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#kukeri

Kukeri dancers in furry costumes with bells and carved masks
Culture

Kukeri: Bulgaria's Masked Rite to Chase Away Winter

Every winter in Bulgaria, men don towering fur costumes and heavy bells to dance through the streets, scaring away evil spirits and welcoming the coming spring.
Kukeri dancers in elaborate masks and heavy bells during a winter festival in Bulgaria.
Travel

Kukeri: Bulgaria's Winter Monster-Dancing Tradition

Every winter, Bulgarian villages echo with the clanging of bells and the stomping of masked dancers. Here's what to know about the kukeri tradition and where to see it.
Traditional fur and bell costumes of the kind worn in Bulgarian winter masquerade rituals
Culture

Kukeri: the masked winter rituals that wake Bulgaria's villages

Every winter, men in towering masks and heavy bells parade through Bulgarian villages to drive away evil spirits. Here is what the kukeri tradition means and how to see it.