Kukeri from Eleshnitsa Practice for Easter

Kukeri from the village Eleshnitsa, Razlog municipality, are practicing extensively for the Kuker festival to take place on Easter. There is a group of about 100 Kukeri in the village, which attract guests from the neighboring resorts Bansko and Razlog like a magnet with their unique Kuker show for Easter.

Preparation for this holiday is not easy by any means. For more than a month the men from the 3 neighborhoods of the village have been preparing their leather costumes and Kuker masks.

The Razlog village is the only populated area in Bulgaria where they hold a Kuker festivity right on Easter.

For yet another consecutive year, the Kukeri from Eleshnitsa will ward off evil spirits and declare the spring awakening of mother nature, dancing everywhere to drive away evil. They will be visiting every single house to wish their fellow villagers health, peace and fertility.

Besides Kukeri from Eleshnitsa, Kukeri from the surrounding areas - Bansko and Razlog, will also be participating in the masquerade games. In recent years, many foreigners have been donning costumes and joining the carnival in the village.