Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev opened the Rhodope Festival of Folklore Art and Stockbreeding "Rozhen-Heritage in the Future 2019". Thousands of people from Bulgaria and abroad arrived today to take part at the Rozhen festival. Bulgaria would be left an orphan without the magic of the Rhodope song and the life-giving sound of the bagpipes, Bulgaria’s Head of state Radev said. Bulgaria’s cosmic voice Valya Balkanska, who has been constantly taking part at the Rozhen Festival since 1961, came out on stage. Over 3.500 participants from all parts of Bulgaria will perform on four stages until Sunday. Folklore groups of Bessarabian Bulgarians from Ukraine will participate at the festival for the first time. The first edition of the Rhozhen Festival of Folklore Art and Stockbreeding was held in 1898.