Kukeri and Surva: Bulgaria’s winter masquerades

About Kukeri and Surva: Bulgaria’s winter masquerades

By the ULTIMATE Sofia Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Every winter, in villages around Sofia and across Bulgaria, men dressed as kukeri, in towering masks of fur, feathers and wood with heavy bells at the waist, dance through the streets to drive away evil spirits and wake the earth for spring. The biggest gathering is the Surva festival in Pernik, half an hour from Sofia.

Bells against the dark

Kukeri rituals are performed between New Year and the start of Lent, depending on the region. Groups of masked dancers, sometimes with a bride, a groom and other characters, move from house to house, and the deep clang of their bells is believed to chase away evil and bring health and a good harvest.

Surva in Pernik

Pernik, about 30 kilometres south-west of Sofia, has hosted the International Festival of the Masquerade Games, known as Surva, since 1966. Thousands of performers from Bulgaria and abroad parade through the town, usually on the last weekend of January. The Surova folk feast of the Pernik region is inscribed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

You hear the kukeri long before you see them.

The masks

Each region has its own style: some masks are tall and covered in coloured feathers, others are made of goat or sheep fur with horns, and costumes can weigh many kilos. The masks are made by hand, often by the dancers themselves.

How to see it

Pernik is easy to reach from Sofia by bus, train or car. Arrive early for the parade, dress warmly, and expect crowds and plenty of noise.

Our advice: if you are in Sofia in late January, spend a day at Surva in Pernik; at other times, look for kukeri masks at the National Ethnographic Museum in Sofia.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Kukeri and Surva: Bulgaria’s winter masquerades before you go.