Fifty-two copper bells and seven sets of bagpipes are set to electrify the atmosphere in the picturesque village of Pchelina in north-eastern Bulgaria. A hundred and thirty troops of amateur folklore dancers from across the country will perform Bulgarian horo dances on the lush meadows.  An unprecedented recreation of Bulgarian wedding rituals from the cult film Time of Violence will take us back to a period when Bulgaria was controlled by the Ottoman Empire and revive centuries-old traditions and customs.  All of this will take place at the third national folklore gathering named Ludogorie, which is being held on 5 and 6 July in Pchelina, close to Razgrad.  The festival is organised by the Ludogorie association, set up by veteran dancer Valentin Dimov and his colleagues with the aim of conveying to future generations the charge and energy of Bulgaria’s folklore and traditions.

“The festival will take people back in time and demonstrate the traditions and customs of yesteryear with its re-enactments,” Valentin Dimov told Radio Bulgaria. “The first two festivals enabled people to come face-to-face with authentic Thracian, Pomak and Mummer weddings.  We thought it was time for something more emblematic, like the wedding from the film Time of Violence.  The re-enactment will allow everyone to feel the spirit of the period, listen to the bells and the bagpipes and experience the smell of spit-roasted lamb, taking in the whole atmosphere which we’re re-creating.”

The organisers will be laying out five traditional Bulgarian banqueting tables, each of which is eighty metres in length.  They’ll provide seating for more than one thousand people wearing traditional Bulgarian costumes representing the different ethnic groups and regions around the country. “The wedding feast will be awash with colour from the costumes,” explains Valentin Dimov.  The first volunteer couple are getting the unique opportunity to plight their troth in this ancient ritual.  “They’re called Victoria and Denislav.  Victoria is a wood carver and was awarded the ‘Keeper of Bulgarian traditions’ prize, while Denislav is a master tanner and cutlery maker,” Valentin, Ludogorie’s president tells us.  The young couple will be blessed by Father Ivan from Novi Khan, who’s sheltered more than two hundred people.  To feed the wedding guests, the organisers will be roasting twelve sheep and cooking one hundred and fifty kilos of beans in the Hajduk style.  Dimov continues:

“We’ve ordered a thousand clay dishes, fifteen hundred wooden spoons and three hundred loaves of bread.  We’ve organised two hundred kilos of cheese and five hundred litres of wine.  The wooden spoons will be inscribed with the words “Ludogorie Wedding” and given to the guests as presents.  We’re doing this all free of charge.  And there’s no charge for entry, either.”

Local companies have been involved in obtaining the different products.  The  re-enactment of the wedding will be commemorated in a documentary film made by Bulgarian National Television, which the channel will also be broadcasting.  In addition, the event will include the longest ever banqueting table for a Balkan wedding and recorded as such in the Balkan book of records.  But that’s not everything the event has to offer.  There will be a number of special guests including Bulgarian singers Slavka Calcheva, Rosica Peicheva, the Dinevi sisters, the Plovdiv orchestra, Mummers from the Golden Fleece club in Chelopech and bagpipe players from Smolyan.  More than twenty crafts will be demonstrated.  Visitors to the event will be able to see how cherry wood cannons were made and their capabilities will be shown off.  They can go out in horse carts, ride horses and try out bows and arrows.  An area will be set aside for our smallest visitors where they can draw pictures on the theme of “my homestead”.  The family of the child whose picture gets the most ‘likes’ on  social media will get a chance to take a trip out with their parents to visit different historical or cultural attractions in the Gabrovo region.  The theme for the evening will be magical fire dancing and anyone tempted to visit the event will be welcome to join us around the evening fire.

English:  Christopher Pavis