Mummers arrive in Pernik, Bulgaria, to participate in the second and final day of the Surva International Festival of the Masquerade Games. Nearly 7,000 people participated in this year's festivities.
Revel in the Ornate Majesty of This Pagan Festival
Steeped in tradition, the masks and costumes worn by festival goers are meant to inflict terror on bad spirits.
During the last weekend of January, the industrial town of Pernik, Bulgaria, is flooded with color and celebration for the annual Surva festival. The event, officially called the International Festival of Masquerade Games, is one of the largest of its kind in the Balkans, attracting tourists throughout Europe and Asia.
The festival was officially held for the first time in Pernik in 1966, but the tradition of winter masquerading has its roots in ancient and pagan traditions. During a two-day parade, participants take to the streets in ornate costumes and ostentatious masks that are intended to scare away ill-intentioned spirits and bring luck for the coming spring.
Costumes are typically made from goat or sheep furs and decorated with colorful
