After two years of silence, the oldest nature conservation festival in Bulgaria returns with new strength, an inspiring program and a clear message - about the connection with nature, the power of community and the creation of a sustainable future.
From August 7 to 10, in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains near the Golyam Beglik Dam, Beglika Fest will welcome thousands of visitors for the fifteenth time — this time with three music stages, over 400 workshops, lectures, yoga, spiritual practices and events for young and old. The focus of this year's edition is the Beglika Generation – the people who don't wait for the world to get better, but create it themselves.
Beglika: a story with a cause
The festival was started in 2008 by a group of enthusiasts united by their love of mountain biking, camping and music – and by their desire to protect their favorite place near the Golyam Beglik Dam from logging and pollution.
Over the years, Beglika has established itself as a unique event with a strong social and ecological focus. It takes place among the beautiful meadows next to the Golyam Batak Dam, in an area with limited access for cars. The festival encourages sustainable practices and the building of meaningful human connections - in an atmosphere of freedom, trust and sharing.
For 15 years, the festival's volunteers have collected and removed over 20 tons of waste abandoned in the area by fishermen and tourists. Over 800 musicians from Bulgaria and abroad have played on the stages of Beglika, and the forums have given voice to more than 50 causes - from nature conservation and clean energy to education and parenting.
This year's festival once again focuses on the balance between music, knowledge and experience. The program is specially prepared with families in mind - a world without cars, amidst pine forests, where children are free to play, learn and create.
The children's corner includes kayaks, rope gardens, a puppet theater with "Male Male", creative workshops and many more surprises. Some of the grown-up children who grew up on Beglika are already getting involved as artists and organizers with their own projects.
Organizers remind visitors with children to prepare for the cool nights at 1600 m above sea level and to wear appropriate equipment.
Key highlights of the Beglika 2025 program:
SOLARIA – Public Forum for the Future
This year, a new initiative will dawn on Beglika – SOLARIA, a community forum dedicated to inspiration, belonging, and empathy.
The program will focus on children and families, with a space for experiential learning, games, and connection. In parallel, discussions and exchange of experiences will be held on topics such as emotional health, parenting, and the challenges facing adolescents.
5% of the value of each ticket will be directed towards building a community center for support, learning, and co-creation that will continue the festival's mission after its end.
In response to the growing global crisis related to drought and water resource management, Beglika 2025 is organizing Water forum, dedicated to the challenges facing Bulgaria in this area. The forum aims to bring together experts, activists and local communities in search of concrete and sustainable solutions. This event will mark the beginning of a broader civic mobilization for the protection and wise management of water resources, with a particular focus on the Rhodope region.
ARTISTIC RESIDENCE AND LANDART
For the first time, Beglika Fest is organizing an artist residency, inviting artists from all over the world to create land art installations and site-specific performances. The works will be tailored to the unique natural and cultural landscape of the Western Rhodopes and will communicate with the audience in new, multi-layered ways - with a minimal ecological footprint.
Music, nature, knowledge, and human connectedness will meet again at Beglika – a place where the spirit awakens, the heart opens, and the possible future begins to happen.
The full program can be found here. here. The festival is realized with the financial support of the National Culture Fund. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to “Peychinov” Ltd. – a leading manufacturer of wooden packaging material with over 30 years of experience, for their generous support and commitment as a donor of the stages for the festival.
Follow up-to-date information about the festival at:
https://www.facebook.com/beglikafreefest/
For additional information: 0886 60 82 68- Lora Ivaylova
