site.btaBolhrad Hosts 14th International Wine Fest

The international Bolgrad Wine Fest was held for the fourteenth time in the city of Bolhrad, Ukraine on Sunday. This annual celebration, deeply rooted in the traditions of the Southern Ukrainian region of Bessarabia, is a vital platform for showcasing the rich heritage and high-quality produce of the area. As usual, the festival brought together winemakers from Bessarabia, wine connoisseurs, culinary enthusiasts, and lovers of local culture.

Representatives from Bulgaria, Norway, Denmark, and the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, took part in the international event. Participants and guests from the Odesa, Izmail, Bolhrad, and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi districts were presented at the festival.

Bulgaria’s Consul General in Odesa Svetoslav Ivanov welcomed all guests and participants in Bolhrad’s central square. He pointed out that the holding of the 14th international wine festival in the context of the ongoing war is extremely important. "We support you because you are making efforts to attract international partners. You are making efforts to attract investment from neighbouring countries, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria. This is one of the ways in which you can alleviate demographic pressure and create jobs. You have all the conditions that allow for the development of wine production, wine tourism, including rural tourism," Ivanov said.

"Bulgaria condemns Russia’s aggression and supports Ukraine. This support is not only political, humanitarian, or financial. It is support for Ukraine's energy, food, and defence," Ivanov added. "A few days ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy talked to Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. They discussed all these pressing issues, especially with regard to energy dependence," Ivanov said.

"For us, Bulgarians in Bulgaria, the city of Bolhrad is associated above all with you, with the Bolhrad Church, with the Bolhrad High School, which has played a historic role, and with the Monument to the Bulgarian Volunteers. We all deeply appreciate this. On behalf of Bulgaria, I wish that the next wine festival be held in a peaceful Ukraine," Ivanov added.

"The festival is one of the most anticipated events of the year. Bolhrad has once again become the epicentre of wine culture," the hosts of the event said.

Folk ensembles from Bessarabia performed a three-and-a-half-hour concert programme, including Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Moldovan, and Gagauz folk songs and dances.

A charity auction was held during the festival, with the proceeds going to the Ukrainian armed forces.

Throughout the day, residents of Bolhrad and visitors to the city had the opportunity to taste artisanal wines from Bessarabia, sample traditional dishes from Bulgaria, Gagauzia, Ukraine, Albania, and Moldova, and learn about the handicrafts of the locals.

Odesa Region is home to the third largest community of expatriate Bulgarians, numbering more than 150,000 people, according to an official population census in Ukraine in 2001. Between 50,000 and 60,000 Bulgarians live in the regional capital, Odesa. Bulgarians in the region are concentrated in the districts of Bolhrad, Izmail and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi.

The city of Bolhrad was established in 1821 by Bulgarian settlers. The city is considered the unofficial capital of Bessarabian Bulgarians. The Bolhrad district comprises 10 municipalities, with over 60% of the population being of Bulgarian origin.