59th Vinkovci Autumn Festival announced: Hands of Šokac memories are this year's theme of the event

A press conference was held today in the central Vinkovci city park, announcing the 59th edition of Vinkovci Autumns.

This year's Vinkovci Autumn Festival begins on Friday, September 13th and will last until Sunday, September 22nd. 

"I invite everyone to come to Vinkovci, enjoy traditional culture and experience this event in its full sense. It is a celebration of tradition, gastronomy, entertainment and the best hosts in the world. All those who enjoy traditional culture, primarily our cultural and artistic groups, have contributed to our growth into what we are today, which is to be the largest manifestation of traditional culture in Croatia." emphasized Ivan Bosančić, Mayor of the City of Vinkovci.

As Stjepan Đurković, secretary of ZAKUD, said, Vinkovci Autumn will once again begin this year with the County Folklore Evenings on September 13th and will last for six days. 50 folklore groups from the Vukovar-Srijem County are expected to arrive. Furthermore, the Inter-County Children's Festival is scheduled for September 14th, and the next day a children's parade will be held in which over 60 folklore groups with more than 2500 children will participate.

"The State Festival of Croatian Original Folklore is scheduled for September 21st. During the first evening, 14 counties will present their programs, and on Sunday the second part will take place. The parade on the final day is the richest we have at Vinkovci Autumn, there will be 75 cultural organizations, carriages, riders and we hope for good weather," said Djurkovic.

As for the concerts, the Vinkovci audience will first be warmed up by Parni valjak. In the following days, Zsa Zsa, Vatra, Caprio, Garavi, Klapa Rišpet and Ivo Amulić, Z++, Slavonske lole and Ivan Šebalj & The Bechars will take to the stage. On the last day, a concert by the group Dalmatino will be held.

"All concerts will be held under a tent, except for the first and last, which will be on the main stage in the pedestrian zone. All of them start with the program at 22 p.m." reported Marija Liščić Drmić, Head of Culture and Tourism.

Hands of shocking memories

The author of the script for the Opening Ceremony of Vinkovci Autumns this year will once again be Marko Sabljaković.

"Hands, my son, these are our hands. You know how much memory there is, the memory of our life.". With this very sentence, we will open this year's edition of Vinkovački jeseni on Friday, September 20. I can say that rehearsals are going on very intensively, we are preparing with dedication and diligence. I would like to thank the Organizing Committee and Mayor Ivan Bosančić for the trust they have shown, as well as all the hardworking and valuable enthusiasts, KUD members, actors and collaborators with whom I have the opportunity and honor to create another opening scene", said Sabljakovic.

Hands of shocking memories are the theme of this year's event, and in a symbolic and metaphorical way, grandparents are at the center of the story of the grand opening. As Sabljaković pointed out, they, as a treasure trove of shock and everything that the people of Slavonia and Šokci have preserved and nurtured on this land for centuries, are an inspiration to present an interesting stage action through a life story.

For all those who like to drink a glass of delicious wine, the Wine Shore is once again reserved, and Bircuz will also open its doors. The Courtyard of Ideas in the Lapidarium of the Vinkovci City Museum is "reserved" for the youngest, while Slavonski sokak on Vinkovačkih jeseni Square will be a place for shopping, dancing and delicious eating. Hunters and fishermen will also be cooking fish, baking fish and preparing shepherd's stew every day.

"The new feature is that there will be a tourist train that will run every afternoon, and we will announce the dates and schedule of rides later," Liščić Drmić concluded, adding that the Handicraft Fair will be held again on Slavonski Sokak.

This year's Vinkovačke jeseni begins on Friday, September 13th and will last until Sunday, September 22nd. The full program of the 59th Vinkovačke jeseni can be found on the official website website.