site.btaRecipes, Traditions and Culture Presented at 10th Chestnut Festival near Kolarovo

Recipes, traditions and culture were presented at the tenth edition of the Chestnut Festival in the Petri village of Kolarovo. 

The festival took place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and included a conference on local communities and protected areas, workshops, as well as tents, where participants from Petrich municipality, cultural figures and various organizations presented their cultural and natural wealth, food and homemade products.

"We are presenting Bulgarian cuisine, we have a bit of everything. A leek and rice banitsa that is authentic to Petrich, banitsa with pumpkin and walnuts, and other homemade dishes," Maria Kostova from the Kalabak Tourist Association told BTA.

At the Belasitsa village tent, Magda Sotirova told BTA that people had prepared traditional foods and dishes from the area, but also had modern dishes, prepared by the younger people. "We have a lot of dishes with chestnut cream or roasted chestnuts," said Sotirova.  Representatives of Belasitsa have participated in the festival since its first edition. "This colorful festival has been going on for ten years and may it continue for many more. Over the years, interest has increased a lot, both participants and spectators are increasing," she added. At their tent, visitors could try Isaura pastry, baked apples with raisins, chestnut shell pastries with roasted chestnut filling, and other homemade treats.

The Chestnut Festival was also attended by artists from the Evtim Evtimov literary club in Petrich. "At this anniversary Chestnut Festival, we decided, in addition to the food, which is abundant, to bring some spiritual food as well," said Katerina Kiryanova, chair of the literary club. 

The Chestnut Festival is organized by the Belasitsa Nature Park Directorate under the Forestry Executive Agency, with the financial support of the Southwest State Enterprise and the Municipality of Petrich, in partnership with the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation, the Pirin Tourist Forum and Slow Food in Bulgaria, with the assistance of the Petrich Historical Museum, as well as with the active participation of the mayors, community centre secretaries and people from the Belasitsa Nature Park area.