July Morning Nesebar 2009

In Bulgaria, there is a tradition called July Morning (Bulgarian: Джулая or Джулай, Julaya or July) as an echo from the hippy era in the 1980s and maybe as far back as the 1970s. Young (and not so young) people from all over the country travel (often hitchhike) to the Black Sea coast on the night of June 30 to meet the first sun rays on the 1st of July. Naturally, British rock band Uriah Heep's 1971 hit July Morning is the main refrain.

Although the tradition was emotionally linked to the hippy movement in America, it is still popular in Bulgaria. It is probably not observed anywhere else, because of its specific role as a subtle protest during communist times. "Official" celebrations started in Varna in 1991 or 1992, two years after the communist government resigned, and in recent years have spread to Kamen Bryag, Kavarna, Shkorpilovtsi, Irakli, Burgas, Sozopol, Varvara, Ahtopol, Chernomorets as well as the whole Bulgarian Black Sea coast.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• July
• Morning
• Uriah
• Heep
• Rock

[murzila00]

GREAT! Thank you for sharing, guys. It was spread among most Bulgarians living in Dallas/Fort Worth area in US.

[Alexbgbs]

awesome <3

[need4beerr]

@earldog1 'With the strength of a new day dawning and the beautiful sun' that's why they play this song its tradition .you can watch the sunrise every-other day but the 1 July 'belongs' to Uriah Heep :)

[simeonmadara]

абе тая година къде ще сме в шабла или в поморие там на плажа до крайбрежна

[gorgonnt]

That's bullshit!The one and the only capitol of July Morning in Bulgaria is Varvara.It was chosen by the old bulgarian hippies.All other locations suck.

[1535995]

This is an amazing place, I am from Italy and been there 4 years in a row.

There is the old town of Nesebar, the small markets, the 25 km beach, the chicks, the hundreds clubs..

Simply ROCKS!

[nikolai841]

Helo from Greece(I am bulgarian)I have been at Nesebar 2006 and Камен бряг in 2004.Great filing shering whith all the people there,one of the friendlyest plases....take care people

[earldog1]

Great and wonderfully awesome sunrise! Terrific tradition! But why on Earth the BLARING Music! It was ruined with all that NOISE! I don't mean to come acrooss insensitive,I am sure the musicians are talented,but just think what it would be like to just soak in the sunrise silently! That would be the most profound!

[VoidHamlet]

Thank you kindly.

[raditu]

amazing!!