For the third consecutive year, Bulgaria is getting to meet Canadian culture face-on, through the Days of Canadian Culture, taking place in 2008 on November 29 and 30.

Organised by Ralitsa Tcholakova-MacRae, a Bulgarian who has been living for years in Ontario, and sponsored by Dundee Precious Metals and the Canadian embassy of Romania, the festival aims to put the Bulgarian public in contact with Canada and its many layers of culture through various forms of art. This year, such will take place through concerts; in the past, there have been film projections, as well.

On November 29, a concert and lecture about Canadian multiculturalism will be held at Sofia City Art Gallery, from 6pm. In a press release about the evening, Canada was described as a country of immigrants that has become home to a "unique blend of customs, cuisine, and traditions that have marked the socio-cultural development of the nation". Musical styles in the country include the French, Irish and Scottish-derived Cape Breton fiddle music of the Maritimes, the Franco-Celtic styles of Quebec, which often bring into play foot percussion and a scat style called turlutte, and other national styles from the Ottawa Valley to the west.

The programme includes compositions for violin and accordion, performed by Tcholakova-MacRae on violin and Georgi Velichkov on accordion.

The morning of November 30 (11.30am) sees Tcholakova-MacRae with pianist Zornitsa Radionova performing music by Mozart, the Bulgarian composer Pancho Vladigerov, and the North American composers Rebecca Clarke, Patrick Cardy and John Williams. At the event, Tcholakova will present her CD Remembered Voices, which features music by composers Gena Branscombe, Violet Archer, Mary Gardiner and Cardy, and by Vladigerov. The CD, which also includes the participation of Canadian pianist Elaine Keillor, was made possible following Tcholakova's receipt of a grant from Ottawa City Arts Funding for music recording.

Sofia City Art Gallery is at 1 Gurko Str in Sofia; entrance to the events is free-of-charge.