This year, one of the oldest cities in the world – Plovdiv – is the European capital of culture along with the Italian city of Matera. The beginning of this event will be celebrated with a spectacular spectacle on January 12, at 7 pm on the special stage of Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. From the 11th to the 13th of January, Plovdiv 2019 Foundation organized more than 30 events. Here is what you can enjoy for free in Plovdiv these days.

On 11 January, a special winter selection of some of the most awarded new Bulgarian films will be presented at the House of Cinema between 11 am and 9 pm. At 5 pm in the Ethnographic Museum opens the exhibition “The Song of the Tree”. Only half an hour later an exhibition of Plovdiv artists was opened in the gallery of the Municipal Council – Plovdiv. At o5.30 pm is the beginning of the exhibition “Unspeakable for Kolyo K.” in the City Art Gallery.

From 05.30 pm at the Balabanova House the exhibition of Dr Georgi Trifonov “From Antiquity to Modernity” is opened. Again at the Balabanov House, at 6 pm there will be a chamber concert “Jubilees” dedicated to 120 years since the birth of Pancho Vladigerov and 110 years since the birth of Marin Goleminov. From 6 pm in the Ethnographic Museum, you can see the photo exhibition “Rediscovering the Heritage”. At 6 pm in the Warehouse in the Tobacco City of Plovdiv is opened the exhibition “SMOKE Stories of Tobacco”, which will be open to visitors until March 30th. At 7 pm at the Drama Theater, you can see the play “Eurydice in the underworld” and from 8 pm on the open stage “Kardano” to enjoy a concert at the Oktobe Plovdiv. A concert by Brazz Vili DJ is also scheduled for her at 9 pm.

On January 12 the winter selection of Bulgarian companies continues in the House of Cinema throughout the day. From 12 o’clock on the open stage “Kardam” in Kapana, you can hear a concert of the Plovdiv music ensemble “Zharava”. Between 12 and 1 pm in the “Stefan Stambolov” square, a musical program will be presented by the Plovdiv Chitalishte. From 1 pm on the open stage “The Kardam” in Kapana starts a concert of the musicians from the project “Bulgari”. At Stefan Stambolov Square between 2 pm and 4 pm will be representatives of the Community centers from the Rhodope and Thracian regions.

From 2 pm in the House of Cinema, you can see the documentary “Churches Chronicles” by the director Dimitar Petkov. From 4 pm at the Balabanov House will be held a chamber concert “Traditions”. At Stefan Stambolov Square, at 04.30 pm, the exhibition “Art of freedom – from the Berlin Wall to the street art” will be opened. From 5 pm, again, you can hear a concert by the Mattera brass band D’Ambrosio. A party with Ramzey Hercules DJ set starts at 5 pm in Kapana and from 6 pm the house-museum “Zlatoy Boyadjiev” will become the stage of the spectacle “Bulgarian Mysteries”.

At 7 pm is the official opening of the European Capital of Culture with the show “We Are All Colors”. From 08.30 pm in the “Kernel”, you can enjoy the concert of the Americans James & Black. A flamboyant spectacle for the residents and guests of the city will be presented around the singing fountains of Plovdiv at 9 pm. At 09.30 pm in Kapana, you can dance with Akaga.

On January 13, from 10 am to 5 pm, children will be able to draw their own paintings inspired by the works of Kolyo Karamfilov at the City Art Gallery. For the youngest from 10 am to 6 pm, there are also attractions in the Natural History Museum, where two-meter-long fish will “swim” in the air. In good weather entertainment for the children will also be in the Dondukova Garden. From 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm in the House of Cinema are projected for the youngest.

The chamber concert “Young instrumentalists” starts at the Balabanov House. Between 11 am and 5 pm, the Historical Museum and the Museum of Contemporary History will present the most popular discoveries of the 19th and 20th centuries through the “Traveling Exhibition Eureka”. Between 11 am and 4 pm, a workshop with musical instruments masters is planned at the Ethnographic Museum. In the “Ivan Vazov” National Library between 11 am and 1 pm, samples of the Slavonic handwritten collection of the Plovdiv folk libraries will be presented.

From 12 o’clock in the Trap will listen to jazz, folk and ethnic music. A fashion show of young designers will be held at the Balabanov House at 12 o’clock. At 2 pm you can see a show of “Churches Chronicles” in the House of Cinema. An exhibition at the Mexican House in the Old Town dedicated to Yordan Radichkov will be opened at 4 pm. From 7 pm at the Boris Hristov House of Culture, the State Opera-Plovdiv will present the tango opera Maria from Buenos Aires.