Let’s get crazy with laughter is the slogan of the carnival in the Bulgarian capital of the jokes of Gabrovo. On the 20th of May, the residents and the guests of the city will go through the streets with a colorful procession, and a black cat without a tail will lead the parade. First, the tail of the cat should be cut off by the mayor of the city. The cat without a tail is a symbol of the proverbial parsimony of the people from Gabrovo. According to the joke, the natives cut the tails of the animals so they enter the house more quickly and do not cool the stool.

This year’s parade will be dedicated to the 157th anniversary of the announcement of Gabrovo as a city so that the colorful personalities who lived in the past in it will be remembered. A funny carving race will be held for the first time this year. On the 21st will be exhibited pre-made artistic works of fruits and vegetables.

They will be crafted to remind of famous Gabrovo jokes or comic images. Within 3 hours, the contestants will be able to finish their work on the spot. The sculptors should be up to 1.2 meters high. They can be seen from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. immediately after the carnival procession. The winners of the competition will be announced at 5 p.m. at the central square in Gabrovo “Vazrazhdane”.

The traditions of Gabrovo carnivals date back to the 19th century. The laughter parade did not take place only during the Second World War and in the years of transition after the communist era in Bulgaria from 1990 to 1998. In addition to raising cats without tails, the people from Gabrovo are known to stop their watches at night so not to damage their mechanisms. But it is also said that when the world is talking about some progress, it already has come to Gabrovo.