The 11th Sinj Village Fair was held on Dr. Franjo Tuđman Square on August 6th and 7th. More than 35 exhibitors attended, including renowned producers of prosciutto, cheese, honey, soparnik, liqueurs, and brandy, and autochthonous old crafts were presented, such as the making of folk costumes, opanak, peka, copper, garden tools, and other handicrafts from wood made traditionally.
The fair was opened by Miro Bulj, Mayor of Sinj. In the entertainment part of the program, the Sinj majorettes performed with their unique choreography, magnifying every event they participate in. Visitors to the fair had the opportunity to follow the performances of faithful guardians of Sinj traditions and customs through tunes and dances of Inland Dalmatia, on the list of the intangible cultural heritage of the Republic of Croatia. The Association for the Preservation of the Heritage of the Cetina Region, KUD Vrilo – Obrovac Sinjski, KUD Glavice, and KUD Dicmo, performed with a traditional rera. Members of the klapa Cetinjanke from Hrvace and the vocal group Rusulica performed several klapa compositions.
To preserve traditional crafts, special workshops were held this year as well. On the first evening of the Fair, visitors could see how pottery is created under the skillful hands of master Ivan Knezović, a representative of traditional handmade pottery from Potravlje, which has had the status of intangible cultural property since 2013 and was nominated for UNESCO protection by the Croatian Ministry of Culture. An attractive presentation of the almost forgotten skill of making opanaks and weaving was led by Ljiljana Vojković, while the Dragodid Association presented the art of making drywall. Blacksmithing was presented by Josip Evačić from Koprivnica. Finally, members of KUD Cetina introduced the visitors to the processing of wool and customs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=wDqRR5llRpQ
All visitors to the fair could taste čobanac prepared by the hunting association Srnjak from Vrbanja free of charge. Valuable members of the association donated 1000 portions of this Slavonian delicacy to the 11th Sinj Village Fair visitors, while Sinj specialties – uštipak, prepared free of charge on both evenings of the fair, were made by members of the Old Crafts Association.
In the final musical part of the program on the first evening, top bands performed: Kopito, an attraction from the island of Vis, with Sinj’s Ljuta kuća, and on the second night of the fair, the popular Giuliano and Diktatori.
Also, at this year’s Sinj Village Fair, numerous KUDs were guests who presented the customs and traditions of their region through the Evening of Knighthood and Folklore: KUD Dusina from Vrgorac, KUD Pleter from Dugopolje, Goran Mikas – Poljica, and the hosts of the Cetina Region Heritage Preservation Association. and KUD Cetina.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v=9GEAJVpUtRM
The host of this two-day fair was Branimir Romac. The fair was held following the recommendations of the Civil Protection Headquarters and the applicable measures of the CNIPH.
The Sinj Tourist Board thanks everyone who helped in the realization of the event, especially the City of Sinj and Split-Dalmatia County, the Alkar Knights Society, employees of Čistoća Cetinska krajina and KUS-Sinj, members of the hunting association Srnjak from Vrbanja and the Beauty of Tradition association, Branka Marinović, and Maja Kovačević.
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