Surva in Pernik

At the end of each month in January, the dark heroes of Slavic legends parade and stroll the streets of the Bulgarian town of Pernik.
Surva or Survaki is one of the most interesting parts of Bulgaria's traditional heritage dating back to pagan times. This holiday, which can be likened to Russian Christmas songs, includes theatrical performances of masked "survakars" in grotesque sheepskin clothing, scary masks with horns and teeth, and huge wrought iron bells.

The Survakars of this Balkan Masquerade have the obligatory freshly cut sticks in their hands, circling the houses and chasing the evil through special rituals. The biggest celebration of Surva in Bulgaria is held annually in Pernik - the second largest city in the northwestern part of the country, after Sofia.

Surva, as a folklore festival has been held in Pernik for more than 50 consecutive years. It gathers the best "survakars" from different regions of Bulgaria. They are joined by folklore groups from all over the world - from neighboring Serbia, from Asia and the Americas. The culmination of the festival - the masquerade procession through the main streets of Pernik - is attended by more than 6,000 masked Survakars, musicians and dancers.

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