"We may be 10 hours behind Bulgaria, but our compatriots on the West Coast of the United States deeply cherish everything that connects them to Bulgaria and their roots," said Maria Samichkova, spokesperson for the Bulgarian Society of Nevada, in an interview with Radio Bulgaria.

That's why they are organising a festival of Bulgarian literacy, culture, cuisine and traditions in Las Vegas for the fourth year in a row. The event is dedicated to May 24, the beloved holiday of all Bulgarians. This year it will take place a week earlier - on May 17 - at a new venue, the Sammy Davis Festival Plaza, "with a big stage so that every participant feels appreciated".

"The enthusiasm for organising this festival is huge - because we all miss Bulgaria," explains Maria Samichkova. In her words, in a city like Las Vegas, people often forget their values - and their roots:

"Because when you live so far away from home and your focus is on survival and making a living, it's very easy to slip into the matrix. That's why this festival has become a tradition after the pandemic - we need to stay connected to our roots, our culture, our history and our traditions and keep them alive.

"Every year in May, our community gathers to celebrate May 24th – one of the most cherished and meaningful Bulgarian holidays, and we mark it with great joy. Around the Day of Bulgarian Literacy and Culture, we come together and invite all the Bulgarian Sunday schools in our city - the students, their teachers and their parents. We also welcome acrobats, gymnasts, artists and craftsmen. There will be pottery classes, and we will hold a drawing competition - this year the theme will be "The Day of the Bulgarian Alphabet".

We have a rich and varied musical programme with our folklore ensemble 'Zharava' and we're looking forward to welcoming special guests - the 'Bulgare' orchestra with soloist Donka Koleva, who are coming from out of state. Many people from other states will also participate. We're especially honoured that the Consul General of the Republic of Bulgaria in Los Angeles, Boyko Hristov, will be joining us again this year for a second time. We are incredibly excited!

This time the festival will be held in a new park, on a beautiful, large stage, with excellent facilities and a spacious kitchen. We've prepared traditional Bulgarian food, and we're also planning to set up a traditional Bulgarian table so that our American friends can taste our delicious dishes and learn more about Bulgarian cuisine. We are fortunate to have many devoted Bulgarians in our city who support the festival," said Maria Samichkova in a preview interview.

She also shared that a few days earlier, on May 13, the film "Milen" will bring together members of the Bulgarian community to remember journalist Milen Tsvetkov. The screening is being organised in collaboration with the "Las Vegas Good Reads" book club, founded by Rosi Petkova. Once again, the Bulgarian restaurant in Las Vegas - which recently hosted the premiere of another new Bulgarian film, "Bez Krila" (Without Wings) - will be transformed into a cinema.

• The personalities who leave a mark on Bulgarian society and the film "Milen"
• 24 May declared Bulgarian Heritage Day in Las Vegas for the third year in a row

This time, the community will revisit the historic events in Bulgaria that reshaped journalism and the media landscape after 1989 through a documentary that traces the professional journey of one of the most emblematic journalists of that era, who tragically lost his life in a car accident in Sofia.

"Milen was a model of journalistic integrity - one of the brightest and most memorable figures in Bulgarian television," said Maria Samichkova, herself a former journalist in Bulgaria before moving to the United States.