International Festival of Masquerade Games "Surva" - Pernik, Bulgaria

"Surva" is an International Festival of Masquerade Games, held each year since the 60s in Pernik, Bulgaria. Learn more about Bulgaria at https://ntripping.com/bulgaria Bulgarian Kukeri wear costumes made of furs, wool and feathers, and wooden masks. On their belts, bells in different shapes and sizes make incredible noises to scare the evil spirits. It is believed that scaring the evil spirits will ensure a good harvest during the new year. Some of the wooden masks are up to 3 m high! The biggest bells weigh around 6 kg each. Kukeri groups from seven different countries participated in 2017 in Pernik. They paraded along the streets of the city centre before coming to the square and performing in front of a jury. Waiting for their turn to come, the participants practised their steps and entertained the crowd.