An 8 kg cabbage wins the 19th Cabbage Festival in the village of Petarch

A cabbage weighing 8 kg won the contest for the largest head at the 19th Cabbage Festival in the village of Petarch, about 30 km west of Sofia, BTA reported on 24 October.

This year the festival was joined by the Flavours of Bulgaria Festival, which promotes local producers, traditional recipes and regional culinary customs. Local farmers took part, and contestants from the television cooking show Hell's Kitchen presented their recipes, joined in the kitchen by catering students from a school in Kostinbrod. Kindergartens and schools from Kostinbrod Municipality had their own stalls.

The idea for the festival dates back to 2007, when the mayor of Petarch and several local women discussed organising it, Silvia Milanova, secretary of the village community cultural centre, told BTA. She said cabbage is one of the area's main agricultural products and plays an important role in local life. Visitors could taste the village's traditional zelnik, a pie made with cabbage, and other local cabbage dishes.

The event, which included a music programme, was attended by Petarch Mayor Borislav Borisov and Kostinbrod Mayor Trayko Mladenov. It was organised by the Petarch mayor's office, the Nov Zhivot 1919 community cultural centre and Kostinbrod Municipality, with support from the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture.

Village food festivals of this kind have a practical side for small farms. They give growers a chance to sell directly to visitors from the capital, promote produce under the name of their village and attract day trips that bring business to local cafes and shops.

For anyone planning a visit next year, Petarch is in Kostinbrod Municipality, within easy reach of Sofia, and the festival is held in the autumn.