DARA returns to Sofia after Eurovision

Bulgarian singer DARA returned to Sofia on Tuesday, May 19, and performed her Eurovision-winning song “Bangaranga” at a public homecoming celebration in the capital after Bulgaria’s first victory in the contest. A large crowd gathered in downtown Sofia for the event, which was organized by Sofia Municipality and Bulgarian National Television, according to the Bulgarian News Agency. The celebration took place in Knyaz Alexander I Square, also known as Prince Alexander Battenberg Square, after DARA’s win in Vienna. Bulgaria’s victory with “Bangaranga” was the country’s first-ever Eurovision title, according to Eurovision’s official site and ESCXTRA. ### Where did the homecoming take place, and how big was it? Prince Alexander Battenberg Square in central Sofia was the site of the welcome-home event, ESCXTRA reported, saying almost 30,000 spectators filled the square and nearby streets. BTA described a large crowd of fans waving Bulgarian flags in downtown Sofia on Tuesday evening. AP photo metadata published through Alamy also placed DARA performing for fans in downtown Sofia on May 19. (bta.bg) Tuesday’s event was staged as a public celebration rather than a closed reception. BTA said DARA performed “Bangaranga” from the square’s stage and walked along a 60-metre red carpet laid out in her honor. ### What did DARA say to the crowd? DARA told the crowd, “My dream has always been to bring people together. Thank you for making my dreams come true,” BTA reported. (escxtra.com) ESCXTRA also quoted her as saying she hoped Bulgaria’s Eurovision step was “only the beginning” and that Bulgarian artists could “open the door to the world stage.” BTA reported that DARA also told fans “Bangaranga” was climbing global streaming charts, saying the song was 11th on Spotify’s global chart and could soon enter the Billboard charts. (bta.bg) She urged supporters to keep sharing the track across music and video platforms, BTA said. ### How did Sofia mark the victory officially? Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev presented DARA with the key to Sofia during the event, BTA said, while ESCXTRA described the gesture as recognition of her cultural impact. (bta.bg) Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev, speaking from the stage, thanked DARA as “an ambassador for Varna,” her hometown, according to BTA. Milena Milotinova, director general of Bulgarian National Television, said from the stage that BNT was already broadcasting live coverage of the celebrations across Europe, BTA reported. (bta.bg) She also said the contest’s next hosting race had begun after Bulgaria secured the right to organize Eurovision’s 71st edition. ### Why was this homecoming unusually significant for Bulgaria? (bta.bg) Eurovision’s official site said DARA won Eurovision Song Contest 2026 for Bulgaria with “Bangaranga,” and ESCXTRA said it was the Balkan country’s first-ever victory in the competition. The homecoming therefore doubled as a celebration of a national first as well as a reception for the singer. ESCXTRA reported that DARA’s win in Vienna came with additional records, including a jury-and-televote double and points from every voting nation. (bta.bg) Those competition details were reported by ESCXTRA and were not independently confirmed in the other sources reviewed here. ### What happens next after Bulgaria’s win? BTA reported that Bulgaria’s victory gives the country the right to host Eurovision 2027, and Milotinova said Sofia, Varna, Burgas and Plovdiv had already expressed interest in staging the event. (eurovision.tv) Terziev later told reporters that Sofia’s larger hotel capacity, airport and transport links would strengthen its case, BTA said. (escxtra.com) Eurovision 2027 host-city decisions have not yet been announced in the sources reviewed, but the named Bulgarian contenders are already positioning for the next step after DARA’s May 19 homecoming in Sofia. (bta.bg)