ПРОГРАМИ
en de ru fr es sr gr al tr ro
Podcast in English
Share
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Simitli hosts Bulgaria's biggest kukeri festival for the 21st year in a row

Photo: BTA

For the 21st consecutive year, Simitli is hosting one of the largest masquerade festivals in Bulgaria. Originally a local entertainment, "Simitli - The Ancient Land of Kukeri" has become one of the most important kukeri events in the country. Over the next two days, more than 9,000 participants from 60 kukeri groups will march through the town.

Kukeri are traditional masked dancers who take part in an ancient custom believed to ward off evil spirits and bring health, fertility and prosperity. "A parade of fairy tale characters will flood Simitli - kukeri, bears, bear handlers, survakari, elders, brides and grooms," say the organisers.

Thousands of spectators are expected to gather at the local stadium where the festival takes place to share in the excitement. The festivities will include masquerade balls, folk songs and dances, displays of folk arts and crafts, and competitions for the best kukeri costumes. "This year, several new groups will be shaking the ground in Simitli for the first time," the organisers add.

The kukeri tradition is considered one of the oldest Bulgarian customs and is of great importance in preserving the nation's cultural heritage.

Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.
Radio Bulgaria Life    kukeri simitli

More from category

Back to School

Today, 57,000 first graders across Bulgaria walked through the school doors for the first time.  More than 2,300 schools across the country opened their doors to welcome students on September 15, a BGNES reporter..

published on 9/15/25 3:55 PM

Bulgarian embassy in Ireland will present the Bulgarian rose in the heart of Dublin

An event dedicated to the Bulgarian oil-bearing rose (rosa Damascena) will take place on September 19 in Ireland, BTA reports. Its organizer is the Embassy of Bulgaria in the country. “We are pleased to invite you to a unique journey of sound..

published on 9/14/25 2:05 PM

Garash Cake – the legendary sweet temptation turns 140

The sweet temptation "Garash" is a cake whose history is very curious and deserves the attention of both those interested in history and lovers of its undeniable taste qualities.  Its creator is the Austro-Hungarian Kosta Garash. It is believed..

published on 9/13/25 10:15 AM

WEATHER
Pick city: Sofía
Partly Cloudy
Min: 11 | Max: 30
Clear
Min: 16 | Max: 26
Clear
Min: 16 | Max: 27
Partly Cloudy
Min: 10 | Max: 30
Clear
Min: 15 | Max: 29
Clear
Min: 12 | Max: 30
Clear
Min: 12 | Max: 28
Clear
Min: 11 | Max: 28
Clear
Min: 13 | Max: 29
Clear
Min: 9 | Max: 30
Clear
Min: 13 | Max: 29
Clear
Min: 14 | Max: 29
Clear
Min: 10 | Max: 29
Partly Cloudy
Min: 9 | Max: 27
Clear
Min: 13 | Max: 30
Clear
Min: 10 | Max: 30
Clear
Min: 14 | Max: 28
Clear
Min: 13 | Max: 29
Clear
Min: 16 | Max: 28
Partly Cloudy
Min: 14 | Max: 28
Clear
Min: 11 | Max: 26
Clear
Min: 11 | Max: 28
Partly Cloudy
Min: 9 | Max: 30
Clear
Min: 12 | Max: 28
Clear
Min: 14 | Max: 30
Clear
Min: 11 | Max: 29
Clear
Min: 12 | Max: 30
BULGARIA IN PICTURES
Which world-famous Bulgarian artist designed QSL cards for Radio Bulgaria?
Yasen Gyuzelev
Theodore Ushev
Christo Javacheff - Christo
Ilia Peikov
Lika Yanko

BULGARIANS ABROAD

Български English Русский Deutsch Српски Français Ελληνικά Español Shqip Türkçe Română
MOST VIEWED

Bulgarian embassy in Ireland will present the Bulgarian rose in the heart of Dublin

An event dedicated to the Bulgarian oil-bearing rose (rosa Damascena) will take place on September 19 in Ireland, BTA reports. Its organizer is the..

published on 9/14/25 2:05 PM

Back to School

Today, 57,000 first graders across Bulgaria walked through the school doors for the first time.  More than 2,300..

published on 9/15/25 3:55 PM

english@bnr.bg

+359 2 9336 661

Общи условия за използване на сайта | Политика за поверителност | Политика за "бисквитки"