DARA welcomed in Sofia Monday evening

DARA returned to a second public celebration in Sofia on May 19, when thousands gathered in Knyaz Alexander I Square for an open-air welcome after her Eurovision 2026 victory. Sofia Municipality and Bulgarian National Television, or BNT, organized the event in the city center after Bulgaria’s first win in the contest. The celebration followed DARA’s arrival at Sofia’s Vasil Levski Airport on May 17, where she was greeted by fans, Culture Minister Evtim Miloshev and Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev. Radio Bulgaria and BNT described the square gathering as a “Bangaranga” party, using the title of the winning song. ### Why did Sofia hold a second welcome after the airport reception? May 17 brought DARA home from Vienna, but the larger civic celebration was scheduled for May 19 in downtown Sofia. Nova TV reported on May 18 that the official ceremony would begin at 6:00 p.m. at Knyaz Alexander I Square, after the singer had already landed the previous evening. BNT said the municipality and the broadcaster invited residents and visitors to attend the public event, with live coverage starting at 18:45. (nova.bg) Sofia Mayor Vasil Terziev announced the gathering in a Facebook message cited by Nova, telling people to come welcome DARA together. The event was framed as a city celebration rather than only an airport arrival, with a DJ set and open-air program promised by the municipality. (nova.bg) ### Where was the celebration, and who organized it? Knyaz Alexander I Square in central Sofia was the site of the May 19 event, according to BNT, Nova and other local reports. Some reports also referred to the location as Alexander I Battenberg Square, another rendering of the same central square. (nova.bg) BNT and Sofia Municipality were the named organizers. BNT’s coverage said the welcome was staged as a large “BANGARANGA PARTY,” while Radio Bulgaria reported that officials and fans attended the open-air event in downtown Sofia. ### How large was the crowd, and what did DARA say? Thousands of people gathered in the square, according to Radio Bulgaria, BNT, Euronews and Eurovision-focused outlets that cited local coverage. (bntnews.bg) BNT’s English-language report said Sofia welcomed DARA after her victory in Vienna and described a packed square for the May 19 celebration. Euronews also said thousands gathered in central Sofia for concerts, broadcasts and public festivities. (bntnews.bg) DARA told the crowd she had not expected such a reception and thanked supporters “from the bottom of my heart,” according to BNT coverage cited by ESCToday. She also said her dream had been to unite people and that seeing them together meant a great deal to her. ### Why was the welcome treated as historic? (bntnews.bg) May 16 was the date of Bulgaria’s first Eurovision Song Contest win, with DARA taking the 2026 title in Vienna with “Bangaranga.” Nova reported that she won with 516 points, while Euronews said Bulgaria secured its first-ever victory in the contest. The homecoming events in Sofia were presented by Bulgarian broadcasters as a national celebration of that result. (esctoday.com) Milena Milotinova, BNT’s director general, used the public welcome to point ahead to next year’s contest. BNT quoted her as telling viewers to get ready for “Eurovision 2027” in Bulgaria, while separate BNT coverage after the final said Bulgaria was preparing to welcome the event next year. (nova.bg) ### What happens next after the Sofia celebration? BNT linked the May 19 celebration directly to Bulgaria’s role as the next host broadcaster. The broadcaster’s reports said Bulgaria is looking toward Eurovision 2027 after DARA’s win, and Milotinova publicly invited Europe to Sofia next year. (bntnews.bg) May 19’s live city-center event is the clearest public marker so far of that handoff. The named institutions in the next step are BNT and Sofia Municipality, which staged the welcome as Bulgaria begins preparations for Eurovision 2027. (bntnews.bg 1) (bntnews.bg 2)