Krasnoilsk MalankaКрасноїльська Маланка

Krasnoilsk’s Malanka is a traditional New Year carnival with costumes and folk rituals. Local participants dress as the traditional Malanka characters (such as the King, Queen, Bear, Gypsy, and Jewish figures) and visit houses with singing and dancing on the night of January 13 (Old New Year’s Eve) 1 2. The event, one of the most famous Malanka celebrations in Ukraine, was revived annually after years of suppression, and attracts locals who consider it a vital part of their Bukovynian cultural identity 1 3.

The Krasnoilsk Malanka festival, held around Old New Year (Jan 13–14), is an ancient Slavic celebration marking the end of winter and the eve of the New Year. Although suppressed during Soviet times, the tradition endured in northern Bukovina. Villagers in Krasnoilsk, a border settlement with a Romanian-majority population, prepare for Malanka for weeks, making elaborate straw costumes and masks. During the event, masked troupes travel house to house with festive songs and blessings for the new year 1 2.