The diversity of various manifestations which take place throughout the year in the Daruvar area, an oasis of multiculturalism, will thrill any visitor. If You like music concerts or theatre plays, folklore tradition, gastronomy, wine or beer manifestations, sport events, come to Daruvar and choose content in which you want to enjoy and participate.
VINCEKOVO – Celebration of Saint Vincent's day by blessing the vineyards
A long and winding road to the quality of every drop of wine starts with the hard work in the vineyard. Blessing of the vine on the feast of St. Vincent is a tradition in Daruvar which is extremely popular and cherished by all winegrowers. The Central County celebration of St. Vincent and the blessing and experimental pruning of grapevines is organized every year in another vineyard in Daruvar. A folk and church blessing of the vines takes place, along with a sample cutting, hanging sausages on vines and sprinkling pruned vines with wine for a better crop. Sausages and bacon are baked on long poles above the fire; people dance, sing songs and drink mulled wine. On Saint Vincent’s day, winegrowers march through the estates of domestic growers and winemakers to celebrate the beginning of the works in the vineyards.
THE CARNIVAL IN KONČANICA
The most famous carnival among members of the Czech minority in this area, where the largest number of Czechs in Croatia reside, is the one in Končanica. They have been passing through the village since 1932 and they are characteristic for their constant number of masks, 13 of them, which walk through the village, from its beginning to the end. In the house of the hosts the Laufer comes in white and he shoots a whip. There is a Turk in red with three dancers and musicians, along with a chimney sweep who can make a mess in the house. A colourful Jewish couple sells rabbits; men from Lika come with a bear - with the special task of pro-birth. During the crazy carnival the point is to chase the winter away and invite spring or the nature to the renewal of life.
More information: www.koncanica.hr
TEN DAYS OF ASTRONOMY IN DARUVAR
Ten days of astronomy is a festival organized by the Astronomical Society "Kumova slama" from Daruvar. The program of the event is designed to satisfy everybody; during ten days workshops for all ages are held, the daytime and night sky is observed with telescopes, a large number of lectures are organized and given by renowned lecturers, scientists and astronomers such as Antonio Radonić, Vladimir Paar, Korado Korlević, Josip Prević, Marino Tumpić, Mark Šimac, Vedran Vrhovac. Also, within ten days of astronomy in Daruvar, exhibitions of astrophotography by astronomers from all parts of Croatia are organized. The festival became international because astronomers from Slovenia and Serbia were involved in the exhibition and every year there are more than 200 astrophotographs. This unique event attracts many visitors from across the region, at all lectures extra chairs are required, hanging out with astronomers lasts long into the night and we can say that, at the time of the event, Daruvar is the center of the Universe. Ten days of astronomy in Daruvar are held under the patronage of the President of the Republic Croatia mr. Ivo Josipović, who is also an honorary member of the Astronomical Society "Kumova slama".
More information: www.kumova-slama.hr
DARFEST – MUSIC FESTIVAL
Darfest is one of the few original songs festivals, a competition of young talented amateur singers from all over Croatia and abroad. The festival is held on the main square, King Tomislav Square, and along with the large audience the program follows the selection committee, which has the task to select and reward the best.
More information: www.pou-daruvar.hr
VINODAR – International wine exhibit and fair of traditional products of Bjelovar – bilogora County
Good wine connoisseurs know that Daruvar has for a long time been known for its excellent varieties of grapes and fine wines. Growing grapes in this region has a centuries-old tradition, because sweet and sunny slopes of Papuk provide ideal conditions for growing. Vinodar – International wine exhibit is the most significant event of the town of Daruvar and its vintners. The first part of the week consists of various lectures, field workshops, professional evaluations of wines, round tables devoted to the cultivation of vines, wine production and conservation, as well as harmonization with EU legislation. The event lasts seven days, and the last three days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) are held on the main town square through the fair, which offers visitors rich cuisine, cheese, honey and honey products, Slavonian ham, sausage, kulen sausgae and a wide range of local wines, spirits and various liqueurs. Also there is a demonstration of traditional crafts, souvenirs and handcrafts. Saturday is reserved for the Vinodar parade which presents a long tradition of wine growing and wine production in Daruvar, it shows all work in the vineyards, ancient tools and modern machinery and it's all imbued with folklore music and dancing. For adventurers there is an aero picnic on which a paintball tournament is held, flights of paragliders, kites and airplanes, and various entertainment. Evening hours are reserved for concerts by famous Croatian musicians and restaurants are open 24 hours. For the youngest visitors the entertainment is provided at amusement parks.
DAYS OF CZECH'S CULTURE
The event in which the Czech minority displays their traditional and contemporary culture through theatre screenings, exhibitions, presentations of old crafts, Staročeško fair on King Tomislav Square, where books, handcrafts, Czech pastries and other products of Czech's beseda (Czech's society) and schools are presented. A traditional concert and rich folklore program hold place and in the evening a Garden party is organised at the playground of the Czech primary school J. A. Komensky.
More information: www.savez-ceha.hr
DOŽINKY – HARVEST FESTIVAL
The Harvest Festival or Dožínky is the oldest, largest and most massive manifestation of the Czech minority in Croatia, whose tradition is still preserved since 1925 when the first harvest celebrations were held in Daruvar. Due to the large number of participants and guests, and long-lasting organization, it is held every other year in another town. In 2012 the host of the Festival was town Daruvar. The event is held in the second half of July, it lasts two days and gathers more than 1000 participants from 29 Czech besedas in Croatia and their guests from the Czech Republic and Croatian cultural societies. Various events, exhibitions and a rich cultural program are organised. Dožinky - Harvest Festival is an event which, in addition to the symbolic presentation of successfully harvested crops, shows what the Czech minority in Croatia has made in cultural, educational and social life. The biggest attraction of Dožinky is the harvest parade with more than a thousand participants, dozens of allegorical chariots decorated with wheat, which show all the harvest work, from planting to making bread, and there are also many minority groups dressed in traditional costumes. On the main square, the Staročeško fair takes place and its aim is to show the forgotten crafts, rich gastronomy, ethnographic and cultural richness of the Czechs in Croatia.
More information: www.savez-ceha.hr
“FLIG DARUVAR” – INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF BRASS MUSIC
The tradition of brass bands is related to the development of thermal springs in Daruvar. In old records we find that since the Czechs start moving to this area, brass bands began to play their music. Salon orchestras entertained the visitors during their stay at the Spa by playing brass music in Julije’s park at the Pavilion, and these concerts were well attended. In the Daruvar orchestra musicians from the Czech Republic also played, including the famous musician and composer Karel Koleta and Vaclav Riha."Town brass band Daruvar 1922", which was founded 90 years ago, continues this tradition and it has been enriched by the organization of the International Festival of Brass music “FLIG DARUVAR.
“FLIG DARUVAR” is a unique event in Croatia, a three-day festival held in the central square, where orchestras from Croatia and neighbouring countries perform accompanied with dancing of its band majorettes.
DAYS OF BEER
Brewery Daruvar is surely one of the most important symbols of this town and its rich tradition. It was founded back in 1840 on the estate of Count Antun Janković and because it has been on the same place since its foundation, it is considered to be the oldest brewery in Croatia, and unique because of its method of brewing – using traditional Czech technology. To close its range of products to the consumers, the last weekend in August is reserved for the Days of beer in Daruvar. Under the big tent in two days of the event, the center of event is surely beer and breweries, cultural and artistic programs, concerts of local and guest bands with a variety of gastro offer. In those days all the local and visiting fans can enjoy the fun in rock and ethno sounds and refreshing sparkling nectar made with a long tradition and experience.
More information: www.starocesko.com
DAYS OF THE PLUMS AND SCHNAPPS IN SIRAČ
Days of the plums and schnapps (brandy) in Sirač, a municipality 9 kilometers away from Daruvar, is a unique agricultural, cultural and tourist event. The main part of this event is the evaluation and exhibition of local schnapps (brandy) and a thematic lecture devoted to the cultivation and processing of plums. The tendency is to show, with professional training to all visitors and participants, the benefits of planting large quantities of plums, due to the increasing demand for plum products. In addition to hanging out in "Siračko dvorište" visitors can taste the schnapps which are evaluated at the exhibition, and a variety of homemade cakes with plums and plum jam, dumplings with plums, pancakes and other delicacies. Also, the traditional way of baking schnapps (brandy) and cooking jam is shown. The event is completed with various plum games and with rich folklore programmes.
More information: www.sirac.hr
MASKA – LITLLE THEATER FAIR
The mask is a theater festival which in three days offers several (usually six) extremely high quality performances for children of preschool, lower and higher primary school. Theater groups, drama studios and professional theaters appear in the festival. Apart from performances, a program with street jugglers, drummers, dancers and entertainers is organised.
More information: www.pou-daruvar.hr
MARTINJE – ST. MARTIN'S DAY
The celebration of St. Martin’s day is an ancient folk custom of blessing young wine and, according to the Roman Catholic calendar, it is honoured on the 11th of November. Because this feast has always been all about enjoying young wine, across Europe the tradition of baptizing young wine accompanied by a rich gastro was created. In Croatia, it is most common in winegrowing regions in the north-west. Vintners and winegrowers in Daruvar organize the central baptizing ceremony at the main town square. During the main ceremony on the town square a rich gastro-eno offer from Daruvar's vintners, Daruvar wine road and others is presented. Also the program is enriched with a cultural-artistic program with folklore societies.
More information: www.vinskeceste-bbz.hr