Traditional Hungarian dancers marked the end of winter up and down the country this weekend.
The annual Busójárás (“Busó-walking”) celebration is held at the end of the Carnival season in Mohács and lasts for six days.
Busójárás is not only one of the most popular traditional winter festivals in Hungary, but has also been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for UNESCO in 2009.
The celebration features Busós (people wearing traditional masks) and includes folk music, masquerading, parades and dancing.
According to one of the legends, the Busós are scaring away winter with “guest Busó teams” from the neighboring countries, including Poland, Croatia, Slovakia and Serbia.
For the majority of locals, Busójárás is not just a tradition, but almost like a religion. As the winter comes to an end, the countdown starts again. Whether it's Easter, a hot weekend in July or early winter, a Busó team can appear anywhere and anytime to promote the festival.