The organisers of the festival are the "Historical Park AD" and the Association for Historical Reenactment "BULGARIAN SCHOOL OF ANCIENT MILITARY ARTS - VELICHIE".

Participation in the Festival

Any association of historical reenactment, recreating the period of the early Middle Ages (from the middle of the VIth to the beginning of the XIth century), which has applied for participation in the Festival and has received confirmation from its organisers, can take part in the Festival.

You can apply for participation in the Festival on the website of the Historical Park https://www.ipark.bg/bg-BG/Events. The organisers of the Festival have the right to accept or refuse any participant, at their own discretion and without further explanation.

All inquiries regarding the participation and various organisational issues are carried out exclusively by e-mail: m.petrov@ipark.bg. If you need answers to your questions, a coordinator will contact you.

Financing of the Festival

The expenses related to the preparation and holding of the festival, the meals of the participants and the prize funds are provided by Historical Park AD.

 The costs for transport and accommodation of the participants (historical clubs and free reenactors) are borne by the participants themselves.

Accommodation of participants

The participants in the Festival are accommodated in a separate military camp - "Stan", located in the "Festival Zone". The locations of the individual associations and their camps are pre-established, and the Organising Team (OT) of the festival reserves the right to relocate them, as needed.

Accommodation in the "Stan" starts at 12:00 on the day before the opening of the festival and ends at 8:00 in the morning on the opening day of the Festival.

Participants planning to spend the night in their own modern tents are accommodated away from the "Stan", at the designated place in the area of ​​the Festival Zone. The organisers also offer places for overnight stays for a fee, in their own external base, at the "Yurt Camp", which requires a prior request. Participants can organise their overnight stay independently, at a place of their choice.

All participants must register on site, no later than 10:00 in the morning on the opening day of the Festival. In case of discrepancy between the requested participants and those actually present, a decision on the participation of the latter is taken on the spot by the OT. For this purpose, all participants must present their ID documents.

Photo and video cameramen, reporters, journalists, etc. wishing to shoot during the Festival, must request a registration and accreditation before the OT.

General requirements for participants

During the festival, all participants are required to wear historical clothing appropriate to the period. In the absence of such, they are allowed in the area of ​​the Historical Camp only as spectators.

It is not allowed to display personal belongings or household items that do not correspond to the period in the Historical Camp. If necessary, they must be carefully hidden in the personal luggage and tents of the participants.

Persons whose clothing and weapons have not been tested for reliability and safety in use are not allowed to participate in tournaments and war games.

Minors are allowed to participate in the festival only in the presence of their parents, guardians or trustees or upon presentation of the documents intended for this purpose.

Rewarding the participants

Participants in tournament competitions and military games held during the Festival, are awarded with stamped diplomas - "Bula" and physical prizes.

The prize fund of the Festival is provided by Historical Park AD. Participants can receive their prizes only if they have pre-registered on arrival at the Historical Camp and are registered to participate in tournaments and war games at the time set.

Ensuring order

To ensure the general safety of the participants and the observance of public order during the Festival, the OE and the security services engaged by it are responsible. The safety of the order in the camps of the participants is personally the responsibility of the leaders of clubs and associations, which must provide a full day duty to maintain order in the territory on which they are located.

For this purpose, the participants are obliged to observe the following rules:

• It is strictly forbidden to use distillated alcoholic beverages by the participants during the festival day (from 08:00 to 19:00)

• Smoking is carried out only in the designated places (outside the area of ​​"Stan")

• All participants who have a field kitchen, open fireplace or other type of heating equipment on the territory of their camp are obliged to carry with them and be able to use a fire extinguisher. It must be in good condition, passed the appropriate suitability check and marked for that purpose in accordance with the established procedure.

• It is strictly forbidden to have any vehicles in the area of ​​"Stan" during the festival days, from 08:00 to 19:00. The vehicles of the participants, the technical services, etc. can move in the territory of the "Stan", from the time of arrival of the participants on the day of accommodation (the day before the festival) until 08:00. on the opening day (the first day of the festival) and after 19:00. on the same day as after 17:00. on the day of departure of the participants (last day of the festival).

• Groups and individual participants wishing to depart before the end of the Festival are obliged to notify the OT and to take their property from the "Stan" to the place designated for the location of vehicles.

The responsibility for compliance with these rules lies with the group leaders and security services. Each participant in the Festival is personally responsible. The organisers of the Festival have the right to terminate the participation and remove from the Festival all persons and / or groups who have violated the rules or do not comply with public order and the laws of the Republic of Bulgaria !!!

                                                        Program of the Festival

The festival "NEW BEGINNING" opens officially at 11:00 on the first day of the festival - 18.06.2022

Central events during the two festival days / 18th and 19th of june, 2022 / are: the Sabor : gathering and review of the fighting teams, which marks the beginning of the festival program and the military Trienna : battles with weapons and military games dedicated to military glory of the ancestors.

 War games include:

• Horse fighting and racing - Ristanie;

• Competition of horse archery - Streltsy Dobrokonnitsi (the Mighty Horse Archers);

• Archery competition - Zmieoborets (Dragon Slayer)

• Fencing competition - Mechenosha (the Swordsmen);

• Team battles - Ratobortsy (Squad of Warriors)

• Mass battle - Veliky Sytch (the Great Clash);

• Presentation of falconers - Kragouyare (the Raptor's Circle)

The rich program of the two festival days also includes:

• Presentation of the military camps to the participants;

• War games and historical workshops for children and guests of the Festival;

• Crafts market;

• Presentation of traditional Bulgarian cuisine;

• Presentation of authentic Bulgarian folklore.

The awarding of the winners in the tournament competitions and the war games will be carried out during the closing ceremony of the Festival "New Beginning", from 17:00. on the last day of the festival - 19.06.2022

The festival program takes place simultaneously at several venues:

• The "Stan" square (Military camp). The life of the people of the medieval era is reconstructed in the "Stan" with their customs, camps, household items and military work. In the camp, the warriors demonstrate their martial arts, the craftsmen show their skills and offer their wares, and the women maintain the camp, the households and take care of food preparation. Songs are sung, rituals are performed and dancing is performed.

• The "Ristalishte" site. Melting point. (Military field). The Gathering of the Troops, the cavalry battles "Ristanie" and "Streltsy Dobrokonnitsi", as well as infantry battles with weapons "Squad of Warriors", "the Swordsmen" and "the Great Clash" are held on the Military Field. War games for children with safe weapons are also held here, in the form of training and tournament competitions.

• The "Strelnitsa" (Shooting range). The Shooting Range "Dragon Slayer" is held at the Shooting Range and offers archery lessons for children and guests of the Festival.

• The "Kragoun" site. (Falconry field). The performances of the falconers "Kragouyare" are performed on the Falcon Field and open lessons with birds of prey are held for children and guests of the Festival.

• The "Sokalnitsa" catering space (The Inn). The participants of the Festival can enjoy food at the Inn and the medieval cuisine is presented.

• The "Trazhishte" marketplace (Merchants Street). Masters of traditional crafts are presented on the marketplace and goods related to the medieval way of life and warfare of the Bulgarians are offered. The historical handicraft workshops for children and guests of the Festival are also held here.