Beer Festival – Beer Fest in Prilep

The town of Prilep has a tradition which has been carried over for ages from generation to generation. The craftsmanship, the old Bazaar, the song and dance. The spiritual culture, the creative works of art, music, the literature and the revolutional spirit are all unbreakable part of the life of all the citizens of Prilep. Thanks to all these positive characteristics, the town has built a tradition of consuming life itself. The old Bazaar as a special generator of enjoyment has modified the town into a place widely known and famous for its high quality grill, and the citizens-the best tasters to judge the best quality food. Since 1924 Prilep has its own brewery, so the citizens of Prilep has improved their taste for good beer to perfection. Beer Fest is a beer festival held in summer time in the city of Prilep , organized by the municipality of Prilep and commercial entities.The festival is open, held downtown and attended by famous producers of beer and local caterers. Visitors come from all over the Republic of Macedonia and neighboring countries. The festival is known for good entertainment, barbecue and cold beer and of course the massive attendance.The festival has gained tradition and on the tourist map of Prilep has one of the most important places. The festival is place where the most popular music stars in the region have been guests. In 2009 the chief guest was Croatian singer Severina, in 2010 was Ceca, in 2011 Zdravko Cholich and in 2012 Lepa Brena.

 

Strumica Carnival – Choose your favorite mask

The Strumica Carnival is first mentioned in 1670. This Carnival is held every year at the beginning of the Great Lent, an Eastern Orthodox Lenten period similar to the Roman church’s calendar about one month earlier. The three days which are called the “trimer days” always begin on the Sunday night at Procka (Forgiveness Sunday) and last until the following Wednesday. On Tuesday night, the Carnival takes place- masked groups of people stroll throughout the city, with men visiting homes of their fiancees and staying there until the early morning hours. The celebration continues with love songs and lyrics complemented with traditional musical instruments. Nowadays, the Carnival resembles similar Mardi Gras carnivals throughout the world and has a competitive character. Participants create their own masks. Each participant and group decides upon a theme and idea.  Masks should be up to 3.5 m high and the vehicles up to 12 m long. This large event encompasses hundreds of masked people on the streets of the city as well as thousands from other cities in Macedonia and from abroad. The sponsor of this event is the mayor of Strumica. Since 1994, Strumica is a member of the International Association of Carnival Cities, FECC.

 

Vevcani Carnival

One of the most famous village festivals held in the Balkans is the Vevčani Carnival. It is believed that the custom is over 1,400 years old. It is based on old Pagan beliefs and rituals. Essentially the Carnival is the ritual of calling after Saint Basil the Great, which coincides with the Twelve Days of Orthodox Christmas and the Orthodox New Year. The festivity is dedicated to Saint Basil the Great. Traditionally, this year from 12th to 14th January will be held Vevcani Carnival which is one of the oldest cultural events in Macedonia, which traditionally celebrates the arrival of the New Year according to the old calendar. The participants of the Carnival are known as “Vasiličari”. Vevcani Carnival as an event unites all forms of expression of our traditional culture, transforming the needs of contemporary society, treating topics from today. The annual carnival is a mix of pagan customs translated into modern language.  In 1993 the Carnival and the village of Vevčani officially became apart of the World Federation of Carnival Cities. In recent years a special “Carnival Passport” has been issued at the Carnival.The Vevcani Carnival, which claims a 14 century long legacy, is held every year from 13 to 14 January in the southwestern Macedonian village of Vevcani. Recognized by the Federation of European Carnival Cities (FECC), the carnival attracts thousands of both domestic and international visitors to see the people of Vevcani disguised in elaborate masks expressing humor and sarcasm. Some of the most common costumes include devils, demons and other mythical characters. During the raucous proceedings, traditional music is played on zurlas (a traditional double-reed woodwind instrument) and drums. Revelers lacking instruments indulge in making plain noise with bells, pots and pans, bins and whatever else is to be found. The vibrant Vevcani Carnival is one of Macedonia’s best.

 

Galichnik Wedding Festival – Travel through tradition

The Galichnik Wedding Festival is an annual festival held in the Macedonian village of Galičnik near the city of Debar in which a selected couple gets married in the traditional “Galichka” style wedding. Traditionally the wedding lasted for 5 days with the main activities on St. Peter’s Day (12 July) every year. It was the only period of the year when couples got married. Today it is part of the festival “Galichko Leto” (Galicnik Summer) and it is a two-day event held on the weekend nearest to 12 July and it serves as a cultural and tourist attraction. During the wedding, men dance the Teškoto, symbolizing the suffering of the Macedonian people through the centuries. Each year, couples from all over Macedonia enter a competition run by the organisers to be the couple that gets to have a “Galichka” style wedding. Every year, a new couple gets the opportunity.

PROGRAM:

-Inviting the dead relatives to the wedding:

A group of the closest relatives and the bridegroom visit the graves of dead family members. The bridegroom invites them to his wedding.

-Inviting the ‘kum’ (literally: “godfather”, though the closest equivalent in English is “best man”):

After returning from the cemetery, the bridegroom, his friends and his closest relatives invite the best man to the wedding.

-Shaving the bridegroom:

In front of the “Upija” fountain, one of the friends shaves the bridegroom; an act which makes the closest relatives rueful because the shaving is a symbol of the separation of the boy from his mother and father.

-Off to the bride’s house to formally ask for her:

From the bridegroom’s house, an entourage of over 50 in-laws goes to the bride’s house. The entourage is led by the bajraktar (flag bearer) and his friends on horses. The horses walk slowly in front of the entourage. Before that, one of the friends goes to the bride’s house to ask for permission for the arrival of the in-laws. On the way back he joins the procession.

-Arrival of the marriage brokers:

After the arrival of the in-laws, the flag bearer hands over the flag which is hung by the window. Then one of the bridegroom’s friends leads his horse in front of the bride’s house where the bride looks at the bridegroom through her ring. The bridegroom kisses the hands of the bride’s parents and then they put a towel over his shoulder.

-The bride welcoming the marriage brokers:

In front of the house the bridegroom’s closest relatives sit at a table. The bridegroom’s mother gives presents to the bride and then the bride kisses her hand. The bride gets dressed up and ready to go.

-The bride sets off with the in-laws:

A bridegroom’s friend informs the in-laws that the bride is ready and they all prepare to go. The bride mounts a horse. The procession is led by the flag bearer.

-Welcoming the bride:

The bridegroom’s mother welcomes the bride with a sieve, a cake and a goblet with wine. She circles around the bride three times tapping her on the head with the cake. Then she puts a bridle on her and on the bridegroom’s cap. The bridegroom helps the bride to dismount the horse. Then she walks into the house.

-Marriage ceremony:

The bride, the bridegroom’s mother and father, the flag-bearer and the other relatives walk up to the church. The bridegroom’s mother carries a kettle and a basil bouquet. She spatters young couple and other guests on the way from the house to the church. A carpet is laid in front of the church and a flag is hung to the right of the entrance.

-Marriage banquet:

After the wedding ceremony there is a wedding banquet at the “Upija”. The best man resides at the head of the table and the bridegroom calls for a toast.

-Taking the bride to “Upija” where she leads the brides dance:

The bridegroom’s father and the best man lead the entourage. The bride is taken to the fountain where she fills water jugs. After that the bride leads the bride’s dance.

-Farewell to the musicians:

When wedding customs end, the closest relatives say goodbye to the musicians.

-End of ceremonies;

 

Ohrid Summer Festival

If we are to talk about Ohrid Summer Festival at the encounter of its 50th edition, it is certain that its existence of many years indicates to an awareness that the festival leans on something that indeed represents a great tradition. This tradition originates from the place which is given from God, from the city of Ohrid – the spiritual capital of Macedonia, the antique city with its magically blue lake, a city with a cultural history marked with values of the ancient civilization, the city of the first Slavic university in Europe, the city of Samuil’s kingdom and finally –the city that represents the whole Macedonian cultural and spiritual history.  For these reasons, not accidentally in this city-holy place, God only had to send his noble message in order to mark the beginning of something that had to happen here. It happened on the remote year 1961 midsummer – on august 4th. A light sparkled under the amazing arches of the beautiful cathedral church St. Sophia – a part of the monumental and ancient values of Ohrid from the 11th century. (source: The official OSF web -site, 2013)