What our ancestors ate: 40th edition of traditional festival opens in Croatia

by croatiaweek
August 28, 2021
in Entertainment

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia / Dario Andrišek)

The 40th edition of the traditional festival “What our ancestors ate”, or “Kaj su jeli naši stari”, opened on Friday in Vrbovec, north-east of the Croatian capital Zagreb.

The gastro festival, organised by the Vrbovec Tourist Board, features a host of traditional dishes prepared using original recipes used by generations going back centuries in the region.

It is not just traditional recipes from the Vrbovec region on display, but also traditional dishes from all over Croatia.

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia / Dario Andrišek)

Along with food, there is entertainment in the form of nightly concerts, and also a sports programme. The festival, which was postponed last year, runs from 29 August.

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia / Dario Andrišek)

President of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, attended last night’s official opening and in his address at the opening ceremony, he said that festival is a preservation of tradition.

“I do not see what you have been doing for forty years as tourism in the first place, but I see it as preserving tradition, what we are, what you are, that is more valuable,” said the President.

(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia / Dario Andrišek)

He pointed out that the greatest value of such events is in preserving memories. “You keep the memory and that material memory of something that is a part of you. And that is important, and that counts, “he added.