobreva, ELIZABET, VENIAM and Dara Ekimova. On the sidelines, the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency (BTA) and Kyustendil Municipality signed a formal partnership to promote the city's cultural calendar internationally.
Sunday, 28 June: Live cooking demonstration by chefs Petar Petrushev and Nikola Simeonov, a performance by the National School of Dance Arts from Sofia, and free guided city tours in Bulgarian and English.
The Cherry Market
The centrepiece of the festival is the cherry and cherry product exhibition market in the City Garden. Stalls are decorated with vivid red cherries and intricately crafted cherry-themed displays. Visitors can sample cherry cakes, jams, syrups and cherry brandy alongside the freshly harvested fruit. A beloved tradition is the "Veshela": cherries and their stems woven artfully around thin branches into hook-shaped decorative displays.
Visitor Tips
- Kyustendil is located approximately 90 km southwest of Sofia, easily reachable by bus or car.
- Admission to the festival is free of charge.
- Book accommodation in Kyustendil or Sofia in advance, as the festival draws visitors from across Europe.
- Kyustendil cherries are prized for their firm, crunchy texture, easily separated stone and characteristic ruby-red juice.
- Free English-language guided tours of the city are part of the official program.
