The festival begins with the rose-picking ceremony at dawn. Visitors who sign up get to go into the rose fields very early in the morning, just as the sun is rising, and pick roses alongside the local harvesters. The dew is still on the petals, the air is cool and full of fragrance, and the long rows of pink roses stretch in every direction. It is a magical experience.
Later in the day, the town fills with folk dancing, live music and craft stalls. Local artisans sell rose-oil soaps, creams, rose-petal jam and perfumes. You can watch the distillation process — where rose petals are boiled with water in a copper still and the precious oil rises up through a pipe as fragrant steam.
The festival's most spectacular moment is the grand procession through the town. Participants wear elaborate traditional Bulgarian costumes embroidered with floral designs, horse-drawn carriages are decorated with garlands of roses, and folk music groups play gaida bagpipes and kaval flutes. The Rose Queen rides at the centre of the procession.
For children, the festival is full of things to do: trying rose-petal lemonade, making a small martenitsa-style rose bracelet, having a rose petal painted on their cheek, and watching street performers and musicians. It is one of the few times in the year when the whole of the Rose Valley feels like one big, joyful celebration.