With the main tourist season coming to a close, the thoughts of most Dalmatians turn to the fields, and their precious olive groves.
But for one small part of the island of Brac, a unique idea back in 2017 combined tourism with the traditional olive harvest.
Postira launched the Olive Picking World Championship four years ago, an event which has grown in stature (and international appeal) since its inception. After becoming a casualty of the pandemic last year, the 4th edition of the Olive Picking World Championship will take place this week, from October 8-10, in th fields of Postira.
And it has become a truly international event, with olive picking techniques from as far away as New Zealand taking part in the past.
Defending champions Montenegro have withdrawn at a late stage sadly, but there is still a high quality international flavour to this year’s competition. Each team consists of four pickers, two male and two female, and there is a new kind of team this year to compete with the other 9 registered nationalities – Team Digital Nomad.
1. Poland
2. Hungary
3. Slovenia
4. France
5. South Africa
6. Russia
7. Slovenia
8. Israel
9. Digital nomads
10. Croatia.
The team of four ar all participants in the award-winning Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence progamme earlier this year.
The DN team has an international quality, with the quartet of former Dubrovnik nomads-in-residence hailing from Wales, Holland, USA and England, with a coach from Australia.
The coaching started earlier this week in Montenegro at the Cross Border Coworking Conference in Budva, where olive-picking techniques while holding a beer will bring a fresh perspective to the 2021 Postira championships (see video below).
A great event, one more small example of great authentic experiences outside the season.
You can follow progress on the Postira Tourist Board Facebook page, and TCN will bring you an in-depth report on this year’s olive champion.
Never experienced an olive harvest? After 18 years as a Dalmatian ‘zet’ (son-in-law), it has become part of my DNA – learn more in Natural Stress Relief: the Olive Harvest in Dalmatia.
Want to learn more about olive oil in Croatia? Check out the TC olive oil guide.
