From mountain village to city street, Carnival brings the Slovene community alive with centuries-old traditions and contemporary celebrations. In the highlands, ancient customs endure through the mesmerising contrast of the Ta lepi (the beautiful) – adorned in white, flowers and ribbons – and the Ta grdi (the ugly) in their fearsome masks. This age-old ritual, meant to usher in spring and banish winter, culminates in the burning of Pust, the Carnival effigy, on Ash Wednesday.
Urban areas blend tradition with modern festivity. While masked pustarji still make their traditional house calls collecting treats, carnival groups now spend months crafting spectacular floats for competitive parades. Two celebrations particularly showcase Slovene heritage: the Karst Carnival in Opicina near Trieste (held on Carnival Saturday) and the Savogna d’Isonzo/Sovodnje ob Soči Carnival near Gorizia (held on Carnival Sunday). These events draw thousands of costumed revellers competing for prizes (best float, best ensemble), each group presenting their own satirical theme.
As day turns to night, the festivities continue across the region, with dancing and merriment filling taverns, halls and festival tents – a testament to Carnival’s enduring spirit.
