Kurentovanje is held in the ten days before Lent, usually in February, and is the largest pre-Lenten carnival in Slovenia. Hundreds of Kurenti — men and boys dressed in heavy sheepskin suits with elaborate horned masks and strings of massive cowbells — parade through the streets, their bells clanging loudly enough to drive away winter spirits. Or so the tradition goes.
The festival draws visitors from across Slovenia and beyond. It is not a tourist performance but a genuine community event, with local neighbourhoods competing in costume quality and with folk music, dancing, and masked characters throughout the town. If you are anywhere in the region during this time, it is worth the trip to Ptuj. The Regional Museum's collection of Kurent costumes, displayed year-round in the castle, gives context for the festival even in the off-season.