May 22–23 became a holiday for all Bansko inhabitants and guests of the town, where the amateur folklore ensemble festival Between Three Mountains was held for the first time. The programme included singing and dancing competitions, a culinary exhibition, a floral exhibition and an exhibition of the local masters and craftsmen.

The love for the authentic Bulgarian folklore brought together in Bansko singer’s and dance groups from the Yakoruda, Hadjidimovo, Gurmen, Bansko, Gotze Delchev and Razlog municipalities. The desire of the organizers, Bansko municipality and Edita Productions, is that the festival grows into an annual event.

The atmosphere in the town square was fired by the performances of Volodya Stoyanov with the Chinary dance formation and Nikolina Chakurdukova with the Nevrokop Dance Ensemble. Gourmets had the opportunity to taste the specialties of more than 20 local taverns and restaurants, which were gathered in Pirin Hotel. The pensioners from Rodon Todev Club, named after the first voivode in Bansko, had arranged a special corner, dedicated to the traditional Bansko cuisine

Elena Sabeva, club member, explained there are dishes for holidays and dishes for weekdays. The “kapama” is prepared for Christmas and Easter, while the sweet banitza can be a meal for every occasion. The pogacha (round loaf) is kneaded for newborns, christenings and new homes. The Bansko sudjuk (flat sausage) and the Bansko karvavitza (black pudding) are made with special herbs, the names of which are kept secret by the Bansko citizens. The famous Bansko staretz is made only from the loins of the pig. The sweet banitza is Elena Sabeva’s “chef’s best” She makes the dough by mixing eggs, milk, yeast and flour. Then she rolls it out in three sheets and rolls them. She cuts the rolls into one-centimetre pieces and twists them. After it is baked, the banitza is sprinkled with sugar syrup.

The local masters and craftsmen have been displaying their works in the House of Arts for already two decades. The aim is to preserve the rich heritage of the Bansko citizens, which one finds in their folklore, customs and woodcarving traditions.

This year the woodcarvings displayed at the exhibition were made by the woodcarving students at the Bansko Forestry High School. The school was opened in 1974 and continues the traditions of the Bansko carving school. In early May this year, the students showed their exhibition in Bonn, Germany. Their works are also showcased in an untraditional exhibition at the local hypermarket. 10 of the exhibits are still in Germany and together with the Panagyurishte treasure will be presented at an exhibition organized by the Bulgarian side.

The Ethnographic Exhibition in the House of Arts is a permanent exposition, however it is constantly updated and enriched. The exhibition showcases handmade rugs, fleecy rugs, blankets, textiles, tablecloths and costumes, taken from the chests of the local old women. These were made for personal use and that is why the workmanship shows love, skill and taste. The ethnographic Bansko textile articles have a specific character. The Bansko woman observed the rule that the colours should not “clash” but be in harmony. The tints are not bright, fiery or yellow, as those we find in the Rhodopes, but gradated and pastel.

Each costume bears the marks of its time. The Revival Period women wore long dresses, uncut in the waist, and tailored with inserted V-shaped pieces to lend width to the skirts. The most typical costume for the region is the aladja. The aladja is a long open-front sleeved tunic, usually striped and in various shades of colour. Over it the women wore a frieze jacket and a long apron. Later the length of the female costume became shorter and was cut in the waist. The original Bansko textiles are made on a woollen warp and are blue. The material is called geziya.

The Bansko aprons can well be in the focus of an individual science. There are several types of pishchimals and preskutniks, each of which is worn on different occasions. “In the past it sufficed to cast a look at the garments of a woman to tell whether she was dressed for celebration or routine, if she was young or old, rich or poor, “the oldest museum worker in Bansko Galabitza Todorova explains. “Young women wear silk fustans. This is a summer dress with a petticoat. The crimson preskutnik is reserved for the young girls and for brides during the first year of their marriage. The black preskutnik is for the younger women, the older wear it only on holidays.”

The Bansko Municipality Mayor Mr. Alexandar Kravarov shared his content that the town is working under a programme aimed at promoting Bansko as a summer international cultural centre

“The festival Between Three Mountains will grow into an annual tradition, “he said.”Many festivals are being held with commercial purposes but they do not focus on the amateur groups. Our aim is to preserve the authenticity of the town. At the same time we are also working for building up a modern infrastructure. Two wastewater collectors are in a process of construction, we are developing the conceptual design of the third. We want to collect all wastewaters in one place, where a wastewater treatment plant will be built. This will decrease the level of pollution of the Glazne and the Mesta rivers while the already treated waters will be used for irrigation.

During the coming years we will finalize the construction of the ski zone in Shiligarnika. According to our information, 90 percent of the winter sports lovers in Bulgaria have visited Bansko this year. English, Russian, Macedonian, Serbian and Greek tourists also come to the resort. We are working very seriously on the Russian market, because the Russian nationals formed the main body of our tourists and we want to attract them to Bansko again. They are not so pretentious and they have money to spend. What is more, we have similar languages and mentality. The Bansko citizens are hardworking people, somehow conservative but it was this conservatism that preserved out history and traditions.”

Tatiana Petrova