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The International Festival of the Masquerade Games in Bulgaria

Today I want to share with you another interesting Bulgarian tradition. These men wearing scary costumes with big bells are called kukeri, and they perform and dance to scare the evil spirits away.

This is an old tradition, but nowadays there are many festivals related to it. One of the most notable festivals is the International Festival of the Masquerade Games called Surva. It’s held in Pernik, near the capital Sofia.

The festival usually takes place on the weekend and there are often guests from abroad.

I took these photos a few years ago. Unfortunately, we were only able to see the Bulgarian performers, although there was a group from Greece too.

It was really cold and it was snowing, but we had a lot of fun.

See also:

Yordanovden: An Unusual Bulgarian Tradition

Christmas Eve in Bulgaria

Delicious Bulgarian Moussaka

Interesting Facts About Bulgarian Roses

Sand Sculpture Festival in Bulgaria

Bulgarian Yogurt

Ivan Vazov National Theater in Bulgaria

#1 The International Festival of the Masquerade Games

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#2 Kuker

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#3 Folk Costumes

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#4 Kukeri

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#5 Greek Guests

#6 Kukeri 2

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Written by ellie925

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