On the 12th of January in Razlog will be held the eighth international mummer’s carnival “Starchevata”. 1500 participants from all over the country and from abroad will defile in the mountain town as part of 17 groups. Three are the teams from neighbouring Macedonia. All participants are distinguished by various Bulgarian and international competitions. The Starcheva Festival also has a competitive character and all the performances will be judged by a professional jury.

The name of the event comes from the local “old men” and “chaos” who banish evil every year in January to be a fertile and rich year. The local mummers are dressed in traditional clothing, most often made of leather. On their heads, the dancers wear conical hats that reach a height of 2 meters and often end with a horse’s tail. The most important element of the costumes are the bells whose weight can reach 40-50 kg.

The tour with the official guests will start at the Chitalishte “15.09.1903-1909” at 10.30 am on the 12th of January and will continue to the central square in Razlog, where all participants will then defile. Among the observers will be guests from the Federation of European Carnival Cities, where Razlog has been a member since 1996.