The Strumica Carnival is the largest traditional pre-Lenten carnival in North Macedonia and has been recognised by the Federation of European Carnival Cities. Held over several days in late February or early March (the date varies with the Orthodox Easter calendar), it draws masked processions, folk dance groups, and visiting carnival societies from Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and elsewhere.
The main parade is on the Saturday, when up to 200 masked groups process through the centre of town and onto Goce Delčev Square for the costume judging. Local vasilice — couples in elaborate folk costumes with bells around their waists — open the procession. Smaller events run throughout the week: workshops, exhibitions of carnival masks, and house-to-house visits by masked maskers (locally called carnivalists or bears) carrying out the older village customs that long predate the modern parade.