The art of music in modern Bulgarian culture: The July Morning festival

The celebration of the first morning of July, the so-called July Morning, is a uniquely Bulgarian phenomenon that represents the perseverance of a community during a time when rock music was frowned upon and seen as a “malicious Western influence” by the country’s socialist rule. The roots of the tradition can be seen as a symbol of new beginnings, freedom, friendship, and artistic expression, which links it to the hippie movement that also opposed socialist censorship and repression. The holiday is celebrated by gathering on the night of June 30th, spending the evening with loved ones, listening to music and celebrating, waiting to see the serene rays of July’s sunrise, the symbolic real start of the summer.

Origins and history

July Morning is an important part of Bulgaria’s modern cultural heritage, on the east coast specifically. Even though many people have their own memories surrounding the start of the event, one thing is certain — the tradition of celebrating the rising sun first came to life in the early 80s, right here in Varna.

It was founded by a group of friends, fans of hard rock and metal music, who decided to welcome the first sunrise of the month at the lighthouse on the Varna breakwater. They never planned for their night out to become anything more than that, but as time went on more and more people gathered in the city to celebrate. In the first couple of years July Morning was spent on the breakwater, after that on the South Beach, and after 1992 at the Fisherman’s beach. Eventually the festival spread out to the entire Black Sea coast.

Musical origins and contributions

The name of the tradition comes from Uriah Heep’s hard rock hit “July Morning”, from the 1971 album “Look at Yourself”. Noticing the amount of attention the song had gathered, in 2004 the band’s vocalist John Lawton began performing the song annually at concerts in Kavarna — more specifically the Kamen Bryag rock festival, organised by the town’s former mayor Tsonko Tsonev. Lawton eventually fell in love with our country and its history. He participated in “John Lawton presents…”, a series of documentaries about our various landmarks, traditions, customs, and much more. After his passing in 2021, a statue overlooking the Black Sea was built in his honour.

Many other famously recognised musicians have visited our country to perform in Kavarna — Uriah Heep’s Ken Hensley and Paul Newton, and more recently, in 2022, Doogie White (known for his contributions in Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow).

The present

Nowadays, the practice has spread further from the coast and people from all parts of the country come together to welcome the first sunrise of the month, with everyone holding their own meaning and sentiments towards it. The Black Sea coast is an important cornerstone for all fans of rock music, and even though the local music scene here in Varna currently consist of bands playing more extreme genres, which I am a fan of, a lot of young people still hold the old classics close to their heart and I firmly believe July Morning will continue to be celebrated and kept alive for many years to come.

Conclusion

The impulsive idea of a friend group that were considered to be outcasts by their contemporaries, turned into one of the biggest cultural movements in Bulgaria, that some see as a symbol of the free spirit, and others as a holiday for all fans of rock music, or more importantly, as a wonderful memory from their youth.

References

1. Димов, Ч., Джулай морнинг – истинската история на празника, 2017 – https://narodnodelo.bg/джулай-морнинг-истинската-история-н/
2. Петрова, П., Джулай морнинг – за мига на изгрева и историята на една българска традиция, 2021 – https://oki-nadejda.com/2021/07/01/джулай-морнинг-за-мигът-на-изгрева-и/
3. July morning (01.07) – http://visit.guide-bulgaria.com/a/1351/july_morning.htm