Barechested Kukeri dancers from Turiya Village, Central Bulgaria at the annual Simitlia winter festival in Simitli, Bulgaria, Eastern Europe, Balkans


Barechested Kukeri dancers from Turiya Village, Central Bulgaria at the annual Simitlia winter festival in Simitli, Blagoevgrad County. Kukeri is a centuries-old tradition intended to chase evil spirits away and to invite good, held around early winter or midwinter. The participants wear bells, embroidered costumes, and fantastical masks to participate in the winter ritual.


Size: 4360px × 2910px
Location: Simitli, Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria, Eastern Europe, Balkans, EU
Photo credit: © Ognyan Yosifov / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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