The folklore, the customs, the way of life and the traditions of people in Varna region are strongly influenced by the fact that in the past this part of Bulgaria was the crossroad of large groups of people from Thrace, Macedonia and neighbouring Turkey.
Just like in the rest of the country, here too life, the holiday calendar and the creative inspirations of the population have been strongly influenced by the working cycle throughout the year. Thus, for example, in the summer months when people worked hard in the fields, there were few holidays.

They started after the agricultural work stopped in late autumn and continued until early spring.
Women who stayed at home in the winter months created genuine masterpieces of the traditional Bulgarian embroidery and textiles. Red, orange, green and blue are the main colours of the stylized floral and animal motifs and geometrical figures in the carpets and rugs woven by women.
Weddings were traditionally organised mainly in the autumn and spring but not later than the middle of April.


Tourists can see wedding clothes and decorations of a wedding procession typical of the village of Asparuhovo in one of the halls of the Ethnographic Museum in Varna. Similar exhibitions are on show in almost all major towns in the regions. In the exhibition halls one can see local pottery and vessels and utensils used by fishermen, dairy farmers, stock-breeders, vine growers and wine producers.
The folklore festivals held in Varna in the high tourist season attract foreign and Bulgarian tourists.

The international folklore festival in August in Varna is one of the most prestigious cultural events in the country. The masked dancers’ marches in the streets of Varna, the Festival of authentic folklore in the beach resort of Zlatni Piassaci, and the annual Dobrudja Sings and Dances Festival in the beach resort of Albena are genuine festivities of the Bulgarian folk traditions.
An event that accompanies the Varna Folklore Festival is the Folklore Festival in Shoumen in August.
One of the most exuberant folk festivals characteristic of north-eastern Bulgaria are the masked dancers’ marches (Kukeri Games). They are of ancient pagan origin and come down from the ancient Thracian agrarian calendar or a reminiscent of the cult festivities in honour of the ancient Greek God Dionysus.

The Kukeri marches mark the beginning of the new economic year and pray for rich harvest and large herds of cattle and game. The masked dancers (kukeri) are men who are disguised in fur clothes. They put terrifying or funny masks on their faces, cowbells on their waist and dancing, singing and making terrible noise they tour the village and enter every house. They wish plentiful crops, many children and long life to the family.
On the eve of Saint Vasil’s Day the Kamila (Camel) rite is performed in the region of Varna. The main characters are the “camel” and the camel herdsmen. The ritual mask of the camel man is made of a wooden construction (targa) covered with horse-cloth or goat skin. A young man in traditional folk costume puts it on his head and leads the march accompanied by the herdsmen (dividjias) who have put on fur coats turned inside out, with big and small cowbells tied to their belts. The masked dancers first jump up high in the air, then they roll on the ground to draw on its vital force. The festival closes with lively folk dances.
An interesting old custom that is still popular today is the horse race on Saint Todor’s Day in March. Very popular is the horse race at the Kabiyuk stud-breeding farm in the village of Konyovets, Shoumen Region.