Shiroka Laka Kukeri

WHERE: Shiroka Laka, Bulgaria
WHEN: 03 March 2024

A name that seems more suitable for a tongue twister than at a festival. Yet, about 200 kilometers from Sofia, in the setting of the Rhodope Mountains, we celebrate the arrival of spring, with a fantastic celebration.

The Shiroka Laka Kukeri Festival takes place every year on the first Sunday in March. It is an ancient Thrace tradition, handed down for several centuries, with which the evil spirits were expelled, and winter, to celebrate the fertility and the arrival of spring.

A season that is experienced as the beginning of a new life and, as such, represented through various forms of art. For example, scenes of marriage or birth are staged. Big parades in costume, with colorful masks, and furs. The numbers parade through the streets of this small town, from the cobbled streets to the small central square.
Several regional groups parade at Shiroka Laka Kukeri festival, each of which is identified by specific masks.
A magical moment, particularly felt by the locals, and by tourists (not many) present in the city.

To think that this festival can push to organize a next holiday is very unlikely. If you were to find yourself, however, in this period from the parts of Sofia or Plovdiv, stretch out in this small village. You will discover a truly ideal party and, above all, the magnificent landscapes of the Rhodope Mountains. Really Suggestive.

PRACTICAL INFO

HOW TO GET TO SHIROKA LAKA KUKERI

To attend the Shukoka Laka Kukeri festival, you must use the car. The small town is just over 200 kilometers from Sofia, and just over 90 from Plovdiv.
From the Capital, you have to travel for over 100 kilometers the A1 Highway, probably the best road infrastructure in the country. The remaining 90 must be driven on a national road.
Keep in mind that transport and driving in Bulgaria are really lacking. Maximum caution when you are driving. More info from here.