I went to Pernik for Surva on 28 January 2023 from Sofia to see this 3 day Festival that I first heard about when visiting Bulgaria in 2016.

It is described as an international festival of traditional folk masquerade games, showing an ancient pagan ritual that is part of the Bulgarian folklore tradition to cleanse out evil spirits.

Teams of participants wear traditional style costumes, specifically including masks that can be as big as the wearer, march along the main street and then perform a ritual in an arena where they are judged by officials and the public.

Surrounding streets and squares are filled with crowds snd kiosks selling souvenirs and the best looking food platters I've ever seen at a festival.

This video is the first performance I saw when I arrived, probably about half way through.

For photos of the performance and surroundings:
[ Ссылка ]


For official information on the festival:
[ Ссылка ]

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