Carnival festivities to chase away winter
Ptuj, one of Slovenia's best known carnival cities began its festivities early. The traditional 65th Kurentovanje festival started on Candlemas with the Kurent's Jump when people dressed in Kurents, scary sheepskin figures with huge cow bells, jump over a bonfire to chase away winter.
Ptuj already had its first procession of traditional costumes on Saturday and it will host the traditional gathering of Kurents and Korants from around the country on Wednesday. Another procession will be held on Saturday, as well as festivities for children and a night-time spectacle.
Throughout the week visitors will be able to meet the traditional carnival figures, including Whip-crackers, Ploughmen and Rusas, who will be spending their evenings in the city centre.
The main international carnival procession in Ptuj, expected to attract thousands of visitors, will be held on Sunday.
In Cerknica an exhibition on carnival is opening on Tuesday, while on Thursday Butalci - slow-witted characters meant as a caricature of Slovenians - will take over control of the city. The highlight of the week will be the procession on Sunday, starting as always "exactly some time around 12:32", featuring local figures Uršula the Witch and Jezerko the Dragon, as well as the new Butale Bees.
Pust in Cerknica will be buried on 5 March after being burned on the bridge. "They say that they have been burning Pust on the bridge since the dawn of time. Pusts have changed, as have people, bridges and countries, but the custom remains," the organisers said.
In Cerkno too the main carnival procession will take place on Sunday, the organisers said, inviting visitors to come "so the turnip will be fatter". The best known carnival figures in Cerkno are the family of Laufarji or "runners" - 25 figures with 26 masks made of linden wood, believed to originate in pagan rituals.
Ljubljana will host the Dragon's Festival on Saturday with the main procession led by a dragon figure and schoolchildren dressed in costumes of fairytale heroes.
Carnival processions and other festivities will be held in other towns as well, including in Mozirje where carnival festivities date back to 1891. The procession in Ilirska Bistrica will feature Škoromati, perhaps Slovenia's oldest carnival figures that were first mentioned in 1340.
Source: STA