site.btaFestival of Embroidery Opens in Danubian Village of Vardim

A three-day Festival of Embroidery started in the Danubian village of Vardim on Friday. The festival involves exhibitions, traditional costume shows, workshops, demonstrations, lectures and concerts, among other events.

The Tvoretsat Folk Dance Group from Svishtov staged the opening concert, dedicating it to their families out of gratitude for their nurturing care. They played traditional horo chain dances. The Uchindolcheta Dance Ensemble from the community centre in Todorovo hopped on stage as well.

The show of the Svishtov group highlighted the so-called elbetitsa, an embroidery pattern consisting of two crosses superimposed on one another. It is used on traditional Bulgarian costumes. Svishtov Municipality Mayor Gencho Genchev, who opened the first evening of the festival, said the elbetitsa is a quintessential Bulgarian symbol which gives people strength to move forward.

Guests from the towns of Svishtov, Velingrad, Slivnitsa and Pleven and a number of villages will participate in the second day of the Festival of Embroidery.

The festival has been organized by the Istoriya v Shevitsi (History through Embroidery) Foundation. Vardim is playing host for the first time.