The second edition of Jazz And Art Fest 2024 transformed the open spaces of the National Exhibition of Crafts and Arts in Oreshak into a four-day open-air festival.
This year's Jazz And Art Fest music and arts festival met expectations with a strong musical program and a diverse range of performers. The event took place for the second year in the village of Oreshak near Troyan, where nature, music, and arts came together in harmony for four consecutive days from July 11 to 14.
The stage under the stars in the open spaces of the National Exhibition of Crafts and Arts in Oreshak hosted both local performers and musicians from Argentina, France, Brazil, Cuba, Serbia, and China.
The festival opened with performances by Jazz Tet - Troyan, Hot Club de Plovdiv, the group YIK - CCN, and the young virtuoso WILL SANTТ, whose performance was dedicated to the work of the legendary João Gilberto. Friday evening began with a concert by the Serbian performer Matea Jezdic and continued with the music of Mike Sax & Key. The night concluded with the Cuban group Septeto Nabori, and the audience danced to the rhythms of the most authentic Cuban music and culture, influenced by the deeply rooted tradition of Santiago de Cuba.
On Saturday evening, the concert began with Vesela Morova & the Veliko Tarnovo Big Band. Later, the audience welcomed Caren Souza, considered one of the most influential contemporary voices in jazz and bossa nova. For a duet performance with her, the Bulgarian jazz legend Vasil Petrov joined her on stage, marking the climax of the festival. Celebrating 30 years on stage, he then performed some of his most iconic pieces to close the evening.
In addition to the impressive musical program, the event organizers and partners ensured there was delicious food and a variety of drinks. During the day, festival guests had the opportunity to explore the work of local artisans and visit various creative workshops organized by some of the future teachers at the International School of Culinary Arts and Traditional Crafts 'Sharena Fabrika.'
In the afternoon, both children and adults gathered around Rumen and Stella Georgievi, who not only demonstrated basic techniques in working with a pottery wheel but also gave everyone a chance to participate. Alongside them, Maria Baker introduced children to basic sewing techniques. Petar Kondev provided live demonstrations of woodcarving, working on a new piece while explaining the specifics of his craft. Natalia Bilcheva attracted attention with her delicate icon painting techniques.
The 'Sharena Zadruga' initiative has been a festival partner for the second consecutive year, and it was a pleasure for us to participate in the event!
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Photos: Troyan Express, Stanio Dzhabrailov, Antonia Baramova