Consortium Kurent presented today the project of the 53^rd Kurentovanje under the slogan “Awake the Mystic Part in Yourself”. The private-public partnership between Ptuj City Municipality, Perutnina Ptuj and Sava Tourism Company forming the consortium Kurent, will continue, as in previous years, with its mission to enhance this extremely rich ethnological heritage of carnival figures in Ptuj and its surroundings. The most prominent international carnival event in Central Europe, each year attracting numerous carnival groups from abroad and visitors from near and far, features this year a unique performance celebrating the 140^th anniversary of the first carnival procession in Ptuj.

Members of the Consortium Kurent gathered in the City Hall: dr. Štefan Čelan, mayor of Ptuj, dr. Roman Glaser, chairman of the board of directors and general manager of Perutnina Ptuj, and Milena Mojzeš, director of Grand Hotel Primus, Sava Tourism – Terme Ptuj spa; they were joined by Branko Brumen, head of the Kurentovanje 2013 project and vice-president of FECC (Federation of European Carnival Cities), and Alen Hodnik, director of Public Services Ptuj company.

They all stressed the once again excellent cooperation between the Consortium Kurent and the Public Services company carrying out the realisation of the project, as well as the participation of the local community, knowledgeable audience, businesses and countless enthusiasts who engage their passion and inexhaustible energy in the organisation of the most important carnival and ethnological event. According to the mayor, the 53^rd Kurentovanje will awake mystic bonds linking carnival traditions to the seasons, and a special emphasis will be put on the transfer of this heritage to the young. Therefore, during five days the elementary school children will express their visions of all nine traditional ethnographic masks from the Ptuj field, while the old town core will be the stage for young rock groups coming from Slovenia and Croatia. The unique event of the carnival this year is the so-called Town Carnival Procession taking place on Carnival Saturday thus marking 140 years of the first organised carnival procession in the town of Ptuj.

One of the main events will be EthnoFest opening parade on 3^rd February featuring autochthonous carnival masks and figures as well as carnival customs from the area of Ptuj, Slovenia and abroad. The opening ceremony, always well attended, will be the occasion for the mayor to transfer his powers to Prince of the Carnival, Mr. Miroslav Slodnjak, Knight of Dornava, who will rule the city during the carnival time.

The 53^rd International CarnivalFest, held on Sunday 10^th February, will undoubtedly live up to its reputation of the most prominent carnival event in Slovenia and wider region featuring some 4,000 traditional carnival figures. As it has been customary for some years now, the artistic events will comprise also the international painting performance Ex Tempore Carnival 2013, while experts and researchers will gather on 5^th February at a symposium to discuss the cultural heritage with an emphasis on carnival customs. More than 100 events open to public will be organised during the carnival Kurentovanje 2013 and should attract, according to the organisers, some 15,000 participants from 15 countries and at least 150,000 visitors from Slovenia and from other countries.