Besides over 20 years of friendship, what unites Milen Kunov, Nikolay Makedonski, and Daniel Manev from Belene is their love for their hometown. Although two of them don’t live in Belene full-time, they travel there weekly to stay connected with family, friends, and their favorite sights and sounds along the Danube.
Seven years ago, the group of friends decided they wanted to share with the rest of the world their Danubian hometown’s one-of-a-kind atmosphere and locals’ love of life and fun. To open the annual Belene festival at the beginning of September to a wider audience, they put together a multi-day program featuring different musical genres and artists. The mayor of Belene embraced the idea, and the first Persina Fest became a reality in September 2018.
The festival has since grown in popularity. While the first event attracted around 50 participants, last year’s edition drew over 2,000 people from across Bulgaria.
“The festival started from our desire to have fun, but now our main goal is to help our town grow through tourism,” Milen says.
In addition to three evenings of rich musical performances, the festival offers daytime activities such as walking, cycling, and bird-watching tours, boat trips, and visits to Persina Nature Park. Visitors can book accommodation at local hotels or stay in a designated camping area.
This year’s Persina Fest will take place on September 5–8. Entertainment will feature saxophonist Desislav Ivanov from the popular Bulgarian soul/funk/jazz/R&B group Tri O Five, the musical collaborators from Soul Fiction, and World UP DJs Burlak, Dimo BG, Milen, Silver Ivanov, and Vasco C. A special guest, Romanian DJ Christian Lepah, will perform on Saturday, September 7.
For a detailed program and more information about the festival and Belene, follow the Persina Fest Facebook page.
Support for Persina Fest is part of the America for Bulgaria Foundation’s long-term efforts to promote economic development in the Bulgarian North through entrepreneurship and tourism.