Regional tourist association Stara Planina 9, Opalchenska Street 5300 Gabrovo, Bulgaria tel./fax: +359 66/ 809 161 tel: +359 66/ 807 137 fax: +359 66/ 806 199 e-mail: office e-mail: info With the financial support of the Swiss government		TRADITIONS AND FESTIVITIES IN CENTRAL STARA PLANINA Despite the processes of industrialization and migration of population, rich cultural and historical heritage and traditions have been preserved in the region of Central Stara Planina, which enrich the life of people and are emblematic not only for individual settlements but for the whole area. Gabrovo, the leading industrial center once called "The Bulgarian Manchester", became the world capital of laughter with its one unique institution - the only House of Humour and Satire. The 'Funny House' is the center of the annual May Cultural Celebrations with the colourful Carnival, the National Narration Contest called "Blagolazh" and the International Festival of Comedy. Each odd year the House of Humour hosts the International Biennale of Humour and Satire in the Arts. The device of the House "The World Lasts Because It Laughs" has already become a motto of Gabrovo. Each August the town hosts the Balkan Youth Festival and each September - the Days of Chamber Music. The cultural calendar of Tryavna includes the annual Days of Slaveykov (famous Bulgarian writer). As a renowned center of artistic crafts, the town also hosts the International Wood Sculpture event - "Bet in Tryavna" - that is the only of its kind in Bulgaria. During the celebrations of the April Revolt at the Dryanovo Monastery, the town of Dryanovo becomes the scene of the festival "The Balkan Sings and Tells Stories". Among the traditional events in Apriltsi are St. Theodore's Day and the indispensable horse races (kushii) in winter, the celebrations - anniversaries of the Novoselo Uprising in May and the folklore festival "Sparkles from the Past" in September. The Festival of the Plum and the Plum Rakia (strong local brandy) is traditional for the area of Troyan. Jolly contests, tasting and demonstrations of Rakia preparation accompany it. Mid - July is the time when the annual National Fair of Traditional Crafts takes place in the village of Oreshak. Every lover of beauty can take away from here a fine memory of the skillful hands and artistic taste of Balkan people. In July and August, Troyan celebrates the International Ceramics Event, "Art-Ceramics of Troyan", and in October - the Days of Culture. Hundreds of people come to celebrate the church holiday of the Troyan Monastery on August 15 and join the procession lead by the miraculous icon of Sveta Bogoroditsa Troeruchitsa. At the end of August, the locality of Beklemeto is enlivened by the beautiful sounds and rhythms of the traditional Folklore Festival. A folklore contest and National children's festival of authentic folklore are also organized every odd year in the village of Cherni Vit near Teteven. People from the mountain pay respect to ancient traditions. At big religious holidays, the Architectural and Historical Reserve of Bozhentsi and the Open Air Ethnographic Museum of Etur become the scene of demonstrations of living history, which remind us of the past and add colour to present-day life. Among the most interesting ones is the Holiday of Herbs, Enyovden, celebrated at Etur in June. Hundreds of guests from near and afar come to the holiday to learn about the curative power of herbs and to pass through the fascinating Enyovski Wreath of medicinal grass and flowers for health. In September, Etur welcomes thousands of master craftsmen from Bulgaria and the world, who come to demonstrate their skills in traditional crafts. The Etur Fair is dedicated to the guardian of craftspeople, St. Spiridon. The newest event in Central Stara Planina, bearing the spirit of hasty modern life, is the stage of the World Motor-Cross Championship, taking place at the motor polygon near the village of Gorna Rositsa, the latest pride of Sevlievo.
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