Do you search something doing during your next week-end in Sofia ? Come to (re)discover the Festival of « Sofia Breathes », its artists, craftsmen, producers, designers, actors, associations who make the culture and tradition of Bulgaria and elsewhere, every sunday in August in Sofia, since seven years.
“Ever growing, never old” is the motto of Sofia, a place where new ideas are constantly being born. Though new, they are invariably in harmony with the history of Bulgaria’s capital. Continuity in cultural events and festivals is what has been breathing new life into emblematic city streets in summer for seven whole years, moulding the face of the contemporary urban multicultural environment.
I live in Sofia for the last 2 years and I have never heard anything about this event before last sunday when I discovered it by stroke of luck the first session-sunday of the 7th Festival of « Sofia Breathes ». I didn’t know anything about what happened. There were lot of people, stands, good beers, sport games, music, smiles and a very nice atmosphere. I would like to know more. It was little bit difficult to find articles in english about the event but I use to read Radio Bulgaria website (in english and french) and there was an article about the event. I discovered that the festival of « Sofia Breathes » began 7 years ago, organized every sunday of August. « This project is to present to the public different kinds of activities and people working in Art, Sports and Handicrafts, their skills and talents, outside, in the street, directly in contact with the public and helping it to discover new interests for themselves, without forgetting awareness and support for social causes, as the cause No to violence against children » So, last Sunday, I decided to participate at the second sunday of the month and I’m already sure to restart the two next and last sundays of the month.
I met artists, craftsmen, producers, designers which exposed this 14th sunday and I can say that I love this kind of street event, definitely. There is a sacred and beautiful energy that emerges from this event and all participants are proud to present what they do, create, produce. Stroll from stand to stand is a real pleasure for me. I tasted a local and atypical sangria, a local beer, drooled on generous and colorful ice cream cones, and took lot of pictures, all in a postcard setting with the backdrop Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.
The tradition was created that is now in its seventh year and apparently the current edition has set the task of making a kind of mark of the Bulgarian country with a strategic goal in three years. As in previous years, the organizers are promising to present culture from different countries. The streets become pedestrian to accommodate the stands and the public.
Some events, expositions, workshops for adults and children, documentaries, sport sessions are also organized during those special sundays and generally visitors are from all backgrounds, ages and professions. In this table, a french (little bit belgium) and a franco-bulgarian guys, sipping a very nice cocktail from the Trastena Wines stand and a very delicious beer.
Sunday the 14th, I discovered lot of artists, craftsmen, producers I didn’t know and which made me very enjoy to discover them and who change each sunday. I share with you my 10 favorites.
TRASTENA WINES
Trastena is a wine producer established in 2007 and made from 100% organic fermented raspberries. Drink wine Merlot and add 100% natural extract of green raspberries. It has a specific aroma of Merlot, combined with fruity character. The taste is sweet , full, saturated fruity character, very delicious. It contains no artificial colors, aromas and flavors. The team is very friendly. Enjoy it, definitely / www.trastena.com / Facebook page / office@trastena.com / +359(0) 885 888 566
BETTIBONES
Delicious handmade painted lingerie for Women, unique designs transfered from paper to a fabric and then to a beautiful lingerie, so cute >> I love, I love / Etsy : Bettibones / Address : Beti hand mades, Bulevard Evlogi i Hristo Georgievi, 1000 Sofia / i.tserovska@gmail.com / Facebook page / +359(0) 885 606 769
TRICOTAGE
Tricotage is a line of T -shirt made from natural materials and whose illustrations are by Bulgarian designers and artists. Do you know it ? / www.tricotage.bg / / Facebook page / shop@tricotage.bg / +359(0) 889 617 333
ALBENA DJOKOVA
Albena Djokova is an artist who products lot of beautiful things in ceramics. It’s so cute and we would like to buy all her products stand / Facebook page / albadjokova@gmail.com
CAKEY BAKEY
It’s a place that you just have to visit ! They have delicious home made cakes, tarts and sweets, breads and sandwiches, great coffee and wine. Many women to stand a smile from ear to ear this last sunday / www.cakeybakey.bg / Facebook page / +359(0) 882 292 979, +359(0) 882 800 622
SHTRAK
Get inspired by ordinary objects. Items removed from the context of their normal purpose and used as part of a quirky lamps / www.shtrak.atelie-bg.com / Facebook page / studioshtrak@gmail.com / +359(0) 878 558 344
GELATO
There were so many people that waiting their turn to test its white, pink, pastel colored ices that I could not the chance to test it. But, sure, I’ll pass on the shop / www.100gr-sladki.com / Facebook page / info@100gr-sladki.com / +359(0) 887 101 900
DARVART
Small homemade knots of wood butterflies. I love, so cute, for children as for adults (men & women) / www.darvart.com / Facebook page / office@darvart.com / +359(0) 894 035 110
POLINA DIMITROVA JEWELRY
Polina come from Bulgaria. She spent eight years in Barcelona where she studied jewellery and five years ago she presented her first collection in a jewellery shop there. Since then she continue working with silver trying to create elegant forms and it works. So nice, to be the best beautiful / polinadimitrova.blogspot.bg / Etsy shop / Facebook page / dimitrova.polin@gmail.com / +359(0) 888 147 254
WOODVENTURES
Do you want to image and create things with wood through a fun workshop, playful and fun ? Check this activity, for children and adults / www.woodventures.bg / Facebook page / woodventures.bg@gmail.com / +359(0) 88 588 2725
When : Sundays in August
Time : On the afternoon, 4:00pm – 10:00pm
Prices : The entrance is free
Where : In Sofia (center), each sunday in a new place in Sofia :
- 07/08 : Street Ivan Denkoglu
- 14/08 : Street Moscou
- 21/08 : Street CN. Alexandre I
- 28/08 : Bul. Al. Stamboliyski
Contact : www.sofiadisha.com (the website of the program’s event, in Bulgarian only) / Facebook page / +359 02 440 1116
More : the all artists, craftsmen, producers, designers, participants in general speak a very fluent english / Some stands where it’s possible to pay by Credit Card
