Bulgaria · 5 days
5 Days in Plovdiv
Thousands of years on seven hills, a Roman theater still in use and a whole city that runs on aylyak. Five days in Bulgaria's second city.
Updated Oct 2026Read the plan →
Seasons and Light festival · Kazanlak, Bulgaria
Kazanlak Rose Festival
Praznik na rozata · Празник на розата
When is it
Usually a weekend in early June, around the rose harvest
The 2027 date is not published yet. Last held: 5–7 Jun 2026.
At a glance
- Where
- Kazanlak, Bulgaria
- Usually
- Usually a weekend in early June, around the rose harvest
- Kind
- Seasons and Light, Folk and Tradition
The day that people travel for starts in the fields. On the last morning of the festival, rose picking and rose brewing are shown in the gardens between Kazanlak and Kran, local ensembles perform a harvest reenactment, and tourists learn about rose distillation.
Then the town takes over. The 123rd Rose Festival, in June 2026, ended with a street parade led by the new Rose Queen and her two runners-up, and a record number of nearly 7,000 people marched in it: schools, kindergartens, community centres, dance and sports clubs, with folklore groups from Kazanlak's twin towns. President Iliana Iotova spoke of a festival with more than 120 years of history.
The 2026 programme was packed around that Sunday. The festival ran from 5 to 7 June. On Saturday a culinary festival at the Museum of Photography and a tournament at the Valley of the Thracian Kings complex, inspired by ancient Thracian fighting. On Saturday and Sunday the 15th Rose Wine Expo, on Sunday a Bulgarian crafts festival and the Kazanlak Mezi food festival, and across the festival more than 30 concerts.
How to go: Kazanlak is in central Bulgaria. Our Plovdiv guide mentions the Thracian tomb at Kazanlak, a good second stop. Book rooms early for the first weekend of June, and confirm the date each spring: the 2027 programme is not out yet.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | – | Expected | |
| 2026 | 5–7 Jun | Confirmed | bta.bg |
Kazanlak Rose Festival: FAQ
When is the Kazanlak Rose Festival 2027?
The date is not announced. The festival is usually held on a weekend in early June, and the 2026 edition ran from 5 to 7 June.
Where does the rose picking take place?
In 2026 the rose-picking show took place in the rose gardens between Kazanlak and Kran, on the final day of the festival.
