PROVINCETOWN — If you’ve explored the shelves at local markets, you may have encountered Bulgarian yogurt — a small reminder of the presence of a large number of Bulgarians in town, most here to work thanks to seasonal J-1 visas. There are some 350 Bulgarians in Provincetown and 2,000 on the Cape overall this year, according Milen Stoyanov, a local coordinator from Cool Travel Cultural Exchange.
Stoyanov arrived from Bulgaria 10 years ago and now helps students find housing and jobs and plug into the local diaspora.
Last Sunday afternoon, Stoyanov took a break from the seasonal bustle to join the crowd that filled the front lawn of the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House on Commercial Street for a performance by Ludo Mlado, a folklore dance ensemble based in Boston. The troupe is dedicated to preserving Bulgarian and Balkan culture.
The performance was part of WorldFest, a celebration of Provincetown’s international student worker population. On Monday night Jah-N-I Roots with JahRiffe brought their reggae beats to the UU Meeting House.
Organizer John Thomas, a musician who also produces Great Music on Sundays @5, said the goal of WorldFest is “to honor all the people from around the world who contribute to our diverse community.”
