Balkan theatre festival
"Nikola Vaptsarov" Drama Theatre has long-standing traditions in organizing theatrical festivals.
In 1988, it organized for the first time the 'Theatre Fest,' featuring the best productions of the theatrical season in Bulgaria.
Over the years, the name and format of the festival have changed several times. For example, in 2002 and 2003, it was known as 'Theatre Fest - White Spring.' From 2007 onwards, in addition to Bulgarian performances, the festival began to welcome international guests from the Balkan countries, and its name was changed to 'Balkan Theatrical Self-Portraits – Blagoevgrad.
The long-standing tradition of the festival was interrupted in 2012, but it was restored in 2022 with the first edition of the 'Balkan Theatre Festival.' Once again, the focus is on the brightest achievements in the performing arts of the Balkan countries. The precise selection of performances is tailored to the diverse preferences of the audience. The festival's program is enriched with accompanying events, one of which is the Young Directors' Competition. Its aim is for participants to present their project for a play. One of all the directors gets the opportunity to stage a performance at the 'Nikola Vaptsarov' Drama Theatre in Blagoevgrad. On the last day of the festival, the audience has the chance to enjoy an impressive 3D mapping show
The festival is realised with the support of Ministry of Culture, National Culture Fund, Municipality of Blagoevgrad, "Gromahold" Ltd., "Hitachi Energy" Ltd, Hotel "Park Bachinovo", Hotel "Alfa" and Hotel "Diva".