site.btaDay Two of Major Bulgarian Folklore Festival in Munich

The 11th edition of a travelling Bulgarian folklore festival titled "Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance" continues on Saturday at BMW Park in Munich, Germany, bringing together Bulgarian cultural communities from around the world for a three-day celebration of music, dance and tradition. While the festival with its performances, exhibitions and public events dedicated to preserving and promoting Bulgarian folklore abroad continues in Munich, the Bulgarian delegation will participate in a series of events. 

The programme will begin at 11 am local time with a Bulgarian Orthodox liturgy at the St Vitus Basilica in Ellwangen, to be celebrated by Metropolitan Anthony of Western and Central Europe. From 12:15 to 1 pm local time, members of the Bulgarian delegation will visit the Bulgarian chapel dedicated to St Cyril and St Methodius. During the visit, participants will pay tribute to the work of the two holy brothers and jointly perform the Bulgarian hymn dedicated to them. At 1 pm local time, Ellwangen Mayor Michael Dambacher and Bulgarian Consul General Stefan Ionkov will plant the Tree of Friendship between Bulgaria, the German Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg, and the town of Ellwangen. A commemorative ceremony will follow at 1:30 pm in Methodius Square, where a wreath will be laid at the memorial plaque of St Methodius. Around 2:15 pm local time, the Town Hall of Ellwangen will host an official reception for the participants.

After returning to Munich, members of the Bulgarian delegation are expected to rejoin the Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance festival.

The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) is the official media partner of the event. 

The travelling gathering "Expats Join Hands in Worldwide Dance" was created as a forum for amateur Bulgarian folklore ensembles active outside Bulgaria. It was initiated by the Ot Izvora group in Lyon, which hosted both the inaugural edition in 2015 and the 10th edition in 2025. Over the years, the festival has been held in Montpellier (2016), Gandia (2017), Milan (2018), La Nucia (2019), Verona (2020), Copenhagen (2022), Prague (2023), Palma de Mallorca (2024) and Lyon (2025)

In the lead-up to the event, BTA featured participating groups and related coverage through its BG World section, including English-language reports, and is providing on-site reporting throughout the three festival days in Munich.

Bulgarian Communities in Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg maintain strong cultural presence

Bulgarian communities in the German federal states of Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg continue to expand their cultural, educational and religious activities, supported by a growing diaspora and an active network of organizations.

According to the Bavarian State Office for Statistics, 53,891 Bulgarian citizens were living in Bavaria as of December 31, 2024, accounting for 2.6% of all foreign nationals in the province. In Munich alone, the Bulgarian community numbers 14,561 people, according to the city’s statistical office.

The Bulgarian presence in Bavaria includes a wide network of Sunday schools, folklore ensembles, cultural associations and church communities. Bulgarian schools operate in Munich, Regensburg, Straubing, Nuremberg, Augsburg, Landshut, Schweinfurt and Neumarkt, helping preserve Bulgarian language and traditions among younger generations.

A number of Bulgarian folklore groups are also active across the province, particularly in Munich and Augsburg, contributing to the visibility of Bulgarian culture through music and dance performances. Cultural and academic organizations based in Munich further support community life and integration.

Bulgarian Orthodox church communities have also been established in Munich, Nuremberg and Regensburg. In March 2026, a Bulgarian-language Holy Liturgy was celebrated for the first time in the city of Landshut as part of a newly formed church mission.

In neighboring Baden-Wuerttemberg, official statistics show that 51,145 Bulgarian citizens were residing in the province at the end of 2024. Of them, approximately 47,000 were born outside Germany, while more than 4,000 were born in the country.

The Bulgarian community in Baden-Wuerttemberg likewise maintains an extensive network of educational and cultural institutions. Bulgarian schools operate in cities including Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Heidelberg, Tübingen, Freiburg, Stuttgart and Konstanz.

Folklore dance groups and cultural organizations across the province organize events promoting Bulgarian traditions and community engagement, while Bulgarian student associations remain active in university centers such as Heidelberg, Karlsruhe and Mannheim.

Bulgarian Orthodox church communities are also established in Stuttgart and Mannheim, serving as important spiritual and cultural centers for the diaspora.