In the period September 2 – 6 the Etar Ethnographic Open-Air Museum near the town of Gabrovo, Central North Bulgaria will host the 14^th International Fair of Traditional Crafts. “The event is a museum product and has the task to educate and not just entertain the visitors, which makes it different from other initiatives of that kind,” says Associate Prof. Svetla Dimitrova, director of the Etar Museum. The educational element will be in the form of interesting and curious stories on traditions and crafts, along with the respective demonstrations. This year’s program has strict requirements each object presented to be created with the usage of the old technologies and materials only, Mrs. Dimitrova says and adds:

“We put the accent of the fair on weaving and we have prepared a display of rare textile techniques. A special segment, devoted to that craft will be held during the 12th International Science Conference "Traditional crafts – past, present and future" that unveils the fest. We will also present an exhibition of 92-year-old Stoyna Krastanova, who is a part of the fellowship of masters in Plovdiv and has been into this work ever since 1968. Her Reborn Weaving Techniques exposition will reveal to the visitors ancient techniques of Coptic, Byzantine and Bulgarian textile ornament weaving. The new thing this year is the participation of friends and rivals of woodcarver Anton Nikolov, last year’s rewarded master. Thus their works will contribute to the diversity of the exhibition. There will be plenty of activities for kids at the Discover Your Skills corner of the museum, with recreations and demonstrations of home rituals and folklore customs. One of our top races this year will be the interweaving of belts on crusts – an ancient craft, practiced on different spots across the Balkans, but in a different manner."

Foreigners will participate as well and the best one will take the Silver Bell award. Two years ago the craft was declared one of the masterpieces of Bulgaria’s non-material cultural inheritance. The regulation of the contest says that the participants have to create two objects each. The results will be announced during the traditional Evening of the Master, this year on September 5. The winner will have the chance of an own exhibition at the Etar Complex next year. The 14^th edition of the fair has a new marketing vision with enhanced foreign attendance and over 120 participants from Bulgaria.

“We have tried to expand the whole thing’s range in terms of geography and craftsmen from South Africa, Sudan and Algeria have voiced to us their participation. Our traditional guests from Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Serbia, Macedonia and Romania will attend the event as well. The idea is to show the preservation of a certain craft across each of the countries – the common things and the differences. This will be the subject of the scientific conference. In fact the big difference with the Etar Complex is that compared to other similar spots it is not only a trading spot, but also a place for museum work. Our rewards aim at the encouragement of those masters who keep with tradition in modern days,” Associate. Prof. Dimitrova explains.

Dancing formations from the whole country will perform over the 5 days of the festival. Neshka Robeva’s National Art will be the first one.

“The compilation will be an exclusive one, shown for a first time – a mix of folklore elements, presented with their other shows. We have really interesting people from the Gabrovo region. Students of the Filip Kutev Folklore School in Kotel will be our guests too this year – they are young and very talented. The Tapani I Gaidi formation, very popular among the younger generation with its more modern interpretation of Bulgarian folklore will join the show too,” Associate Prof. Svetla Dimitrova says in conclusion.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev