In English | На български
An annual four-day celebration of Bulgarian Culture and Slavic Alphabet!
Day 1 (Fri) | Day 2 (Sat) | Day 3 (Sun) | Day 4 (Mon)
with special guests on Saturday and Sunday: Yuri Yunakov, Radostina Kaneva, Helena Miloseic, Vladimir Mollov, Petar Dimitrov-Зъма, and Rumen Sali Shopov!
TICKETS (on sale!)
Your donation to the festival are much appreciated.
Special gratitude to our generous sponsors!
Dear Friends,
please join us for our 18th Annual Sts. KIRIL & METHODY FESTIVAL OF BULGARIAN ARTS & CULTURE and THE SLAVIC ALPHABET in San Francisco! The festival will offer you FOUR DAYS (see program below) of exciting traditional and classical Bulgarian music, folk dance performances by local groups from numerous Bay Area Bulgarian communities, kids and singing workshops, a talent show “Antika’s Got Talent”, as well as delicious Bulgarian food by Chef Hristo.
We are also very fortunate in this year’s festival edition to present to you on Saturday and Sunday:
Yuri Yunakov (saxophone)
Yuri Yunakov is one of THE pioneers of Bulgarian Wedding Music and a leading Bulgarian Roma musicians in the United States. He is largely responsible for creating the saxophone’s role in this style.
and
Radostina Kaneva (vocals)
A treasured voice of the Thracian-style from Samuilovo (near Sliven), Bulgaria, a soloist with Bulgarian National Radio and Television and lead singer of Ensemble Bulgari
Day 1 (Friday, May 18), 7:30 pm
FESTIVAL OPENING EVENING
Address: Bulgarian Church “Sts Kiril and Methody”, 1551 Shell Ave, Martinez, CA
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The Festival opening evening will feature: Tatiana Nikolova-Houston (read full bio), a specialist in preserving South Slavic (Bulgarian) medieval manuscripts, revealing “the secret history” of the Balkans during the Ottoman rule (1393-1878) by studying manuscript marginal notes. Since 2008, she has been re-creating and re-interpreting Byzantine and South Slavic iconography and manuscript illuminations, in her Sacred Illuminations, to be presented at Antika Festival 2018. There will also be a “moleben” (молебен) / prayer ceremony by Father Hristo. For first time The Golden icon of Sts Kiril and Methody will be brought to and displayed at the Sts Kiril and Methody Church in Martinez.
Music/dancing: folk music/dance party with live music by folklore trio ROZA (Bill Cope, Rosie and Ivan)
Food: a potluck-style home-made Bulgarian dinner with **roasted lamb** made by Father Hristo.
Gratitude towards our hosts and collaborators Sts Kiril and Methody Church, Father Hristo, and BULGARE Folk Club, Martinez (with director Todorka Aleksandrova)
Day 2 (Saturday, May 19), 2:30 – 11:30 pm
18th Annual Sts. KIRIL & METHODY FESTIVAL OF BULGARIAN ARTS & CULTURE
Address: Croatiаn American Cultural Center, 60 Onondaga Ave, San Francisco, CA
Buy Tickets (adult/child)
Facebook Event
The *main event* of Antika Festival is happening for the 18th consecutive year. It celebrates Bulgarian arts, culture, literature, and the patron Saints Cyril and Methodius (Methodii) and the Slavic script/alphabet as a symbolical and practical basis of education, literature, arts, the collective memory, and history. Here is the schedule of the day:
2:30 pm – Doors open
3:00 pm
* Art/Craft workshop for children by Relly-Ralitza – Colorful woven inspirations – workshop for colorful, woven bracelets, mini wall hangings and pouches made with homemade recycled materials looms. In addition there will be also Letters project and wreath making. (see FB event for more details)
* Singing workshop with Radostina Kaneva (contact Tanya Kostova for more details 510-666-7701)
* Photo exhibit and Antika DAR BAZAAR
4:00 pm –
* ANTIKA BULGARIA’S GOT TALENT Show!
A “contest” where you can share your own talent in the area of music, dance, literature, poetry reciting, or any artistic skill. Anyone is welcome, regardless of age, genre, or nationality/origin. Email antika_bulgaria@yahoo.com or call 510 666 7701 to participate. Our jury of special musicians and artists will be there to award participants.
* ALL-STAR Wedding Band *early* teaser-concert, as finale of the Antika Bulgaria’s Got Talent
* Folk dance groups’ performances
6:00 pm – DINNER
7 pm – 11:30 pm FESTIVAL’S GALA CONCERT featuring…
ALL-STAR WEDDING BAND
Featuring Yuri Yunakov, this all-star band is specially put together for Antika Fest 2018. Enjoy the treasured voice of Radostina Kaneva, the master percussion of Rumen Sali Shopov and the mastership of Vladimir Mollov and Petar Dimitrov!
YURI YUNAKOV, saxophone, Newark
RUMEN SALI SHOPOV, tupan and tambura, Berkeley
RADOSTINA KANEVA, vocals, Las Vegas
VLADIMIR MOLLOV, accordion, Pittsburgh
PETAR DIMITROV-ЗЪМА, guitar, tambura, Boston
Emanuela Nikiforova & ANTIKA SLAVIC STRINGS, Berkeley
Classical music by Bulgarian classic composers and folklore songs adapted for a classic formation.
Rumen Sali Shopov and HELENA MILOSEVIC with MERAKLII FOLK BAND, Berkeley
Bulgarian and Balkan music ensemble established and lead by Rumen Sali Shopov.
Bill Cope & FRIENDS
Bill Cope will be performing traditional folklore songs with Trio Roza (Bill, Rosie, and Ivan) and others.
Folk Dance performances by GROUPS from near and far:
MESECHINA from San Diego
VODITSIA Folk Formation, San Jose
Folk Club BULGARE, Martinez
ANTIKA Folk Ensemble and MARTENICHKI BG Art School, San Francisco
Note: KAFANA is open for performances (contact Tanya Kostova to request to play)
Day 3 (Sunday, May 20)
The 4th BULGARIAN DANCE FESTIVAL ON WHEELS,
The BIG BULGARIAN HORO, and
The MAGIC OF RHODOPE MOUNTAIN Evening
1:30 pm – 2:30pm – THE BIG BULGARIAN HORO with The Best All-Star WEDDING BAND
At The Golden Gate Park in front of the main stage near the Japanese garden. The Bus Tour and musicians will arrive around to the site a little before 1:30pm. (For live updates on bus location call 510-473-6410/510-666-7701). This is a public event without tickets. Music by Yuri Yunakov, Rumen Sali Shopov, Radostina Kaneva, Petar Dimitrov-Зъма, Vladimir Mollov and MERAKLII FOLK BAND!
Address: Japanese Garden, 75 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr, San Francisco, CA CA 94118 (in front of the main stage)
Facebook Event
12:30 pm – 5:30 pm – “FESTIVAL ON WHEELS” FOLK DANCE JOURNEY on a tour bus with singing and dancing and live music by Yuri Yunakov, Rumen Sali Shopov, Radostina Kaneva, Petar Dimitrov-Зъма, Vladimir Mollov and MERAKLII FOLK BAND.
Starting and Ending Address: LeanPlum Office, 1550 Bryant St, San Francisco, CA (free parking)
Facebook Event
Bus Tour Tickets
Bus Stops / Route for the “FESTIVAL ON WHEELS”
(for live updates call 510-473-6410/510-666-7701):
- 1st stop (12:35 – 12:40 pm) – We will stop at 16th St Mission Bart Station to pick up any people without cars, please call in advance
- 2nd stop (1:30 pm – 2:30 pm) – Japanese Garden in Golden Gate Park, near the Main Stage. This stop will be during The BIG BULGARIAN HORO with The ALL STAR BULGARIAN WEDDING BAND, MERAKLII Balkan Band and MORE – FREE of charge!
- 3rd stop (time depends on traffic): Vista Point at Golden Gate Bridge
- 4th stop (time depends on traffic): Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St, San Francisco CA
- 5th stop (5:15 pm – 5:20 pm): 16th St Mission Bart Station to drop off anyone (if necessary)
- final stop (5:30 pm) – LeanPlum Office (see above)
6:00 pm – DINNER served by Hristo Kolev
Address: LeanPlum Office, 1550 Bryant St, San Francisco, CA (free parking)
6:30 pm – THE MAGIC OF RHODOPE MOUNTAIN EVENING
Address: LeanPlum Office, 1550 Bryant St, San Francisco, CA (free parking)
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The concert is dedicated to the memory of VASKO (VASSIL) BEBELEKOV. Music and your favorite Rhodope songs by Maria Bebelekova, Radostina Kaneva, Rumen Sali Shopov, Vladimir Mollov, Petar Dimitrov-Зъма, Bill Cope, Bruce Cochran, Yulian Yordanov and Folk Ensemble Antika.
Day 4 (May 21, Monday), 11 am – 3:30 pm
Festival CLOSING Day
Festival CLOSING Day and the return of our Sts. Kiril and Methody Golden Icon ritual, with live music with Radostina Caneva, Vladimir Mollov, Emanuela Nikiforova short concert, potluck lunch and GOOD BYE at the beautiful Holy Cross Monastery. Donations.
Address: Holy Cross Monastery, 34700 Palomares, Castro Valley, CA
About the Festival
This festival is a work of love and unceasing dedication to the Bulgarian spirit around the world by Tanya Kostova and her faithful Antika group and friends. It started 2001 as Sts KIRIL and METHODY Bulgarian Festival with the colaboration of John Daley, director of the Croatian Cultural Center, San Francisco, and local bands. Many thanks to all friends, supporters and volunteers through the years!
Thanks to Our Sponsors
Many thanks to our sponsors: the Croatian American Cultural Center, LEANPLUM, National Endowment for Arts, Hristo Kolev and…. may be you? If you like or love what we do, please support us at www.paypal.me/antikabulgaria!
Thank you!
Tanya Kostova
ANTIKA BULGARIA Int Cultural Club, San Francisco since 2001