Rose oil production is deeply embedded in the Bulgarian culture and traditions. The Rose Valley has also always been the center stage for the colorful age-old Festival of Roses. This traditional festival is a symbol of the rose industry and its influence on the culture, spirit and lifestyle of the Kazanlak Region. The Bulgarian Rose Festival is celebrated with folk songs and dances at Kazanlak and Karlovo on the first Sunday in June, at the start of the rose harvest in the Rose Valley.

One of the main attractions is the “kukeri” dance – masked dancers performing a traditional pagan dance. Other interesting events at the festival are the election and coronation of the most beautiful girl – the “Queen Rose”; a traditional harvest ritual performed in the rose gardens and a parade along the streets of the city.

For centuries, rose growers organized these celebrations to cherish the beauty of the rose harvest and reconnect with nature. This festival is gaining more and more popularity and people from all over the world gather to enjoy the joyful time of the Bulgarian Rose Harvest.