Varna festivals by month: music, theatre, film and ballet
Varna's festival year: Varna Summer theatre in June, the music festival June–October (since 1926), Varna Day on 15 August, Love is Folly in late August.
Varna’s festival season runs from June to October. Its highlights are the Varna Summer International Music Festival, founded in 1926 and the oldest in Bulgaria, the Varna Summer theatre festival in June, Varna Day on 15 August and the Love is Folly film festival in late August. Exact dates change every year, so always check the organisers’ sites.
Month by month
| Month | What’s on |
|---|---|
| June | Varna Summer International Theatre Festival (1–11 June in 2026); opening of the music festival (27 June in 2026) |
| July–August | Music festival concerts at the Festival and Congress Centre and other venues |
| 15 August | Varna Day and the feast of the Dormition |
| Late August | Love is Folly International Film Festival |
| September | International Black Sea Theatre Festival (first edition 24–28 September 2026) |
| October | Closing concerts of the music festival (14 October in 2026) |
Varna Summer International Music Festival
Born in 1926, when the first national music celebrations took place in Varna, the festival is among the longest-standing members of the European Festivals Association. Its 100th-anniversary edition in 2026 brought orchestras such as the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra and the European Union Youth Orchestra and closed with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
Theatre and film
The Varna Summer International Theatre Festival fills the city’s stages in early June. In late August the Love is Folly festival, held at the Festival and Congress Centre, screens international films about love; its 33rd edition took place in 2025. A new International Black Sea Theatre Festival made its debut in September 2026.
Ballet: a Varna legend
The Varna International Ballet Competition, first held in 1964, made the open-air Summer Theatre in the Sea Garden famous among dancers worldwide. It has been paused since 2020; a working group of the state, region and municipality is discussing its return.
Plan your trip
See when to visit Varna for weather, and our sister site Varna Now for upcoming events.
Winter has its own dates: see Christmas in Bulgaria for the 24–26 December holidays and New Year 2027 in Varna for the free concert on Nezavisimost Square. In late winter come two folk customs: Trifon Zarezan, the vine-growers’ wine day on 14 February, and Baba Marta on 1 March, when people give red-and-white martenitsi.
For dated listings this season, see Varna events in November 2026 and Varna events in December 2026 on Varna Now.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous festival in Varna?
The Varna Summer International Music Festival, founded in 1926 and the oldest festival in Bulgaria. Its 2026 edition ran from 27 June to 14 October.
When is Varna Day?
On 15 August, the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, patron of Varna's cathedral.
Is the Varna International Ballet Competition still held?
It has been on hold since 2020. Officials have discussed reviving it, possibly in 2028 or 2029.
