site.btaChiprovtsi Carpet Festival Begins on Thursday

The Chiprovtsi Carpet Festival begins on Thursday, May 1, and will continue until May 3, the local government said. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the forum in Chiprovtsi.

The festival will feature carpet and souvenir manufacturers and traders, artisans, artists and book authors who will present their works.

The programme includes demonstrations of how a Chiprovtsi kilim (flat-weave carpet) is made on a traditional loom, a photo exhibition, a lecture on Balkan carpets over the past three centuries, a book presentation, concerts, etc. For children visitors, there will be a puppet show, a children's drawing competition with motifs from Chiprovtsi kilims, and a children's run for the Chiprovtsi Municipality Cup.

Guests of the city will be able to see the colours of the carpets, get acquainted with the craftsmanship of the Chiprovtsi carpet weavers, see the ancient figures woven into the threads. Those who wish will have the opportunity to sit behind a loom themselves.

Chiprovtsi kilims are famous all over the world for their skillfully woven figures. They are recognized by UNESCO as part of the world cultural heritage, the organizers of the festival noted.