Last week of January. Pernik hosts the International Festival of Masquerade Games SURVA and gathers over 10,000 participants from Bulgaria and abroad. Conquered by the magic of the rhythm of the chans and claps, dressed in skins or costumes made of colorful rags, wearing heavy chans and terrifying masks and faces, the survakars and foreign groups manifest in the town square for three whole days. Often the masks are dominated by fantastic creatures from 2 to 5 meters tall. The festival revives the tradition of SURVA, and everyone there feels reborn because they have chased away the evil from themselves, thanks to the energy of this ritual. In the magical world of the festival, even the sound itself is magical and enchanting.
Due to its unique charm, the SURVA custom is part of the UNESCO list of world intangible cultural heritage, and Pernik is a European masquerade capital.
More about the festival: https://surva.org/
More about the custom: https://survakari.com/en/
