A Historic Milestone for Bansko

Festivals, Films, and Folklore
Marking 112 Years of Independence

Saturday 5th of October marks the official holiday and celebrations of Bansko becoming independent from Ottoman rule 112 years ago.

From tomorrow (Monday 30th) until next Sunday there are a variety of events in town:

• Documentary films

• School museum

• Water festival

• Chronicle of the Mountain

• World Walking Day event

• We do sports together event

• Folklore festival

• Children’s cinema panorama

More information is available in the events section below.

Inside the BNB Group

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Where is The Best Coffee in Bansko?
We added a poll in the group to see where people think Bansko’s best coffee is. There were a variety of options and many different votes. Make sure you’ve voted for yours!

The Hire Car Dilemma: Am I Being Ripped Off?
Micheal posted about his recent car hire experience and whether it was normal to pay a weekly fee for the vignette when the car has been registered for a year-long fee already. Some interesting thoughts in the comments.

Wait… There’s a Forest Gym in The Mountain?
Kasimir wants to know where the forest gym on Google is. A few people had some directions for him. It’s good to see a few outside gyms in Bansko.

Bearded Fella Seeks Cigarette Lighter Plugs For Trip to Greece
Scott wanted to know which shop was most likely to have lighter plugs instead of trekking to all of them.

Local/Municipality News

European Day of Sports in Schools
Bansko celebrated European Sports Week, promoting physical activity and a healthy lifestyle among students. Sports educators and coaches prepared games to encourage physical activity and develop social skills. More info.

Dobrinishte Lift Changes Schedule
The lift up to Bezbog Hut will operate differently from 14 October to 31 October (Mon-Thurs operating 8.30am-9.30am and 3-4pm, Fri, Sat & Sun operating 8.30am-4pm). In November, it will operate 8.30am to 3.45pm every day.

Bansko Wraps Up Summer Programme & Festivities
Running from the middle of June to the end of September, Bansko put on a number of interesting festivals, activities, showcases, and events. It included 14 exhibitions of painting & artwork, 10 folklore groups & ensembles, cultural evenings, festivals such as the Jazz Fest, and much more. I think we can both agree that Bansko does a great Summer Programme. See the photos.

Early Bird Ski Season Pass Prices Announced
Early bird season pass prices have been announced for the 2024/2025 season. EB prices for passes purchased between 1st of October (this Tuesday) and 30th of November will be 1,700BGN: a 13.3% increase from the 1,500BGN EB offer last season. More info.

Supporting Local Charities

Three local charities do great work in Bansko and surrounding areas. Let’s support them: click/tap on their name below to donate.

Sunflower
They continuously support the four safety homes in Bansko, the dementia home in Mesta, and the Sdravetz Centre for people with special needs.

Mountain Rescue Service
Made up mostly of volunteers, they’ll respond to a call 24/7, hiking to rescue someone no matter what the conditions.

Bansko Street Dogs
Helping street dogs in Bansko and the surrounding areas through emergency care, neutering, flea & tick treatment, and kennels/feeding stations to keep streeties warm, dry and well-nourished.

Events Next Week

Walk into The Past Concert (Razlog)
A concert celebrating the Freedom of Razlog will take place tomorrow (Monday 30th) at 6pm in front of the Community Center in the square. Individual performances will be brought together by a scriptwriter, showcasing how things have changed over the past 115 years. More info.

Bansko Town Celebrations Liberation & Freedom
From tomorrow (Monday 30th) to Saturday 5th of October, Bansko celebrates its liberation and freedom. From sporting activities for the children to a folklore festival and museum open days, the town will be vibrant with different activities during the week. More info [translation required].

Screening of the Documentary Vaptsarov
Tomorrow, Monday 30th of September at 6pm, at the Tourist Information Center in Bansko there is a screening of the documentary Vaptsarov. The film tells the story about the life and tragic fate of one of the greatest Bulgarian poets, Nikola Vaptsarov. Entrance is free; the screening and subtitles will be in Bulgarian only 🤷. More info.

The Wings of Good Charity Motorcycle Ride (Razlog)
The Municipality of Razlog is organising a charity motorcycle ride to raise funds for children with special educational needs. It takes place on Saturday (5th) around noon and includes a culinary exhibition of food, music, and local produce from 12.30pm. More info.

Include an Event
Want to include an event in next week’s Buzz?
Complete this form by 6pm on Friday.

Weather Forecast

It looks like we’re in for a chilly few nights this next week (as well as the rest of the country). Hopefully, the forecast is fairly accurate and it doesn’t rain too much!
Meteo Blue here offers the best forecast for Bansko.

Before You Go…

We’re on week 10! 🥳
 
There’s going to be a few small(ish) changes coming over the next few weeks in the run-up to winter season (the busy time in Bansko), but don’t worry, the news & events sections aren’t going away, and we’re not adding a whole load more content either. It’s literally going to be tweaks (and some surprises 😉).

—
Nick
Publisher, Bansko Buzz