BENEATH PIRIN, BY THE STRUMA: ECOLOGICAL, HISTORICAL, AND LITERARY MEMORY OF SANDANSKI IN THE ANTHOLOGY „A CONVERSATION WITH A CITY“

The article presents findings from an ethnographic field study conducted in the village of Dren, Pernik region, examining the role of the NGO Together for Dren in the reconfiguration of local cultural life. The analysis focuses on the organization and enactment of the Surva feast as a key site of interaction between the foundation, municipal authorities, and cultural institutions. Processes of mask and costume production, project coordination, and festivity management are explored to reveal how traditional practices are selectively preserved, reshaped, and integrated with new initiatives within contemporary community dynamics.