Saturday's already sold out

In this week’s Buzz:

• Why are they playing drums and bagpipes on the streets tonight?

• Pirin Pizza re-opens at new takeaway location this coming Thursday

• If you have a Bulgarian phone number, watch out for fake messages

• Dog owner registration requirements released by municipality

• EU looks to invest €30 billion in seven AI gigafactories

• The Monkey House grand opening weekend

• Kaufland fined €75.65 million for unfair commercial practices towards Bulgarian food producers

• Gratitude for Bad Stuff book launch at Crash Beer Shop on Sunday

• Official winter season opening date looks set for Saturday 19th

Bansko Film Fest celebrates its 25th year, with mountain films and guests from around the world.

From Wednesday (18th) to Sunday (22nd), Bansko will once again become a world stage for mountaineering and adventure cinema with the 25th anniversary edition of the Bansko Film Fest.

This is five days of inspiration, strong emotions, and unforgettable adventures in the mountains that includes:

• 80 film premieres from 35 countries and 6 continents

• 15 presentations by leading Bulgarian and world names

• 8 photo exhibitions and discussions

• A children's and youth programme with over 400 participants

• Meet & greets with personalities from the world of mountaineering, kayaking, skiing-alpinism, and paragliding

Some international guests include: Polish ski-alpinist Bartek Ziemski, Australian director Michael Dillon, Italian paragliding pilot Aaron Durogati, British kayaker Pete Whittaker, and German mountaineer Felix Berg. Bulgarian guests Veselin Ovcharov, Toncho Tonchev, and ultramarathon runner Pirin Galov will share inspiring stories and achievements.

The festival will run from Wednesday to Sunday, with the main award ceremony for best films from the competition programme being held on Saturday evening, along with a jubilee party.

Watch the official trailer for the event here and see the full programme here (click/tap on films/events to read details).

New Winter Menu at Su Casa Bistro

A new chapter is about to begin at Su Casa. We open with our new winter menu this coming Saturday! Our brand-new Winter Menu brings fresh inspiration, seasonal ingredients and our signature passion for food.

Join us for an evening accompanied by Live Piano to add a little extra magic to your evening. And, of course, the familiar smiles, warm hospitality and attention to detail that make every visit to Su Casa a little more special.

👉️ BOOK A TABLE ON WHATSAPP

Inside the Bansko Notice Board Group

✍️ 73 New Posts, 💬 242 Comments, 👍️ 776 Reactions

What’s going on? They’re playing music and drums in the street!
Carlos was out on Friday (13th) and saw the Kukeri with their drums and bagpipes, marching through the streets. A regular short procession to ward off bad spirits on any Friday 13th.

I went on my usual run in the forest area and met some hunters
Lili was out for her usual run in the forest area above Dobrinishte when she came across some hunters with their dogs. There was no signage and she wanted to know the rules. Find out what people had to say.

If you have a Bulgarian phone number, watch out for fake messages about fines
David posted a short message warning that lots of messages are going out about speeding fines, even to people who don’t have a car registered in their name.

Are any apartment complexes holding remote AGMs?
Pete asked whether anyone knew of complexes running remote annual general meetings for owners. Some people confirmed that it was happening.

Bansko & Beyond

Bansko Municipality announces registration requirements for dog owners
The local municipality recently published requirements for dog owners with a permanent address in the municipality. There are two things:
- 1. Your dog has a chip with a passport and all of the mandatory vaccines recorded with the veterinarian (probably Diana).
- 2. Your dog is registered to you at the municipality in Bansko (as long as your official address is in Bansko).
The deadline is 30th of November. Read more.

European title for kick-boxer from Bansko
A kick boxer from Bansko, Katrin Gemkova, recently competed in the European kickboxing championships in Skopje, North Macedonia. She won the European title and the gold medal in the kick-light discipline (women up to 65 kg), and bronze medal in light contact (women up to 65 kg). Martin Dimitrov also from Bansko took part in the competition too, but missed out on gold after a technical knock out due to a medical issue. Read more.

New emergency shelter opens beneath north face of Vihren
The new Kazana emergency shelter in the Pirin Mountains has officially opened at 2,445 metres, beneath the north face of Vihren. The rebuild took five years to complete and 14 tonnes of material were flown by helicopter. Read more.

Other news stories
Here are a handful of other news stories you may find interesting:

• Pirin Pizza re-opens in new takeaway location on Glazne Street on Thursday

• Winter safety for cars (winter tyres) starts November 15th until March

• Bansko receives new firefighting module to fight forest fires [Translation required.]

• Two dogs of unknown breed found dead on a street in Banya [Translation required.]

• Kaufland fined €75.65 million for unfair commercial practices towards Bulgarian food producers

• Trakia Highway crash near Yambol kills 13 with dense fog blamed

• EU looks to invest around €30 billion for seven AI gigafactories

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Shop online & receive packages delivered to Bansko with GGBG. Regular journeys from the UK, Germany and the USA to Bulgaria. See website for info.

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Events Next Week

Bansko Run Club
On Tuesday (17th), meeting at 6.30pm at Altspace Central location on Gotse Delchev Street, have a run with others around town, covering a distance of 5km and finishing up at a local bar. More info.

See Ya Art Evening
On Tuesday (17th) from 6.30pm at Molerite Mehana, join for art, good wine, and great company. Artist Asen Kirov will guide you to create your own version of “Autumn in Colors”. No previous painting experience is needed. The price is €38 and includes three wines, a selection of traditional Bansko appetisers, and all required painting materials. More info.

Pastels & Sounds Art Workshop (Razlog)
On Wednesday (18th) at 6pm, join Michelle Redgrave-Moore at Ether in Razlog to explore light and shadow with chalk pastels in a beginner-friendly art workshop. Followed by a sound session with Michelle and Kristina. All materials will be provided. Price €20. More info. [Translation required.]

Pub Quiz Night at DiVino Wine Bar
On Thursday (19th) at 8pm, DiVino's pub quiz returns for the winter. It's usually five rounds, with an entry fee of around €10, which includes a glass of wine or beer (price not confirmed). More info.

Bansko Film Fest Events
Events directly linked to the film festival:
Creative Bansko is hosting two free artist talks on Friday (20th). More info.
Exquisite Moments exhibition by artist Zheko Mitev. More info.
Pirin in Colour and Miniature (hand-embroidered scenes inspired by Pirin). More info.

The Monkey House Grand Opening Weekend
From Thursday (19th) to Sunday (22nd), Maimunarnika is having its grand opening weekend at its new location on Yavor Street (where Contrabar used to be). Each day there will be something different, with a special party on Saturday for the Bansko Film Fest (with Kottarashky & Sando performing for the first time in Bansko). Let’s hope waiting for a drink at the bar isn’t as long as their predecessors. More info.

Speak Bulgarian Social Club
On Friday (20th), starting at 6pm, Anita’s Art Studio is hosting their weekly Speak Bulgarian Social Club meetup at their place on Otets Paisiy Street. They offer a relaxed and friendly gathering with wine and interesting conversation. More info.

Dinner and a Movie at Pirin Sense
On Friday (20th) at 7.30pm at Pirin Sense, join them for a delicious themed dinner and a movie adventure with Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (the movie will be dubbed in Bulgarian). Price: €35 for adults and €20 for children. More info.

Gratitude for Bad Stuff Book Launch
On Sunday (22nd), from 3.33pm to 5.55pm, at Crash Beer Shop on Pirin Street, meet Evgenia Markova, author of Gratitude for Bad Stuff, which explores how she came to feel grateful for a painful experience that set in motion future events. Bansko is the book's birthplace, and the launch will be held in the spirit of the Bansko Film Festival. Crash’s birthday celebrations will follow the launch. More info.

Organising an event in or around Bansko? Submit it for consideration here.

Photo of the Week

Gotse Delchev Street with autumn colours.

Follow @banskobuzz on Instagram.

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