Traditional Kurentovanje calls spring to come

Published: 20.1.2017

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Traditional Kurentovanje calls spring to come

Visit the lively carnival festivals around green, active and healthy Slovenia! Between 17th and 28th February, Ptuj invites you to visit Kurentovanje, the largest cultural and ethnographic carnival in the country, and one of the largest in Europe. It will begin in Ptuj, the oldest Slovenian town, on 2nd February and reach the peak of the festival on 26th February. The kurent is a traditional Slovenian Shrovetide costume with rattling bells fastened to a sheepskin to chase away winter and call for a good harvest.

Traditional Kurentovanje calls spring to come

In February, many Slovenian towns are visited by witches, Kurents and other traditional Slovenian characters. This part of the year, when nature wakes from its winter sleep, has long been the time of festivities. Visit the lively Kurentovanje festival, treat yourself to delicious doughnuts, and together with numerous other visitors, chase away winter and awaken the spring. The festival is named after the Kurent, the traditional, most popular and common Slovenian folk character. They have a special mission each spring – to chase away the winter and dark evil in exchange for spring, luck and a rich harvest.

The largest cultural and ethnographic carnival in the country is organised in the oldest Slovenian town, Ptuj. The tradition of the carnival dates back more than 55 years. Each year, it attracts over 120,000 visitors, 5,000 participants from different European countries and more than 2,000 Kurents. This year, Kurentovanje will take place between 17th and 28th February. The festival begins with the First Jump of a Kurent, on 2nd February, when Kurents put on the bells and begin their mission. 

The event is not merely a carnival, but also a tribute to Slovenian heritage. Find out more about the programme of Kurentovanje and the tradition of awakening the spring at the official website here.

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