Every year thousands of tourists visit the Valley of roses during the Festival of Roses and enjoy the atmosphere in the city and on the fields of roses. Be part of it and pick up by yourself the fragrant petals of the roses.
The Bulgarian rose production is popularized every year during the Festival of Roses. This festival of the roses originates from the celebrations held at the beginning of the rose-harvesting period. Old rose growers used to organize pageantries in which manufacturers paraded, dressed up in rose flowers. The first rose festival in Kazanlak took place in 1903. Few years later, a similar fest was organized in the town Karlovo, situated in the same area – Rozova dolina.
Rose valley and is also famous with its rose production. The first celebration on a national level was held in Pavel Banya on June 4, 1967. Manufacturers from the whole valley, together with masked dancers, called “koukeri” were singing and dancing during the whole fest. This type of celebrations became traditional in Kazanlak and later on in Karlovo too. The festival of Roses can be viewed as a tribute which is paid to beauty every year.
Three main events are interesting for the guests of the festival - the electing of Queen Rose, the harvesting ritual in the rose gardens and the parade along the streets of the town. The rose industry has long ago proved its primary importance as a means of sustenance for the people living in the Rose Valley. For them, it has become a way of approaching Nature.
