Red Angel Swoops Into Action Over Bansko

Bulgaria’s HEMS Makes its First Emergency Rescue in the Pirin Mountains

Yesterday, Bulgaria’s new Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) made its first rescue flight in the Pirin Mountains (under Vihren Peak).

The local mountain rescue service in Bansko – always available to go at a moment’s notice – requested help from Bulgaria’s new helicopter service to get an injured woman off the Pirin Mountains as it was deemed not suitable to go by land (difficult terrain and the casualty had multiple injuries). There were also thunderstorms and bad weather in the area at the time.

Around 6pm, HEMS was called to transport the woman from Little Cauldron under Vihren Peak to St Anna University Hospital in Sofia.

The PSS (mountain rescue) do a fantastic job, heading out in all types of conditions at any time of the day or night to rescue people getting into trouble on the mountain. None of us can predict when we’ll need them. Feel free to tap/click here to send them a donation.

Inside the Notice Board Group

✍️ 117 New Posts, 💬 584 Comments, 👍️ 1,251 Reactions

Can You Swim in Any Lakes in Bansko?
John wanted to know whether there are any lakes in Bansko where someone can swim. Lots of people gave him some advice and ideas.

Paying Your Bills And Having a Beer
“Paying everything in cash” advocate David posted about the joys of watching sports, having a beer and being able to pay your household bills at the same time. He was at the new sports shop/bar on Todor Kableshkov Street (near Grosch). Not sure why he chose Kamenitza though.

Asking About Skiing in August?
Summer hasn’t finished in Bansko yet and people are already asking when the ski season will start. Apparently, it isn’t too close, though: Steve was asking about booking in for Christmas Dinner the other day. Best get my crystal ball out of storage for all the questions coming up 😂 

Slaying Dragons & Killing Monsters
Do you have a fear of speaking in front of people? Bansko Beach Speakers meet regularly to help one another gain confidence when public speaking. Their next meeting is tomorrow. See the link for the details.

Hackers Sending Messages on Facebook
If one of your friends on Facebook sends you this message, they’ve been hacked, and the hacker wants access to your account.

Join the FB group here.

Local/Municipality News

Bulgarian Music Concerts Attended Well

Over the weekend, three main Bulgarian music concerts were held in Bansko, with many people attending them. Here’s a video posted by the municipality about the “thousands” who attended the Yordanka Hristova concert on Saturday.

The Annual Jazz Festival Was a Success

The Jazz Festival ran for over eight days and was attended by thousands of people during the week. There were a few different locations where talented musicians could be seen, from young talents in the town park to the pre-party at Parklands and the after-party at the Tourism Information Center. More info.

Hot Latin Dancing & Gorgeous Food in the Park

Razlog saw some hot Latin dancing in the park yesterday, with many different food stalls selling meats and cheeses, and fruits & vegetables from bio farms. Visitors could either spectate or participate in some basic steps of Salsa, Bachata, Zumba and Cha-cha. I wonder if Len would’ve given them all a seven? More Info.

Bansko Community Center Celebrates 130 Years

Bansko’s community keeps people coming back year after year (or even calling the town home for a while). Whether this comes from the local Bansklis’ hospitality who knows, but their community center has just celebrated 130 years – quite the feat. Read more here about the memorial plaque that was put up and who attended the event.

Bansko Residents Take Part in World Wrestling Championship

Individuals from Bansko have taken part in a World Wrestling Championship in Canada. They took part in the youth categories up to 18 and men’s categories up to 23, as well as the category for people with disabilities. And a few won some medals! Read more about them here.

Local Bansko Charities

Three local charities do great work in Bansko and surrounding areas. Let’s support them: click/tap on their name below to donate (if everyone subscribed to the Bansko Buzz sent a few leva we’d be sending a few thousand their way!).

Mountain Rescue Service
They are always there to help if you become injured or have difficulties on the mountain. Made up mostly of volunteers, they’ll respond to a call 24/7, hiking to rescue someone no matter what the conditions. They rely on donations to update their equipment and to rent RECCO tracking gear (RECCO helps them locate people).

Bansko Street Dogs
They help street dogs in Bansko and the surrounding areas through emergency care, neutering, flea & tick treatment, and setting up kennels/feeding stations to keep streeties warm, dry and well-nourished. They are currently inundated with many litters of puppies being dumped in Bansko.

Sunflower
They continuously support the four safety homes in Bansko, the dementia home in Mesta, and the Sdravetz Centre for people with special needs. They are currently focusing support for 20-25 elderly vulnerable adults living on their own and in need of upgrades, food and warmth.

Events Next Week

Escape From Reality Art Exhibition Continues
Mariana Stefanova brings her Escape from Reality abstract art exhibition to Bansko town. This continues on Monday 9am to 6pm, and Tuesday 9am to 6pm: at the Tourist Information Center in Bansko.

Sports Event For Children With Special Needs
Pirin Academy and BG Sports For All are organising a sports event for children with special needs in Razlog (10am on Thursday). More details are available from the link below if you want to go and spectate or know someone who would like to register for the event (probably best to take someone fluent in Bulgarian if you or someone you know will participate). More info.

Joleff Art Exhibition
Nina Tsvetornir and Lechezar Dzholevi offer a painting exhibition. This takes place on Saturday 11am to 7pm, Sunday 10am to 2pm, Monday 9am to 6pm, and Tuesday 9am to 6pm: at the Tourist Information Center in Bansko.

Amateur Ensembles in Bansko
On Thursday (from 6.30pm), there will be a folk songs performance at Nikola Vaptsarov Public School.
On Friday (from 8pm) and Saturday (from 7pm) there will be music performances on the main stage in the town square, which will involve different types of music. More Info.

Embroidery Demonstration from Bansko Locals
Outside of the Tourist Information Center between 5pm and 7pm, demonstrations by local trade and handcrafts continue. On Friday, it will be Antique Embroidery, and on Saturday, it will be Knitting of Socks and a demonstration of Bulgarian embroidery (including live folk music between 6pm and 6.30pm on Saturday only). This is the penultimate week of local trade & handcrafts exhibitions.

Reminder: Want to add an event to a future issue of the Buzz? Use this form to let us know.

Weather Forecast

We’re well into afternoon & evening thunderstorms, as is normal in the second part of August! We recommend the MeteoBlue weather app and carrying an umbrella with you as the weather can be unpredictable.

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Nick
Publisher, Bansko Buzz