Bulgarian customs

The main Bulgarian celebration events are :

Other Bulgarian customs, specific for Bulgaria, worship God, the saints, the nature, the health, and chase away bad spirits :

St. Andrew's Day - 30 November
Antonovden - 17 January
Archangelden - 8 November
Christmas Eve
Budnik
Easter
Valtchi praznici
St George's Day
German
Dragon chasing
Gorestnici - 28,29,30 July
Dimitrovden - 26 October
St John's Eve - 24 June
Need-fire
Trifon Zarezan - 1 February / 14 February
Horse riding Todorovden - 1st Saturday of Lent
Feast of the Cross - 14 September
Lazarice (Lazarus Saturday) - 8 days before Easter in the name of Lazarus
Maccabees - ab 1 August for 12 days, to remember the Maccabees
Mratinci - Chasing of bad spirits, 14 November
Nestinarstvo - Fire dance
Nikulden - 6 December
Pali Kosh - 2 March - circle dances around a Campfire
Dodola
Petliovden - 20 January - Praying for a better harvest
Rusalska sedmica - Dance procession like Exorcism, one week after Pentecost
Sirni zagovezni - On Sunday, seven weeks before Easter. Jumping over the campfire and juggling with fire
Surva (Beginning of the new year), Kukeri (At the beginning of the new year and on Sirni zagovezni) and Koledari (on Christmas),
Todorova nedelja - The period between Sirni zagovezni and Todorovden
Dogs swinging - The first Monday of the period Todorova nedelja^[1]
Throwing willow branches into water spring on Pentecost
Throwing wood crosses into water spring on Iordanovden, the 6th of January to remember the Baptism of Jesus

Literature

Българска народна митология. Енциклопедичен речник. Съст. Анани Стойнев. Изд. гр. 7М+Логис, София, 1994.
Маринов Димитър Народна вяра и религиозни народни обичаи. Второ фототипно издание. — София, 1994.
Маринов Д. Жива старина. Книга перва: Верванията или суеверията на народа. — Руссе, 1891. 189 с.

^ Василева, Маргарита. Календарни празници и обичаи. В: Добруджа. Етнографски, фолклорни и езикови проучвания. БАН. София, 1974. стр. 320.