Gabrovo Carnival, Bulgaria

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What is the Gabrovo Carnival?

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The Gabrovo Carnival is a satirical celebration that occurs every year in Bulgaria, Balkan Peninsula, Europe. Gabrovo is currently known as the Bulgarian capital of humor, for that reason the carnivals are the perfect time to make known all the humorous attributes of the city.

The carnivals of Gabrovo are considered one of the oldest in the country. In addition, it is themost significant cultural event in Gabrovo, being composed each year of a particular theme. The city government is the organizer of the event, which encourages participation in the main streets of the city and some most important theaters and museums of Gabrovo.

 

Hundreds ofpuppets, fantastic characters, witches, Vikings, book characters, movie characters and political and social characters are the main attractions of the parades that take place in this particular celebration.

The aim of the Gabrovo carnivals is to preserve and express the characteristics of the natives of the city and consolidate itself as the capital of humor and satire in Bulgaria. In each of the editions of the carnival, the city grants spaces to the citizens so that they can express through black and satirical humor their social, political and economic reality.

Through theGabrovo carnivals, the city seeks to build and maintain a lasting tradition of carnivals, forge tolerance in various forms, incentivize innovative events, create humorous tools through art,attract visitors from all over the country and the world andencourage people to participate in the events that the city organizes. Gabrovo’s carnival is becoming more and more deeply rooted in society, generating authentic icons of the identity of the city and its inhabitants.

The Black Cat of Gabrovo

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The carnivals of Gabrovo have a main mascot that has become the icon of the festivities. The black cat represents a popular joke that says that Gabrovians are so stingy that they cut off their cats’ tails so that when the cats enter their homes, they can close the door faster, this way the warmth of the home will not escape during the winter. During the parade, the Gabrovians perform a presentation in which they simulate cutting off the tail of a huge black cat..

 

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When is the Gabrovo Carnival

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The Gabrovo Carnival is a celebration always has a fixed date, as the festivities are held on the third Saturday of May. TheGabrovo Carnival will be held on approximately Saturday, May 15.

 

 

History of the Gabrovo Carnivals

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Despite having no written evidence or publications about whenthe first carnival in Gabrovo was, the villagers of Gabrovo know that the first carnivals were held during the 19th century, which featured a procession of costumed people, known as Oleliynya. Just the Saturday before ‘Sirni Zagovezni’, which would come to be Saturday of Carnival, the people of Gabrovo organized the largestannual traditional fair. These celebrations had marked a beginning in the tradition of carnivals, as they represented acrack in the everyday reality where the streets were filled with joy and celebration.

During this celebration, the entire population celebrated with great excitement. The streets were filled with children who ate all kinds of traditional sweets and candies, chocolates and caramels. In addition, wine and traditional drinks were also distributed. Musicians in costume would take to the streets of the city and play popular and folkloric tunes. The celebration would continue late into the night to welcome the new day, in which a parade would take place from late afternoon until dusk. Oleli was the College of the Olli.

The Oleliynya continued to be celebrated for the following decades, there was nothing and no one who could stop the festivities, which made the celebrations become part of the tradition of the city. The carnival was absorbing the spaces of the city, taking place in squares and stages and acquiring satirical and humorous elements that today distinguish the carnivals and make them unique.

In the history of the Gabrovo carnivals there were only 2 periods of time that prevented the celebration: World War II and during the first years of the political change between 1990 and 1998. During 1998, the European Commission granted some funds to the city authorities to be used to alleviate the financial crisis at that time. The authorities decided to ally with thecultural institutions and schools, they considered that the money was not enough to feed the population. Therefore, they decided to give it to the circuses. Thus, the carnivals came back to life to continue to be celebrated in the streets of Gabrovo.

The Gabrovo Carnival has since become a vehicle for expressing the unique humor of the citizens. Moreover, it is the perfect opportunity to perform self-criticism of themselves and the various institutions that are part of the city’s society.

 

Where is the Carnival of Gabrovo?

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The carnivals are held in the city of Gabrovo, Bulgaria. The city of Gabrovo is known asthe capital of humor in Bulgaria and covers an area of 233,000 square kilometers. It also has a population of 58,000 people.

Some of the locations that stand out in the city during carnivals are the Vazrazhdane Square and theVazrazhdane Hall.

 

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How is the Gabrovo Carnival celebrated

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The Gabrovo Carnival has aquite full itinerary of activities and full of entertaining events in which you can find marionettes, acrobatic shows,circus shows, make-up workshops,craft workshops,theatrical presentations,exhibitions, sports activities, magicians, children’s activities,presentations and DJs. Of course, the traditional carnival parade with the big black cat float cannot be missed.

Among the celebrations that stand out the most in the carnival are the following:

 

Raising the City Flag

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One of the most memorable ceremonies of the Gabrovo carnivals, as it represents the beginning of the carnivals. During the ceremony, dozens of people perform asmall procession with the flag of the city. Then they place the carnival flag on the flagpole and hoist it. The whole act is accompanied by an instrumental music band. This ceremony takes place a few days before the formal start of the festivities.

 

International Actor’s Festival

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The festival consists of a series of multi-day performances, which are characterized as theatrical plays or monologues usually by a single person. The performances generally occupy a wide range of genres ranging fromdrama to comedy. These events begin before the carnivals, but extend over a couple of days, falling into the official schedule.

 

Live Concerts

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Gabrovo carnival featuresmusical performances by different instrumental bands and local bands that come to entertain the public during the festivities. The musical performances are generally held in the town square and cover different musical genres.

If you want to know more about tourism in this country I recommend this guide:.

 

Carnival Parades

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Carnival parades are divided into two: The Children’s Carnivals and the Grand Parade. Both take place on the same day.

 

Children’s Parade

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The children’s parade features the participation of the city’s children, who wear colorful and themed costumes. The parade is carried out by several groups of children who perform pirouettes, dances and entertainment in the streets of the city.

 

Grand Parade

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The Grand Parade is the main attraction of the carnivals and is also known as the “Carnival Invasion.” During the procession, hundreds of groups walk the streets of the city with varied costumes of different genres and origins. In addition, it also featuresthemed mechanical floats, some of these occupy faces of politicians or public personalities, others feature musical bands or theatrical works and some feature people performing activities related to the city’s economy or activities related to the country’s culture and traditions.

One of the elements that stand out in the parade is the appearance of the Black Cat, the mascot of the carnivals. The cat float consists of two parts: the tail and the rest of the body. During the parade, several people hold the tail and the body, then someone enters the scene with a pair of giant scissors to cut the cat’s tail and separate it from the rest of the body.

 

Tips for going to the Gabrovo Carnivals

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If you wish to attend the Gabrovo carnivals, we recommend you to plan your trip in advance, make a travel itinerary and book the accommodation of your choice in advance.

Also, remember to pack clothes and shoes to fully enjoy the parade that runs through the streets of the city.

 

 

 

Events at the Gabrovo Carnival

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Pre-Carnival events

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A few days before the official celebration of the carnivals, someceremonies are held to kick off the carnival festivities. First, a thanksgiving service is held in the city church. Later that day, a ceremony is held where the carnival flag is raised and an exhibition about the city is inaugurated. Finally, an instrumental band concert is held in the city square.

Likewise, the theatrical performances begin in the city’s theaters, which last from the day before the carnival until the day it begins. In addition, different performances such as puppet shows, Latin music presentations and live concerts take place.

 

Carnival Events

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Most of the carnival events take place during the same day, so on the third Saturday of May there is the National Children’s Festival, different painting, art and craft workshops, fruit carving events, exhibitions and sporting events, theatrical performances, children’s events,circus shows, visits to the city museum, concerts and musical performances with the collaboration of DJs.

On the same day both Carnival Parades take place, first the Children’s Parade and then the Grand Parade. Both parades have different routes.

In addition, on the day following the carnivals, exhibitions of carved fura,museum performances,musical concerts, competitions, musical and theatrical presentations and a fireworks show, culminating the carnival celebrations.

 

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Gabrovo Carnival Parades

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The parade features two different parades that occur on the same day: the Children’s Parade and the Grand Parade.

The Children’s Parade is aimed exclusively at the children of the city. During the event hundreds of children take to the streets to celebrate wearing costumes of all kinds. In addition, they transit the street performing stunts, juggling and even elaborate choreography.

 

 

Grand Parade

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The Grand Parade takes place a few minutes after the Children’s Parade. Thousands of people take to the streets to celebrate the carnival festivities with themed costumes, floats and musical performances. The parade features varioussatirical demonstrations towards politicians and public personalities of the country and the city. In addition, several floats featuretheatrical performances, musical presentations and exhibitions of weaving or some traditional activity.

 

Parade route

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The Children’s Carnival starts at Vazrazhdane Square, then makes its way to Skobelevska Street where it culminates.

The Main Parade or Grand Parade starts at Aprilov Boulevard, makes its way along Vazrazhdane Square, then along Skobelevska, Bryanska, streets ending at the traffic circle adjacent to the pharmacy.

 

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What to eat at the Gabrovo Carnival

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One of the typical meals of the country that you can try during the carnival is the Banitsa. This dish is a kind of cake made with filo dough and filled with beaten egg, yogurt and pieces of white cheese. The cake is baked and usually eaten at special events.

One of the most important and iconic desserts of the country is the torta garash. It is a cake with 4 layers of walnut sponge cake, filled and covered with a chocolate ganache. In addition, it is topped with some crushed nuts or coconut flakes.

Also, the city of Gabrovo offers you some options for eating out, some of these are: Rest Restaurant, Restaurant Gourmet, Mehana Etar, The Delicatessen and Coffee Co. Gabrovo, Pizzatempo and Restaurant Mona Lisa. These places offer a varied gastronomic offer ranging from traditional food to international food such as pizza, British food and Eastern European dishes.

 

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Travel Insurance

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From Carnavalesdelmundo.org we recommend to hire a good insurance to visit this carnival and to know the rest of the country. For being our readers we offer a 5% discount on all IATI insurances. Read more information about all insurance offers here:

 

 

What to see and do inside the Gabrovo Carnival

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Within the carnivals you have a varied choice of activities and events that you can attend. If you wish toattend the pre-carnival events, you can enjoy live concerts, theatrical performances and puppet shows.

Once the carnival begins, you can attend events such as theatrical presentations; painting workshops,makeup, costumes and crafts; fruit carving exhibitions;sports activities; circus shows and concerts.

You can’t miss the Grand Carnival Parade, as it is one of the most important events in the Gabrovo carnival program, consisting of hundreds of colorful, satirical and thematic costumes and the big black cat float.

If you don’t want to complicate things, here you can book interesting excursions in Spanish in this city:.

 

What to see and do outside the Gabrovo Carnivals

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Some of the tourist attractions you can find in the city of Gabrovo are:

Open Air Ethnographic Museum ETAR

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It is a small historic village that still has elements of ancient society. It is a collection of small houses that make exhibits of utensils, materials and vehicles of yesteryear. In addition, you can purchase a large number of items such as vases, bracelets, belts, art pieces and handicrafts that are made right there in the village.

 

Sokolski Monastery

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It is an architectural work a little hidden from civilization. It is a religious temple with a picturesque and colorful facade. Inside the temple you can see a lot of art pieces both on the walls and on the ceiling.

 

Museum of Satire and Humor

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It is a museum of the city that is related to the carnivals. Within its facilities you can find a large collection of jokes of different themes and some pieces of art. In addition, it occupies areas where it exhibits typical costumes of the carnivals of Gabrovo.

Also if you want to visit museums and important buildings in this city we recommend that you book your ticket in advance through Tiquets: .

 

Safety at the Gabrovo Carnival

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Gabrovo and the country of Bulgaria are quite safe places. Military conflicts are rare, crime rate is low and public demonstrations are infrequent.

We encourage you to implement basic safety measures and use common sense. Also, contact the authorities if you suspect any unusual activity. In addition, it is always a good idea to keep your personal items in a safe place to prevent theft and misplacement.

Also, we recommend the following products to keep your items securely stored:

 

 

Weather at the Gabrovo Carnival

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During the Gabrovo Carnival the weather is relatively pleasant, with temperatures ranging from 9 degrees Celsius to 22 degrees Celsius. We advise you to pack some warm clothes, as during the night it tends to get a bit chilly.

 

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How to get to the Gabrovo Carnivals

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How to get there by plane

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The city of Gabrovo has very few airport options nearby and those that exist are somewhat cumbersome and do not connect with the vast majority of nearby countries, so our recommendation is that you arrive at Sofia International Airport and then use the different means of transport to get to Gabrovo..

We recommend buying airline tickets through Kiwi.com or Skyscanner where they are usually cheaper. More information on this link to review Kiwi.com..

 

How to get there by train

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From Sofia International Airport you can take a train on line 1 to Iskarsko Shose Station. Then, you will transfer to Kazanlak using the RE line. Finally, transfer again from Kazanlak to Gabrovo by bus.

 

How to get there by bus

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From the airport you must get to thecity of Sofia to take a bus, you can use the means of your preference, either cab or car. Once there, take a direct bus to Gabrovo.

In addition, you can also take a bus from thecities of Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Rousse and other major cities in the country.

 

How to get there by car

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From Sofia International Airport you can take Route 4 until you reach the city of Gabrovo. If you decide to take a cab, the price of a cab is 110 to 140 US dollars and has a journey time of 2 hours and 40 minutes.

 

Getting around Gabrovo

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Within the city you can find a total of 11 suburban bus,bus lines and minibuses that you can use to get around the city and its adjacencies.

 

Where to stay in Gabrovo Carnival

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Booking.com

Hotel Balkan

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3-star hotel 100 meters from the center of Gabrovo. Rooms have TV, desk, telephone, minibar and private bathroom with shower. Rooms feature terrace, restaurant, continental breakfast, bar, pet friendly, parking and free wifi.

 

Family Hotel Gabrovo

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3 star hotel 3.2 km from the center of Gabrovo. Rooms feature cable TV, desk and private bathroom with basic toiletries. The hotel is 20 meters from the bus stop, has restaurant with national food menu, offers breakfast, bar, parking and free wifi.

 

Hotel Hitar Petar

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2 star hotel 6 km from the center of Gabrovo. Facilities have restaurant, garden, parking and free wifi. In addition, the rooms have private bathrooms.

 

Hotel Panorama

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1-star hotel 1.8 km from the city center. Rooms include closet and private bathroom. The facility offers information about the area and its attractions, allows pets, and has parking and free Wi-Fi.

We recommend you use Booking.com to book hotels at a good price, check more information here:.

 

Booking.com

 

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