UNIQUE CULTURAL HERITAGE KURENTOVANJE CARNIVAL IN PTUJ 11th - 21th February 2012

Ptuj, beautiful medieval town near Maribor is the oldest town in Slovenia. This small town has a rich history that dates from Roman times. It boasts a Castle and a medieval old town and is best known for its unique annual “Kurent Festival” – the biggest, the most prominent cultural and ethnographical event in Slovenia with an international reputation.

Ptuj is the host to the Carnival from 1960; at first there was only one-day event, but nowdays it has grown into eleven-days carnival festival of ethnographical, carnival and musical performances. This year carnival events it is gounig to take place from 11. – 21. February 2012, including the main Intenational Carnival Parade on 19. February, when “Kurenti” dressed in distinctive sheepskin costumes adorned with feathers, horns, ribbons and cow bells, will parade through the streets, making noise with their bells and wooden sticks, to symbolically scare off evil spirits and the winter.

For this period outside everyday time and space, will be filled with music that makes you want to dance, beautiful and original carnival masks will delight or frighten you as Kurent groups consider this gathering their most prestigious annual event. During this ancient rite of spring, it is easy to entertain yourself among the numerous gatherings and parties enjoying local and famous foreign music groups where everyone can enjoy excellent local wines and the traditional "Ptuj chicken" that abounds.

Kurentovanje is visited by more than 100,000 people every year, Saturday and Sunday parades are watched by 60-70,000 people. In eleven days, there are some 15-20,000 people expected to party in the carnival tent. Participants in parades are also numerous: the Saturday parade boasts more than 1,000 participants, and the Sunday parade over 2,000 and around 600 Kurents.