DARA welcomed in Sofia by thousands

Bulgarian singer DARA was greeted by thousands of fans in central Sofia on May 19 at an official welcome-home celebration after her Eurovision 2026 victory in Vienna. The event, organized by Sofia Municipality and Bulgarian National Television, or BNT, took place in Knyaz Alexander I Square and featured a public performance by the singer. AP photographs from downtown Sofia showed DARA onstage before a large crowd after becoming Bulgaria’s first winner of the contest. Bulgarian outlets and Eurovision-focused media described the gathering as a “DARA Party.” ### Where did the celebration take place, and who organized it? Knyaz Alexander I Square in central Sofia was the main site of the celebration, according to BNT, Radio Bulgaria and other local reports. Sofia Municipality and BNT billed it as an open-air city party to welcome home the country’s first Eurovision winner. Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev said before the event that the official ceremony would begin at 6 p.m. on Tuesday in the square. Nova reported that Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev and Terziev were among the officials greeting DARA after her return from Vienna. ### How large was the crowd in Sofia? Thousands of people gathered in central Sofia for the event, according to Radio Bulgaria, Euronews and BTA. (bntnews.bg) Images and video from the square showed fans holding Bulgarian flags, filming on phones and singing along as DARA appeared onstage. AP imagery distributed through photo agencies showed DARA performing for fans in downtown Sofia on Tuesday, May 19. (nova.bg) Separate AP coverage from May 17 had documented hundreds of fans at Sofia airport when she first returned home with the Eurovision trophy. (euronews.com) ### What did DARA do at the event? DARA performed “Bangaranga,” the song that won Eurovision 2026, during the public celebration in the square. BTA reported that she also addressed the crowd from the stage, saying: “My dream has always been to bring people together. Thank you for making my dreams come true.” A 60-metre red carpet was laid out in her honour, BTA reported, and Eurovision outlets said she opened the concert shortly after 7 p.m. (alamy.com) Fans sang along to “Bangaranga” as the show began. ### Why was this homecoming treated as such a major public event? Bulgaria’s win in Vienna was the country’s first-ever Eurovision victory, a point repeated in reports by ESCXTRA, BTA, Euronews and AP-linked coverage. (bta.bg) That result gave the homecoming a national dimension beyond a standard pop concert. BNT said the victory belonged to DARA, Bulgaria and the broadcaster, which as a member of the European Broadcasting Union handled the country’s participation in Eurovision. (bta.bg) Local coverage also noted that the Sofia event coincided with the 10th anniversary of DARA’s professional music career. ### What happens next after the Sofia celebration? (escxtra.com) Bulgaria’s Eurovision win means the country and its broadcaster are expected to move toward organizing Eurovision 2027 under the contest’s usual hosting arrangement, as Eurovision outlets have already framed the Sofia event within that next cycle. BNT and Sofia Municipality were the named public bodies at the May 19 celebration, and BNT’s role as Bulgaria’s Eurovision broadcaster places it at the center of the next formal steps tied to the 2027 contest. (bntnews.bg) (eurovisionfun.com)