Cherry Festival Kyustendil

Two consecutive days in June are devoted to the celebration of cherries associated with Kyustendil’s reputation as the Fruit Garden of Bulgaria. The celebration includes exhibitions of various sorts of cherries. Celebrating the fruit orchards started in the town of Kyustendil in 1896 when the first national fruit growing exhibition was founded and the city proudly received the title “Mother of the Bulgarian Fruit Gardens”.

The aesthetic of the cherry blossom turned toward the sun is full of mystic depth. The cherries are a symbol and decoration of aristocracy and diplomacy in every society. The cherry is one of the renowned symbols of Kyustendil.

At the “Cherry Festival” life simply turns into buckets of cherries. The focus of the festival is a competitive exhibition, which involves community centers, NGOs, associations, schools and kindergartens from Kyustendil region. Display tables are arranged and covered with this bright and tasty fruit. In the diligent hands of Kyustendil’s culinary experts this fruit finds wide applications – carving art, beautiful cakes, jam, jarred fruit, cherry syrup adorn and the tables which are participating in a competition for the best looking table. Meanwhile the people of Kyustendil and guests walk around in amazement discovering the many varieties that make up the cherry world.

Part of the festival is a cooking demonstration in a professional kitchen which is run by students from vocational school of tourism in the town. The holiday program includes children's open air painting session and a traveling exhibition of children's drawings that have a culinary theme, and a representative sample of children's drawings at the exhibition "Grandma's recipes”.

The two-day Cherry Festival ends with a rich artistic program. The winners of the best and most attractive exhibitions are chosen and the cherries are distributed and eaten.