The festive season is only around the corner and celebrations will be in full swing. The Soia Echo contacted a number of municipalities and organisers about their celebration plans for the holiday period. Surprisingly two weeks ahead of New Year’s Eve, most of the city halls could not provide accurate information on what they were actually planning for the "big" night on December 31. All however were certain that there  would be some kind of events marking the arrival of 2010. 

The general response was that information about the upcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations will be constantly updated and made available as the holidays get nearer.

Perhaps the biggest news for the moment is the apparent collapse of festivities in Bulgaria’s Black Sea capital of Varna, where the traditional New Year’s Concert at Nezavisimost Square has been cancelled because of a lack of funding. Whether or not Varna will celebrate New Year’s and salvage the party at the eleventh hour is yet to be confirmed. Meanwhile, here are some of the confirmed events across Bulgaria.

Sofia

December 20
Plastic Bo, La Muchedumbre will perform at the Box club, at 8pm, entry  6 leva

December 23
Fallen Angles and Amber will perform at the Toucan Bluzz & Rock club in Sofia, starting 10pm

December 26
Maze will perform at the  Toucan Bluzz & Rock club in Sofia, at 10pm, free entry

December 27
Wartime, Space Eater will perform at the Box club in Sofia,  starting 6.30pm, entry 10 leva

December 23-30
Nutcracker, Sofia Opera and Ballet, 7pm, tickets from 30 to 80 leva 

December 29
Daniel Cavanagh and Anneke van Giersbergen will perform at Chitalishte Slavyanska Beseda in Sofia, starting 7pm, entry 30-35 leva.

December 31
New Year’s Party at the Stroeja in Studenski Grad (Student Town), Sofia. Starting 9pm, entry 15 leva

December 31
New Year’s Gala Concert
Sofia Opera and Ballet, 6pm, tickets from 50 to 80 leva

December 31
Ostava & Free Style, live at the Sofia Live Club, National Palace of Culture, NDK underpass,  starting 10pm, free entry 

December 31
Goran Bregovic concert in Alexander Battemberg Square in Sofia, free entry, starting Midnight

December 31
4KM
New Year’s Party with three stages: Drum and Bass featuring Silent Witness, Donny (England). Plus DJ’s DeepJak, Gabriel, Birben, Darktechnik, Metalix, Headbanger, Konspirator, Mocks, Eхo, organised by HMSU and Renesanz.

Plovdiv

December 19,
Christmas Festival, Ansamble, at the  Plovdiv Concert Hall, at at 6pm

December 22
Blues Boulevard and Cabana will perform for the 10 Years Anniversary of Nailona Club in Plovdiv, starting 10pm free entry

December 23
Christmas Festival, Philharmonic Concert in the Plovdiv Concert Hall, at 6pm.  On the programme, Tosca, Verdi, Aida and others.

December 26
Three Vicars will perform at the Lebowsky Club in Plovdiv on, at 9pm, free entry

December 29
Pornographic Monster will perform at the Renegade Gold Club at 8pm on, entry five leva.

Bourgas

December 27
Concert of Bourgas Troubadours, Troikata Square, 5pm, free entry

December 28
Concert of Vocal Studio Seasons, Troikata Square, 5pm free entry 

December 29
Concert featuring Petlite, and dancing formation Malkite Petleta, Formation Vespa, at Mladost Sports Hall, 5pm free entry

December 30
Hot Sand concert, Troikata Square, starting 5pm, free entry

December 31
New Year’s Concert, Bourgas Municipality, Troikata Square, starting 10.30pm featuring  Stanislava Hristova, Ivan Peturgov, FOUR, Karandila Orchestra, free entry

Stara Zagora

December 19
Christmas performance by Impala Rhythmic Gymnastics Club
Venue: Stara Zagora Drama Theatre
Time: 12:00pm 
 
Local wine celebration 
Venue: Zmeyovo village
Time: 13:00pm
 
December 21
Traditional Christmas Bazaar
Venue: Entrance lobby of the City Hall
Time: 5:00pm 
 
December 22
Nativity - Christmas concert by the Metropolitan Metodi Kussev male Chamber Choir, Angel Bukurestliev Mixed Choir - Plovdiv, Petko Staynov Choir - Kazanlak, Mixed Choir
Venue: Art Gallery
Time: 5.30pm 
 
December 25
Welcome Koledari! - Bulgarian traditional Christmas folk songs and dances
Venue: City Hall Square
Time: 11.30pm
 
December 26 - 27
Charity Rock Concert, Stara Zagora and supporters of Beroe FC Rock Concert 
Venue: Stara Zagora Municipal Sports Hall (DZU)
Time: 7.00pm 
 
December 31
New Year’s Night Concert by Avligite Group  New Year Fireworks
Venue: City Hall Square
Time: 11.30pm

Varna

December 27
Plastic Bo, Cool to Hate will perform at the maritime casino (Morsko Casino) at 8pm, entry five leva

December 31
Nezavisimost Square: pending

Kavarna
 
December 31
New Year’s Concert John Lande, John Lawton and Bulgarian rock band BTR. Concert is at the Defender of Kavarna Square, beginning at 9.30pm, free entry.

Veliko Turnovo

December 19
Celebration concert at the Mellon Club at 9pm, free entry.

December 24 and December 31
Sound and Light performance scheduled to take place  and New Year’s Eve at 9.30pm followed by fireworks on New Year’s .

Additionally, starting December 18 onwards, there will be festive concerts and performances at 11.00am and 5pm in the Vessel Theatre in the Veliko Turnovo Municipality, featuring Retro Rhythm, and Bagpipers from the town of Smolyan.