On January 17th 2009, the central square of Razlog hosted the Third International festival for “kukeri” (traditional dancers) called “Starchevata”. 1200 participants from 22 dancing ensembles, dressed in traditional garments and skins, chased away evil spirits with masks and bells. All participants represented the preserved traditions and customs, performing the rituals for fertility and health. The number of people in most dancing groups was around 50. The carnival began at 10:30 AM and lasted until 17:00 PM.

The six-person jury, lead by prof. Nikolay Tsvetkov – head of the department of choreography in the Institute for arts of the South-western University, defined the best ensembles of the festival.