Folklore, Farmers & Kukeri

In this week’s Buzz:

• What does the ice rink become in the summer season?

• Local municipality reminds people about recycling bins & their locations

• Pirin National Park Directorate closes hiking trail for safety

• Eating healthy and living longer programme for school children

• Sustainable Development tourist project meeting

• Quiet period in town means lots of places are closed until June

Horse Races, Kukeri Displays, An Animal Exhibition, and Lots of Folklore Singing and Dancing

This weekend Between the Three Mountains farming event took place between Bansko and Razlog. It attracted over 150 farmers and hundreds of spectators to celebrate traditions and Bulgarian spirit.

There were many different farm animals to see, as well as bouncy castles, food stalls, horse races, animal exhibitions, a kukeri display, and a folklore extravaganza. For the first time, mounted police officers from the Ministry of Interior took part and impressed onlookers with their “masterful riding”. See some of the photos from the event here.

You would be correct if you don’t remember seeing this in last week’s list of events. It seems like it isn’t just local businesses in Bansko that like to publish information about an event just a few days before it’s happening 🤦.

Local Charity — Bansko Street Dogs

Bansko Street Dogs is a local non-profit/charity that helps care for any dumped puppies/dogs in Bansko and surrounding areas. They help street dogs through emergency care, neutering, flea & tick treatment, and setting up kennels/feeding stations to keep streeties warm, dry and well-nourished.

They receive no government funding or grants, operating solely on donations from individuals like you (you can donate here). If you’d like to volunteer for the organisation by “lending a paw”, read this page.

Inside the Bansko Notice Board Group

✍️ 54 New Posts, 💬 195 Comments, 👍️ 664 Reactions

Anyone Know What These Creatures Are?
Daniel posted photos of some dead insects on his terrace and wanted to know what they were. See what people thought.

Has Anyone Got An EORI Number in Blagoevgrad?
Mark has a package held by customs in Sofia, and the courier wants him to complete some paperwork and send an EORI number. See what advice people had.

Random Checks on The Bulgarian/Greek Border
Tony asked if anyone knew why the border police are randomly stopping people near the Greek border, especially with Bulgaria now being in Schengen. See what people thought about it.

In Winter It’s An Ice Rink, But What Is It In The Summer?
Marina was curious about what happens to the ice rink on Pirin Street in the summer (it’s an open-air one, so it can’t operate outside of the winter season). See what people said.

(The above posts are publicly accessible. You don’t need a Facebook account to view them.)

Local/Municipality News

Municipality Reminds Residents & Tourists About Recycling Locations
Bansko Municipality has reminded people who live in the town or visit here about the many locations where people can recycle household objects and clothing. They created a video here highlighting what items should be placed in what colour bins, and a Google map here shows all of the individual locations.

Young Hopefuls in Final For Mathematics Without Borders 
Four young people from Bansko have progressed to the final round of the Mathematics Without Borders competition. There were 1,300 participants, and the four youngsters from Bansko showed off their mathematical talent. The final will take place at the end of June in Nesebar. Read more.

Four Medalists in European Taekwondo Championships
The European Taekwondo Championship took place in Tallinn (Estonia) recently and included over 800 participants from 28 countries. Four individuals from Bansko’s Hawk Taekwondo club celebrated as they won medals in their categories. Read more.

Eating Healthy, Living Longer
Students from the local primary schools in the municipality took part in a “Live Healthy - Think Early” programme designed to educate and encourage young people to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Third-grade students (8-9 years old) learned about healthy eating and the harms of too much sugar, and fifth-graders (10-11 years old) learned about the harmful effects of tobacco and energy drinks. Read more.

Pirin National Park Directorate Closes Hiking Trail
The Pirin National Park Directorate has closed a hiking trail from Banderitsa Polyana to Banderitsa Hut due to landslides and the narrowing of a dangerous area around the Banderishki Skok Waterfall. National Park officials and the mountain rescue service are working together to find a solution, but individuals should use the road for the time being. Read more here and here [Translation required].

Recommended Businesses

SAVE on your ticket to Bansko Nomad Fest this year. Head to the BNF website and get €25 off using the discount code buzz on this page.

Shop on Amazon & get packages delivered to Bansko with GGBG. Regular transport from the UK, Germany and the USA to Bulgaria. See website for info.

Travelling out of your home country in 2025? Get travel insurance designed by travellers. True Traveller: one policy to cover all of your activities. Learn more.

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Events Next Week

Friday Events For Coworkers/Nomads
Now that we’re into sunny evenings again in town, two main events occur on a Friday for coworkers and nomads (as well as everybody else). Altspace’s Friday Beers (here) from 6pm to 8pm (BYOB), and Coliving Bansko’s Friday mixer (here) from 8pm (drinks available to purchase at the bar). Both are worth going to if you want to meet people and have a few conversations.

Sustainable Development of the Rilo-Pirin Tourist Region
On Thursday 15th of May, from 10am to 3pm, the local municipality will be running a sustainable development project for good data management in tourism at the Tourist Information Center in town (by the big tree). Registration is required by EOD on the 12th of May. More info. [Translation required.]

Spring Salsa & Bachata Friends Weekend
From Thursday 15th to Sunday 18th of May, there will be a salsa and bachata weekend at Saint George Palace Aparthotel in Bansko. Two instructors from Greece will help individuals improve their technique, whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced. More info. [Translation required.]

School For Future Parents
On Saturday 31st of May at 10am, Razlog Hospital starts its monthly school for future parents to teach them what to expect and to support them. The topic for the first session is Preparation for Pregnancy, Birth and Care for the Newborn. More info.

Photo of the Week

Sunset over Bansko town.

Tag @banskobuzz to get your photo in the Buzz.