Surva Day Two Keeps Pernik in Carnival Mode

BTA correspondent Milen Milanov, Kaloyan Kirilov

Festival participants, at Krakra Pernishki Square, Pernik, January 18, 2026 (BTA Photo/Milen Milanov)

Pernik, Western Bulgaria,

18.01.2026 15:04

(BTA)

Masquerade parades at the International Festival of Masquerade Games Surva turned Pernik into a showcase of traditional customs on Sunday, as the event entered its second day.

Groups from across Bulgaria took part in the parades at Krakra Pernishki Square, presenting survakari, kukeri and jamalari traditions with handmade masks, costumes and rituals passed down through generations.

The parades began at Krakra Pernishki Square and continued until late afternoon. Throughout the day, survakari, kukeri, and jamalari groups from across Bulgaria performed for spectators, showcasing customs preserved through generations and bringing a festive atmosphere to the crowd.

Martin Karamfilov, leader of the Survakari group from the village of Divotino near Pernik, said the group now has nearly 200 members.

“What’s typical for us is that we make our own faces (masks) and costumes. The custom we perform is a wedding ritual, and our group is led by a leader (bulyukbashiya). We’ve existed since 1950, and perhaps even earlier. This year’s festival organization is very good,” Karamfilov said. He described the local tradition as one of the region’s largest celebrations, eagerly anticipated by all participants and handed down from generation to generation.

Tsonka Koprinkova from the Sokol kukeri group at the Prosveta 1963 community centre in the village of Sokolitsa, Karlovo Municipality, said this was not the group’s first visit to Pernik.

“Our costumes are those of the old men: they feature four bells, papulki, a red cloth tied at the waist, and a pointed hat. Each participant makes their own mask by hand. Our group includes 50 people, ranging in age from one to 82. We perform this harvest ritual, which symbolizes the new life that begins with sowing and the arrival of spring,” Koprinkova said.

Among the spectators were Tsvetanka and Romina, who shared their impressions of the festival. “I’m from Pernik, but I live abroad. I really like the festival and I’m impressed by the organization. It gets better every year, and international participation keeps growing,” Tsvetanka said.

Romina from Sofia said she had visited the festival at least five times with her family. “The festival spirit is still alive, and every year there are more participants. I enjoy all the groups equally and don’t have a particular favourite,” she said.

The Surva masquerade parades are scheduled to continue on January 24 and 25, 2026. Concerts, exhibitions, performances, and workshops for making masks and souvenirs are planned for the following week.

The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) is a media partner of the 32nd Surva International Festival of Masquerade Games.

/КТ/