Balgarianovinite.com The traditional Galicka Wedding, a centuries-old wedding ritual that has evolved into a cultural festival while retaining real newlyweds, is taking place from July 10 to 12 in the mountain village of Galicnik on Mount Bistra in North Macedonia. The event recreates the traditional wedding customs of the region, historically held around St. Peter’s Day, when men returned home from seasonal work abroad. It has been staged as a festival since 1963.
Since 1991 the wedding has been an actual marriage ceremony, with the bride and groom selected by the local community. At least one member of the couple must have family roots in Galicnik. This year’s groom, Aleksandar Pendaroski, is the son of the couple who took part in the first modern Galicka Wedding 35 years ago. He will marry Martina Mihajlova, who said it is “an honour, a responsibility and a privilege to be part of a tradition that has existed for centuries.”
The event is traditionally held under the patronage of the Macedonian President and is organized by the local community. The three-day event features more than 30 traditional customs.
The wedding ceremonies begin on Saturday with the decoration and raising of the wedding flag, followed by the firing of three ceremonial gunshots from the groom’s house and the performance of the mother-in-law’s dance. Processions of wedding guests accompanied by drums and zurna music instruments parade through the village. Alongside the families of the bride and groom, visitors join the processions together with numerous participants dressed in traditional costumes.
Among the highlights are symbolic dances representing migration and the independent spirit of the people of the region.
Late on Saturday evening, a torchlit procession heads to the bride’s house. With her face covered and accompanied by her friends, the bride crosses the village to fetch water from the fountain in the centre. She fills two jugs, and according to local tradition, uses the water to wash her hair before the wedding, a ritual associated with future family happiness.
Sunday’s programme includes the “invitation to the dead” ritual. Led by drums and zurna music, the groom’s closest relatives walk in procession to the cemetery on a nearby hill to seek the blessing and forgiveness of deceased family members for marrying without their presence.
The rituals continue with the invitation of the best man, the groom’s ceremonial shave, and another procession led by horsemen to the bride’s house.
Galicnik, a village spread across several hills with no permanent residents, fills with thousands of visitors during the wedding celebrations. Horse riders taking part in the rituals, young women in traditional costumes performing ritual songs, and the constant sound of drums and zurna instruments transform the village into a living stage for the centuries-old tradition. Traditional Galicka Wedding Festival with Real Bride and Groom Begins in North Macedonia 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-10 08:57:34 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law