The event is supported by their local self-government units, tourist boards, Split-Dalmatia County, and numerous sponsors and donors, and more recently by connecting with international folklore festivals in the Republic of Croatia under patronage of the International Association of Folklore Festivals and CIOFF groups.
The first initiative was given by KUD “Ante Zaninović” from Kaštel Kambelovac to organize a modest folklore evening called ˝Za jubav tance igraše˝ two decades ago. Soon after, KUD ˝Pleter˝ from Dugopolje joined the event by organizing a folklore evening aptly named ˝Ljepota u kamenu kamenitom“. A year later, KUD ˝Branimir 888˝ from Muć connected their traditional folklore event “The old chest is open” to the meetings. Finally, seven summers ago, KUD ˝Dalmatia˝ from Dugi Rat joined the international folklore meetings with its folklore ceremony called “Kolo, kolo, kolajna od zlata.”
So far, folklore groups from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, North Macedonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Lithuania, Serbia, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Canada, Hungary, and Ukraine have participated. During the past years, almost 2,000 performers from around 100 different folklore groups from 18 countries performed on the summer stages in Kaštela, Muć, Dugopolje, and Dugi Rat. This year, in the international part of the program, guests from Colombia, the United States of America, Slovakia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina will show their skills in singing and performing traditional dances.
After a two-year hiatus, this now transcontinental folklore program will undoubtedly enrich the programs of cultural summers on the coast of our county and in Inland Dalmatia. The meeting is held in two coastal and two coastal towns in the county in four days.
Program:
Friday, July 15, Dugi Rat: 6th international meetings „Kolo, kolo, kolajna od zlata“
Saturday, July 16, Muć: 19th International Folklore Festival ˝Stara je skrinjja is open˝
Sunday, July 17, Kaštel Kambelovac: 20th international meeting ˝Za jubav tance igraše˝
Monday, July 18, Dugopolje: 17th International Folklore Meeting ˝Ljepota u kamenu kamenitom˝
Foreign folklore groups:
Compania Nacional de Danzas Tradicionales “Pachamama”, Bogota, Colombia
Idaho Xpress, Burley, Idaho, USA
Folklore Ensemble “Rovina”, Dlhe Klčovo, Slovakia
KUD “Ilinden”, Bitola, North Macedonia
KUD “Tribanj Bila,” Livno, Bosnia, and Herzegovina
In addition to the joint performances of folklore groups from Colombia, the USA, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and North Macedonia, every evening has its specialty, where local folklore societies will also perform. After two full years without the folklore “caravan” due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the announcement of the International Folklore Meetings, all KUD hosts want to organize such meetings as a unique international folklore event in Split-Dalmatia County.
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