The Rose Festival

• Probably the most obvious example of the rose in Bulgarian culture exists in the celebration of the Rose Festival, which occurs every year the first weekend in June (the time when the rose is in bloom) in the towns of Karlovo, Kazanlak and Pavel Banya. Festival activities consist of rose picking, ritualized boiling of plucked roses (to make rose oil), parades, dancing and performance of traditional folksongs, and of course, the crowning of the rose queen, chosen from among local girls of the towns.
  
  

The Legend of the Bulgarian Oleaginous Rose

• The story of how this particular kind of rose was brought to Bulgaria dates back to the crusades. As the story goes, a young man, possibly Count de Gruye, went to Damask in the Middle East in order to make a deal with a tradesman there. When he arrived at the dealer’s house, the dealer’s daughter fell madly in love with him and gave him the rose as a symbol of her affection. The young man carried the rose all the way back to his home in Bulgaria, where conditions proved excellent for growing it.
  
  

The Valley of the Roses

• Many experts have commented on the conditions in this particular part of Bulgaria, which make it such an excellent growing spot for the oleaginous rose. The climate there is just right: Temperatures are cool in February, when the young buds are just beginning to appear; high humidity in May and June makes for excellent flower production and blossoming; and the roses favor the sandy, light soil called cinnamon-forest soil.
  
  

Rose Oil

• The Bulgarian oleaginous rose is known as an oil-producing rose, and indeed, Bulgarians favor their roses not only for their beauty, but also for the valuable oil that they produce. The oil from Bulgarian roses makes up 70 percent of oils used in the perfume industry, and nearly every perfume industry in the world uses it as an essential ingredient. Rose oil production comprises nearly 2 percent of the Bulgarian economy—and over 50,000 jobs.
  
  

National Significance of Roses

• Bulgarians consider roses to be integral to their country’s identity. Accordingly, the rose is considered a national symbol and Bulgaria is sometimes called the "Land of Roses."
  
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