International Bagpipe Contest in Gela

For more than 14 years, the International Bagpipe Contest has been held in Gela. The festival takes place in the lovely mountain village of Gela and is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the power of true Bulgarian folklore music. The festival has grown in popularity in recent years, progressively reaching beyond Bulgaria's boundaries. Contestants from France, Hungary, Holland, the United Kingdom, and even Japan go to Bulgaria to compete in these one-of-a-kind competitions.

Every year in August, exceptional bagpipers from Bulgaria and throughout the world compete for material and financial prizes as well as an honorary certificate in front of a panel of judges. The event draws around 13 000 people to Gela's lush meadows. It is one of the most famous festivals in Bulgaria.

When: in August

Where: Gela