The 32nd National Festival of Karakachans takes place near Sliven

The 32nd National Festival of Karakachans is taking place in the "Karandila" area near the city of Sliven on August 23. The event is organized by the Federation of Cultural and Educational Societies of the Karakachans in Bulgaria. The opening is at 10:30 and an hour later the folklore program starts. Among the participants are dance groups from Bulgaria and Greece.

The festival is an annual event that aims to preserve and popularize the centuries-old customs, costumes and musical heritage of the Karakachans. About 20 thousand Karakachans live in Bulgaria, with the largest community being in the municipalities of Sliven and Karlovo.

The Karakachans are nomadic shepherds who have inhabited the Balkans for centuries. Their life is connected with the seasonal migration of their herds between winter and summer pastures. After the socialist regime reforms in Bulgaria in the 1950s, they were obliged to settle in a permanent place of residence and the state nationalized their herds.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova

Publication: Al. Markov

Photo: BGNES-library