Yambol is again the land of the Kukeri: "Kukerlandia" gathers thousands of masks from three continents

Whoever enters Yambol these days would hardly believe that they are in an ordinary city – everything rings, dances and breathes in the rhythm of "Kukerlandia". The international masquerade festival, which this year is being held for the 27th time, has once again turned the city into a stage for kukeri, survakari, masquerade and carnival groups from Bulgaria and the world. The feeling is that winter is really packing its bags.

This year's edition of "Kukerlandia" is from February 25 to March 1 and takes place under the sign of the 70th anniversary of Bulgaria's membership in UNESCO. The festival is organized by the municipalities of Yambol and Tundzha under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture and the National Commission of UNESCO, and the interest is record-breaking – it is expected that over 7,500 participants from Bulgaria and several other countries from Europe and other continents will take part in the parades and accompanying events.

The program is packed – from photo exhibitions, bazaars and shows to spectacular processions and competitive parades of the masquerade groups. The official opening is with a large-scale carnival procession, in which three-year-old "kukercheta" and adult men with heavy rattles and frightening masks walk side by side. The procession passes through the center of Yambol and ends on the big stage in front of the municipality, where the beginning of the holiday is given with thematic performances such as "Fire and Ice".

Among the special highlights this year is the opening of a unique 5-meter kuker figure in the city park – a work by the sculptor Boris Yordanov, created especially for "Kukerlandia". The Ministry of Transport and Communications chooses Yambol to present a new postage stamp on the theme "Bulgarian masquerade games" with a limited edition – a small but symbolic gesture to tradition.

The hosts from Yambol and Tundzha are coming out with strong groups – the kuker group of the city to the Community Center "Diana-1944" and dozens of ensembles from the villages in the municipality of Tundzha: Veselinovo, Drazhevo, Zavo, Kabile, Kalchevo, Kozarevo, Malomir, Mogila, Pobeda, Stara Reka, Tarnava, Chargan, Chelnik, Hadzhidimitrovo. They are joined by groups from other regions of the country – from Straldzha and Yambol to the Rhodopes and Western Bulgaria – to show the richness of the different masquerade traditions.

The little ones are not forgotten either. The children's folklore holiday "I am a kuker" gathers children's survakari and kukeri groups from schools and community centers to pass the custom on to the next generations. In the audience hall of the municipality, the children come out with their masks, costumes and short rituals – sometimes still uncertain in their steps, but with eyes that shine with excitement.

Behind all this color is one common idea – to show that masquerade games are a living culture, not a museum showcase. For the locals, "Kukerlandia" is not just a festival, but an opportunity to gather, to boast about their tradition and to welcome guests from afar. For the guests – a chance to feel Bulgaria as it is rarely seen in brochures: noisy, colorful, a little wild and very real.

While the kukeri ring through the streets of Yambol, one thing is certain – for at least a few days the city lives in its own rhythm. And if you listen carefully under the rattles and timpani, you will hear something else: how an ancient tradition continues to find its place in the modern world without losing its face.