Harmanli will host the 40th edition of the "Poetic Strings" festival from 2 to 4 October 2026. It opens on 2 October at 18:00 at the town's Culture Centre, the Harmanli municipal press office said.
The festival has run in Harmanli since 1986 and is one of the oldest of its kind in Bulgaria. Poet and singer-songwriter Grisha Trifonov came up with the idea for "Poetic Strings". Since 1990, Harmanli municipality and local businesses have backed the festival, which has been a fixture on the town's cultural calendar ever since.
Every year, poets with guitars travel to Harmanli from across the country. Both well-known names and newcomers take the stage to perform their own songs and poems.
Over the festival's four decades, Harmanli has hosted artists such as Mihail Belchev, Nedyalko Yordanov, Asen Maslarski, Plamen Stavrev and Asen Sirakov. More than a hundred performers have sung their songs for the first time on the "Poetic Strings" stage.
Last year's edition saw two newcomers make their debut. Organisers expect the anniversary festival to once again bring together poets with guitars from different generations.