Susak Island Celebrates Emigrants’ Day

Today is a very special day for the people of the small Adriatic island of Susak…

On Sunday 26 July the sleepy island of Susak, which is located in the Kvarner Bay and southeast of the Istrian peninsula, comes to life as it celebrates Emigrants’ Day – a traditional that has been going on in the last weekend of July for a number of years.

Susak, which is only around 3km long and 1.5km wide, is renowned for the large number of people who have emigrated from there (mainly to the U.S). Only a small percentage of natives still reside on the island, but the population of only around 150 booms during the summer as many islanders currently living in America return.

Today President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović has joined the festivities which will go on all day and well into the night. After a mass at the St. Nicholas church, beach volleyball and futsal tournaments, a mini-Olympics for the kids, exhibitions, folklore performances, and concerts will be held as the party goes on well into the night.