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A dragon wedding and sparkling wine tasting on Trifon Zarezan festival in the village of Delchevo

Photo: BGNES - archive

After a two-year break, the traditional Trifon Zarezan wine festival is organized again in the village of Delchevo. 
On Saturday 4 February, dozens of wine and brandy producers are welcome to the village at the foot of Pirin Mountain, to present their best selection. Wine makers from the Greek region of Drama are also coming back to the take part in the winemaker competition.The culmination of the feast is on 5 February /Sunday/, when everyone goes to the vineyard in the Bair ("the hill") area to take part in the ritual first pruning of the vines, after which the vines are ceremonially watered with wine
The big celebration takes place in the village square of Delchevo. Kukeri ethnographic groups from the nearby village of Mosomishte perform, but the most interesting part is the reenactment of the local dragon (zmey) weddingKukeri
An ancient legend says that the village of Delchevo was the lair of a zmey who took the most beautiful maiden of the village as his wife, in exchange for which he protected the village from evil forces and the elements.  To this day, Delchevo keeps the legend alive and twice a year recreates the story of the dragon and the beautiful bride.




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