The Parade of Folk Dresses has been an integral part of the cultural living in the town of the Miladinovci Brothers for twenty five years already and is among the manifestations which mark the name of Struga and its region in the annals of the culture not only of Struga and its region but on the level of the whole Republic of Macedonia because from the very beginning this manifestation became widely accepted including participants from all communities in Macedonia.       It's not by chance that Struga is the one that organizes and hosts this Parade. It's not by chance either that the idea became a tradition of presenting the folk dresses made by the industrious Macedonians woman for herself, her husband and her children, ornamenting the dresses of the bride and the groom, enriching the colouring of the folk dresses. This richness in the folklore which is still preserved in Struga and its region was the idea that led to organizing the first "Parade of Folk Dresses" twenty years ago.       The role of the craftsmen who did the dresses and the filigran for the affirmation of the folk dresses in the past is more or less similar to the role of this Parade which carries the motto of the dressmakers "Thousand needles are needed to produce a folk dress".       The Parade was initiated by the Youth Organization and its members Tome Zhupanoski, Sotir Opetcheski, Dimche Likoski, Rade Kutanoski, Riste Misa and other activists in 1972. The manifestation was organized by the Municipal Organization of the Youth Association in the first three years including participants and folklore ensembles from Struga and its region. The manifestation was taken over by the Municipal Cultural and Educational Association in 1975 which extends the list of participants from the towns of the Western part of Macedonia and from 1977 with participants from all over the country.       During the years this manifestation was growing and developing not only considering the number of participants but also the enrichment of the content of the programmes. Some other manifestations follow the Parade of Folk Dresses which mark the whole event. The participants go around the streets of the town and the banks of the river Black Drim, exhibitions connected with the folk creative work especially the folk dresses and the embroidery as well as the discussions on the round table dedicated the folk creative work.       The goals of this manifestation are: discovering, preserving, and presenting the rich folklore, expressed through the folk dresses and the embroidery cherished through the centuries in different social, economic and political conditions and regimes under which the Macedonian people and the minorities lived expressing their individuality and artistry which determines the national significance and the character of the manifestaion itself.       The Jury is composed of ethnologists and experts in folk dresses and they choose the best dresses and award the most original, the richest, the most complete, and the most authentic folk dresses in pairs, men, women, children, older people's folk dresses and the old city folk dresses. The awards are modest and symbolic and all the participants get a certificate for taking part in the Parade. The program of presenting the folk dresses is constantly enriched with presentation of different customs, proverbs, puzzles, and original songs performed by famous ensembles, folk and artistic ensembles, groups and soloists and artists from all over the country.       The folk ensemble "TANEC" has contributed a lot for the afirmation of the Parade by participating few times on the same. Besides participating with a program from its repertoire the ensemble presented the variety of folk dresses not only from Macedonia but from abroad too.       It is tradition that every year the participants go along the banks of the river Black Drim and the streets of the town. While walking the participants of the Parade and some other folk ensembles perform a program on appropriate locations in the town such as the Square of Poetry, the Monument of the Revolution and some others. It arouses a great interest on the part of the citizens of Struga and the tourists that spend their holidays here.       Also the organized exhibitions of items of the folk treasure especially the folk dresses, the embroideries etc., arouse special interest on the side of the public. Then the discussions on the round table considering the folk dresses are of great significance and are organized during the Parade with participants, experts - ethnologists, designers and other people that are acquainted with folk dresses.       It should be mentioned that besides the citizens and the tourists our expatriots from the European and the overseas countries are regular guests on the Parade, then the participants of the Seminar for Macedonian Language and Literature held in Ohrid as well as numerous fans of the Macedonian foklore which participated on the seminar for Macedonian folklore in Struga.       All the participants on the Parade wear Macedonian folk dresses and in the last three years great efforts have been made to present the folk dresses of the Macedonians that live in the neighbouring countries and represent the Macedonian folk dresses. Also folk ensembles from the European and overseas countries that present Macedonian folklore, folk dresses and songs participate.       The ones who have special contribution for the maintenance of this unique manifestation in our country are: the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Macedonia, the General Assembly of Struga, numerous sponsors from Struga and its region such as "Struzhanka", "SIMEP", "Drim", "KIMIKO", the Tourist Association as well as some private enterprises which helped this significant cultural and tourist manifestation so important for Struga, Macedonia and wider. It means that this manifestation has been widely accepted and has justified its existence. Tome Zhupanoski