Bean Festival held for 13th consecutive year in Bulgaria

A Bean Festival was held on Saturday for the 13th consecutive year in the Bulgarian village of Smilyan, which is located in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains near Momchilovtsi.

Hundreds of people from across the country came to the village, famous for the cultivation of this specific plant.

Near and inside the local cultural center, they could buy directly from the manufacturers beans in baskets, pottery and transparent bags.

Inside the building, local culinary talents showed dishes such as beans with fish and potatoes, beans soup, pumpkin and peppers stuffed with beans, and even pancake made with beans.

The visitors could also enjoy the exhibition of figures made of beans.

However, the most people were clustered near a large panel made of beans. Its making started in 2007, and since then each participant or spectator of the festival could stick only one bean on items related to the village -- bean plant, plough, Rhodope Mountains, the local clock tower, Arda River and Roman bridges.

Moreover, anyone who stuck a bean wrote their names and date of participation in a special book. At the time of the report, the number reached 13,283.

Magdalena Lovchelieva from Smilyan told Xinhua that she has been producing from 600 kg to 700 kg of beans each year.

"Everyone produces. Some people a little, some more, but each family of Smilyan produce beans," Lovchelieva said. "It is very labor intensive, and watering is the most important, so the field must be located near the river." Endit