Martenitsa is back—and this year it’s going to be better than ever. It’s going to be epic!
We’re bringing together some of our favorite local musicians and singers from Orkestar Bez Ime, Mila Vocal Ensemble, Traki Folk Orchestra, and Makam Baklava—all on one stage! Join us for a massive Balkan Dance Party featuring music from Bulgaria, Macedonia, and the surrounding regions as we celebrate spring, Bulgarian-style.
Martenitsa is a musical celebration of the coming of spring and the holiday of Baba Marta (Baba meaning “grandma,” and Marta deriving from the word for “March”). In traditional folklore, Baba Marta is a temperamental old woman whose moods change as quickly as the March weather.
On March 1st, it is customary to exchange and wear martenitsi—red-and-white tokens symbolizing health, luck, and vitality. Wearing these threads is a wish for Baba Marta’s smile and the hope that she will bring an early spring. And as every Minnesotan knows, the end of winter can never come soon enough.
Feel free to join the spirit of the holiday by wearing red and white clothing—the traditional colors of the Martenitsa.