# Bulgarian summer festival season 2026 > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/bulgarian-summer-festival-season-2026 > Updated: 2026-08-06T16:31:28.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2. In late July 2026 Bulgaria’s coastal city of Burgas hosted the inaugural "Kissed by the Sun" pop‑up beach festival, a two‑day free event featuring electronic music, sports activities and youth‑focused stalls. At the same time, Sofia’s Summer Fest continued its seventh edition, running through mid‑August and opening a photo exhibition titled “First 7” that documents the festival’s history. The following week the focus shifted to Kyustendil, where the 11th Sofia Film Fest turned Velbzhd Square into an open‑air cinema. From 7 to 28 August, the festival offered free nightly screenings of Bulgarian and international films, highlighted by appearances from local directors and producers. The program concluded with an Iranian Golden Palm winner, illustrating the breadth of cultural offerings across the country during the summer. Together, these events illustrate a coordinated season of music, visual arts, and film festivals that span Bulgaria’s major cities, providing free public programming and showcasing both emerging and established talent. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-06: Sofia Film Fest Brings Open-Air Cinema to Kyustendil in August The 11th Sofia Film Fest runs Aug 7‑28 in Kyustendil’s Velbzhd Square, offering free open‑air screenings of Bulgarian and international films each Friday night, with directors Svetoslav Ovcharov, Stanimir Trif​ 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sofia-film-fest-brings-open-air-cinema-to-kyustendil-in-august ### 2026-07-27: Burgas Hosts First Kissed by the Sun Beach Fest as Sofia Summer Fest Opens 'First 7' Exhibit Burgas will host the inaugural Kissed by the Sun pop‑up beach festival on July 31–Aug 1, 2026, featuring electronic DJs, sports and workshops; Sofia Summer Fest’s seventh edition runs July 22–Sept 13 and opened 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/burgas-hosts-first-kissed-by-the-sun-beach-fest-as-sofia-summer-fest-opens-first-7-exhibit --- Cite as: Bulgarian summer festival season 2026. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/bulgarian-summer-festival-season-2026