Unmasked Kukeri dancers from Central Bulgaria with intricate costumes after performing at the Simitlia festival in Simitli, Bulgaria, Eastern Europe

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Kukeri dancers with intricate costumes, bells and masks at the annual Simitlia winter festival in Simitli, Blagoevgrad County. Kukeri is a centuries-old tradition intended to chase evil spirits away and to invite good, held around early winter or midwinter. The participants wear bells, embroidered costumes, and fantastical masks to participate in the winter ritual.

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Size: 4698px × 3135px
Location: Simitli, Bulgaria, Eastern Europe, Balkans, EU
Photo credit: © Ognyan Trifonov / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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