INTERNATIONAL MUMMER FESTIVAL, OREHOVO, BULGARIA 2011

Dear friends of arts,

We have the pleasure to invite you to take part in the INTERNATIONAL MUMMER FESTIVAL in the village of Orehovo ,BULGARIA on 26, 27 February 2011.
The Festival will be held in the heart of Rhodope Mountains for a first year. In this event can take part national mummer, folklore and carnival dancing ensembles and groups.
The participants are supposed to arrive in Sofia, or Plovdiv on 25.02.2011 till 14.00 h from where will be transported by bus to the place of the Festival. On 26th and 27th February 2011 there will be performances in the Cultural Hall and on the streets of the village Orehovo. The departure of the groups will be on 28th February 2011 after breakfast.

Purposes of our event are to:
- present the carnival and mummer wealth and variety;
- popularize Bulgarian arts and traditions;
- establish a cultural exchange between institutions and collectives from our country and abroad.

The organizers are: Bulgarian Art and Folklore Centre “Nestia”- Sofia, Association “Evterpani”, Balkan alliance of folklore, Bulgarian Folklore Cooperation “Nestia”, Producer’s house “Kukeri” and with the support of Ministry of Culture, Municipality of Chepelare, Municipality of Orehovo and Tourist Association in Orehovo.

CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE FESTIVAL:

1. Each group/participant has to be up to 50 persons (including group leaders, choreographers, orchestra, drivers etc.).
2. The groups/participants should prepare 10 and 20 minutes programs accompanied by play-back CD or a live orchestra.
3. The organization committee will accommodate the participants in the village Orehovo, Chepelare and resort Pampororvo (sleeping, 3 meals a day, medical service). The participants should inform if there is any special diet or food requirements (vegetarians). All participants should have medical insurance.
4. The travel costs to and from Sofia should be covered by the participants.
The organization Committee will grant a fuel to each group, which comes with its own bus, for the distance from the hotel to the places of performances.
For the groups which come by plane a bus will be reserved and covered by the Festival’s Committee. In case the participants want to go to excursions out of Festival’s site, should pay 90 euro for bus transportation per day.
5. The participants have to send application form for participation, pictures and other advertising materials by mail. All applications should be received not later then 7 days before the festival starts, by fax or e-mail.
6. Each participant should pay:

Hotel (** or ***) 50 Euro per person for the whole period.

* For each 20 persons, one is free.
* 30% of the participation fee has to be prepaid not later than 10 days before the event starts and sent to:
IBAN BG85 BPBI 7942 2457 4727 01/1624 978 942574727 01 4, BIC Code BPBIBGSF
* The other 70% should be paid when the participants arrive.
* Payment after the above mentioned date will not be accepted.
* Exceptions from the above mentioned conditions are possible only after a decision of the Festival’s Organization Committee.
7. Each group should bring its national flag.
8. All participants can bring souvenirs and/or СDs.

EXTRA DAYS:

1. Each participant can come before the “date of arriving” and stay after the festival extra days in Sofia, the resort Pamporovo or elsewhere he/she wants as The Organization committee will accommodate in a appropriate hotel/guests-house.
2. During the extra days, the groups which come by plane should pay 90 euro per day for bus transportation.
3. Each group should pay:

Hotel (** or ***) 20 Euro per person for each extra day

PROGRAM OF THE FESTIVAL:

First day – 26.02.2011

• Mummer’s Scene - /10.00 - 17.00 h/ in the Cultural Hall of village Orehovo. There will be presentations and performances for each group, presentation of habits, rituals, dances, fashion-shows;
• Concert program - /18.00 – 19.00 h/ in the Cultural Hall of village Orehovo;
• Fire fiesta - /19.00 – 20.00 h/ fire rituals on the square in front of the Cultural Hall;

Second day – 27.02.2011

•Parade of mummer ensembles – /10.00 - 14.00 h/ defile on the streets of village Orehovo and carnival demonstrations in the village stadium.


We hope to see you in Rhodope Moutains!

ASSOCIATION “EUTERPANI”
BULGARIA, 1574 SOFIA,
“Hristo Smirnenski”, bl. 31-B, B, fl. 1, ap. 10
tel./fax (+359 2) 8713 286
mobile (+359) 886744906
e-mail: evterpani@abv.bg
http://euterpani.blogspot.com