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June 3 – Rose Festival in Kazanlak

June 3, 2016

nPostednon June 3, 2016

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Younknow that roses are important to Kazanlak, Bulgaria, when touristsncome from all over for their harvesting…. When scads of people dress up in traditional garb and wear rose leis and headdresses… When a Queen Rose is elected and rosenparades are held.

nIngrew up in Pasadena, California, and we had the world-famousnTournament of Roses as a New Year’s tradition, with the Rose Bowlnfootball game and the lovely Rose Parade. These traditions are sonimportant to Pasadena that it is often called “The City of Roses.”

nButnthere is no particular reason to link Pasadena with roses, innactuality. It has good weather, like all of Southern California, butnits weather isn’t particularly amazing for growing roses – Portland, Oregon,nhas much wetter weather that is ideal for roses.

Onnthe other hand, Kazanlak, Bulgaria, has a very good reason forncelebrating roses – it is located in the Valley of Roses, where thenRosa Damascena is grown. This rose is the source of a treasured rosenoil that costs as much as gold.

nThenrose oil is used for aromatherapy and in perfumes and even medicines.nIt is used in the food industry, including as an herbal tea and as ansort of treat when it is preserved in sugar. It is used to make rosenwater. It is even used in the space industry as a greasing agent.

Kazanlak’snroses bloom for about 25 days a year. They are harvested by hand innthe morning, when their aroma is strongest. They are transported innsmall quantities to a distillery, where the oil is harvested. n

nKazanlaknhas a Rose Research Institute where scientists have developed severalnvarieties that can take best advantage of the conditions in thenValley of Roses. They send out seedlings to the rose farmers.

nIn addition to the ritual harvesting of roses, the parades, and the crowning of the Rose Queen, the Rose Festival has booths for rose products to be sold. And of course fun fair food that has nothing to do with roses!