Folklore heritage protected by UNESCO

Between the 21st and the 25th of July, two attractive Zagreb locations, Gradec and the central city square, will once again be the stages for the International Folklore Festival. This traditional event will present folklore customs from Croatia, as well as abroad, including priceless assets of Intangible Cultural Heritage protected by UNESCO.

Between the 21st and the 25th of July, two of Zagreb’s most attractive locations will be the stages for this year’s 44th International Folklore Festival. This traditional event will present to the public folklore customs from Croatia, as well as abroad, including priceless assets of Intangible Cultural Heritage protected by UNESCO
The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List includes as many as seven cultural assets from Croatia. Therefore, one of the goals of the festival is to familiarize the Croatian public with their unique cultural heritage as well as those of the other countries that will participate in the festival.
The Croatian phenomena included in the list of protected Intangible Cultural Assets are the festivities of Saint Blaise, patron saint of Dubrovnik, two-part singing and playing in the Istrian scale encountered in Istria and the Croatian Littoral, traditional manufacturing of children’s wooden toys in Hrvatsko Zagorje, the annual spring procession of Ljelje /queens from Gorjane, the procession “following the cross” from the island of Hvar, the annual carnival bell-ringers’ pageant from the Kastav area, and three original methods of lace making from the islands of Pag and Hvar, as well as Lepoglava.
The participants of the International Folklore Festival, members of cultural and artistic associations of Croatia, numerous European countries, and many other countries from all over the world, will present their customs on open stages at the city’s central square and Gradec, an attractive Upper Town location. Also, as in previous years, part of the festival performances will take place beyond Zagreb.
Apart from folk customs, dances, songs, costumes, and other cultural particularities, this year’s festival will also feature an array of concurrent events ranging from exhibitions, concerts of church choirs and world music, to numerous music and dance workshops. Throughout the festival’s entire duration the main city square will also feature an attractive traditional crafts fair.