The “St. Marina” Folklore Festival is an annual event held in the St. Marina area (Botevo village, Aksakovo Municipality) on July 17. Various singing groups and dance groups participate in it, both from the Aksakovo Municipality and from all over Northeastern Bulgaria.
On this date, the temple holiday of the Holy Great Martyr Marina Monastery near the village of Botevo is also celebrated.
Traditionally, the holiday begins early in the morning with a liturgy in the small chapel.
On this day, a kurban is made for health, which is consecrated by the Bishop and distributed to all those present.
After finishing the liturgy, the Bishop welcomes all participants and guests. Then the folklore festival itself begins, at which long choirs swirl and authentic Bulgarian folklore sounds.
More than 1,500 people flock to the traditional “St. Marina” folklore festival to honor the Christian holiday.
Although it is called a fertility festival, most of the people who come from the surrounding villages believe in the miraculous healing properties of the spring at this place.