December 1-31 / Exhibitions at the Etar Museum
• “The Culinary History of Bulgaria” The exhibition presents the colorful collection of the Gabrovo resident Marin Lesev. Collected over 30 years, this treasure trove of searched and preserved printed publications and manuscripts draws you into the richness of Bulgarian cuisine and reveals rare and previously unseen printed texts Museum Center Level 1 and Level 2
• “Christmas Magic” The exhibition shows the Christmas and New Year holidays various manifestations over the years. The blessed days are illuminated with a halo of expectation and hope for the fulfillment of dreams and miracles. In these joyful days, we all wish for good things and we become better and smile. We all hope for a new beginning. Museum Center Level 3
• Exposition “The Open Door to Past Times” Presenting a new look at the female image two centuries ago. Emphasis is placed on the celebration – daily, festive, and festive. Different social roles of women are traced – as maid, daughter-in-law, mother Exhibition halls above the Hlopkar Workshop
• “Bulgarians from old and new times” The exhibition presents the specifics of men’s clothing from the Central Stara Planina region from the 19th century and its development until the mid-20th century – the transition from traditional costume to modern costume Exhibition halls above the Pottery Workshop
• “The Sunken Heritage” The exhibition presents the fate of settlements that disappeared during the construction of more than 20 dams, the life trajectories of their inhabitants before and after the exodus, and the changes in the cultural landscape. Special attention is paid to the villages affected by the construction of the Hristo Smirnenski Dam above Gabrovo – Toplesh, Delidzhetsi, Todorcheta, and Spaseta, and to the samples of water facilities from these villages, recreated in the Etar Museum. The exhibition was created by a team from the Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Studies – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in cooperation with the Etar Museum and the Regional History Museum – Gabrovo Exhibition halls above the Sharlandzhiyska Workshop
• Exposition “Disappearing Crafts” Presenting two specific crafts from traditional Bulgarian culture: saddlery – a craft “at risk”, and “cantarzhiyska” – a craft “cultural heritage” Exhibition halls above the Woodcarving Workshop
• Exposition “Disappearing Crafts” Presenting two specific crafts from traditional Bulgarian culture: saddlery – a craft “at risk”, and “cantarzhiyska” – a craft “cultural heritage” Exhibition halls above the Woodcarving Workshop
Outdoor exhibition – “Vasil Aprilov – Benefactor of New Bulgarian Education” Space between the “Aprilov-Palauzov” Regional Library and the National Aprilov High School
“My Happy Kindergarten” – The exhibition is organized with the assistance of the Bulgarian Teachers’ Union – Gabrovo and the Regional Department of Education – Gabrovo. National Museum of Education, Temporary Exhibition Hall
“Inclusion” Art Corridor of the National Museum of Education
December 1-31 “Gabrovo – Center of Knowledge and Enlightenment” Cinema Hall of the National Museum of Education

December 2
05:30 pm Lighting the Christmas Tree Lights – Christmas Bustle with Ju and Jack Sq. Vazrazhdane
06:30 pm Charity concert “Angel Hearts 5” Vazrazhdane Hall

December 4
06:00 pm Annual exhibition “Christmas Star”, Eliza Art School Vazrazhdane Hall

December 5
07:00 pm To love Gershwin Plevne Philharmonic Concert with Hilda Kazasyan, Vasil Petrov, Teodosii Spasov and others. Vazrazhdane Hall

December 6

11:00 am and 2:00 pm St. Nicholas Day at the Museum – Thematic Talk Curator Daniela Dimkova will tell visitors about the significant import of fish to Gabrovo in the second half of the 19th century and the presence of 7 fish stalls in the Covered Market (Gabrovo Halls) opened in 1928. Each attendee will receive an original recipe for a fish dish from the 1930s and will have the opportunity to share theirs by participating in the culinary game “Write your recipe and win a cookbook”! Etar Museum, Museum Center, Level 2

December 7
11:00 am Smiling Christmas – Children’s Workshop Museum of Humor and Satire

December 7-8
Family ticket with a creative experience: Festive felt decoration The ticket includes a short educational story about the path of wool and its role in everyday life in the past and today. Participants will create Christmas ornaments from wool using the dry felting technique. Etar Museum

December 9
05:30 pm Opening of the Children’s Christmas Town With the participation of the Wild Sound Music School of Singing at the Buditelet – 2017 Community Center, State Puppet Theater – Gabrovo and the Gabrovo Orchestra Clay Pots City Garden

December 9-11
07:00 pm Christmas Theater Festival 2024 09.12.2024 Christmas Homeopathy for the Soul With the participation of Dimitar Ivanov-Kapitana, Adriana Dimova, Bai Tanyo, and AJ Tik-toka
10.12.2024 “Surprise” By Alexandra Ptushkina, with the participation of Maria Sapundzhieva, Filip Avramov, Meglena Stoeva, Tatyana Tsankova. Ferry Art is visiting.
11.12.2024 “Constellations” by Nick Payne, directed by Elitsa Yovcheva. National Theater “Ivan Vazov” is visiting with the participation of Radina Dumanyan and Nencho Kostov Drama Theater “Racho Stoyanov”

December 10
Digital for Gabrovo Hall “Vazrazhdane”

December 11

07:00 pm Christmas Music Conductor Ivan Stoyanov, Bozhidar Penev – organ In the program: Michel Coret – Concertos for organ and orchestra No. 1 in G major /12 min/ and No. 4 in C major, /12 min/ /first performances in Bulgaria/, Bozhidar Penev – Concerto for organ and orchestra in the style of V.A. Mozart /premiere/, Beethoven – Minuet, Tchaikovsky – Humoresque, Johann Strauss – “Roses from the South” and others. Art Gallery “Hristo Tsokev”

December 12
06:00 pm Christmas Concert at the “Gabrovo-2002” Community Center House of Culture “Emanuil Manolov”

December 14
11:30 am Saturday Adventure at the Prime Minister Theater! Cinderella Dramatization, direction, and scenography: Svetoslav Slavchev and Nadezhda Petkova With the participation of Melin Erdinch, Dilyan Nikolov, Magdalena Slavcheva, Adriana Dimova, Svetoslav Slavchev, Nadezhda Petkova Drama Theater “Racho Stoyanov”
04:00 pm Smiling Christmas 2 – children’s studio Museum of Humor and Satire
07:00 pm Yes, Mr. Prime Minister! With the participation of Krastyo Lafazanov, Marian Bachev, Tony Minasyan, and others. Racho Stoyanov Drama Theater

December 14-15

Family ticket with a creative experience: Decorating Christmas cookies Those who purchase a ticket with a creative experience will learn about the celebration of Christmas and New Year holidays in Gabrovo at the beginning of the 20th century. They will have the opportunity to decorate four Christmas cookies and will be able to show their imagination when decorating a Christmas box for packaging the cookies! Etar Museum

December 16
7:00 pm Cancun by Jordi Galseran, dir. Atanas Atanasov, with the participation of Polina Hristova (guest), Tanya Yorgova, Stoyan Roumenin, Dimo ​​Sava Dimov Drama Theater “Racho Stoyanov”

December 17
Athlete of the Year Gabrovo 2024 Hall “Vazrazhdane”

December 20
05:30 pm Opening of an exhibition by Stoyan Venev on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the artist’s birth with works from the collection of the Museum and Art Gallery “Vl. Dimitrov – the Master” Kyustendil and collectors Museum of Humor and Satire, Hall 5
06:30 pm Christmas Concert of the Children’s Folklore Ensemble “Gabrovche” House of Culture “Emanuel Manolov”
07:00 pm The Picture of Dorian Gray based on the novel by Oscar Wilde. Dir. Veselka Kuncheva. ASKEER 2024 for scenography – Marieta Golomehova. With the participation of Tsveti Penyashki and Blagovest Mitsev (guests), Dimo ​​Sava Dimov, Nadezhda Petkova, Melin Erdinch, and others. Drama Theater “Racho Stoyanov”

December 21
06:00 pm CINDERELLA with the special participation of Santa Claus Dramatization, direction, and scenography: Svetoslav Slavchev and Nadezhda Petkova With the participation of Melin Erdinch, Dilyan Nikolov, Magdalena Slavcheva, Adriana Dimova, Svetoslav Slavchev, Nadezhda Petkova Drama Theater “Racho Stoyanov”

December 21-22

Family ticket with a creative experience: Decorating Christmas cookies Those who have purchased a ticket with a creative experience will get acquainted with the celebration of Christmas and New Year holidays in Gabrovo at the beginning of the 20th century. They will have the opportunity to decorate four Christmas cookies and will be able to show their imagination when decorating a Christmas box for packing cookies! Etar Museum

December 26

Carolers in the Museum Every year, the Etar Museum organizes the festive event Carolers in the Museum, during which the emphasis is on the reenactment of the caroling ritual. Young people from the educational program “School for Carolers” participate. The program gives participants (aged 14–18) the opportunity to get acquainted with ritual symbolism and learn caroling songs and names under the guidance of museum specialists and a choreographer. Etar Museum

December 27
11:00 am To put it mildly – a children’s event, a screening of a full-length animated film based on the fairy tale of the same name by Valeri Petrov, directed by Anri Kulev Museum of Humor and Satire

December 28-29
Family ticket with a creative experience: Making a survaknitsa The workshop begins with a short educational story about the symbolism of the survaknitsa and its role in the winter holidays. Participants will make their unique survaknitsa, using authentic materials and decorations. Etar Museum

December 30
07:00 pm Under the Stars of Gabrovo with Stefan Valdobrev and the Usual Suspects Vazrazhdane Square
08:30 pm Holiday Illuminations Vazrazhdane Square