11TH CHILDREN'S FOLKLORE FESTIVAL OF THE SPLIT-DALMATIAN COUNTY IN LUKŠIĆ
On Sunday, June 1, 2025, at 21:00 PM, the three-hour cultural event of the 11th Children's Folklore Festival of the Split-Dalmatia County ended at the Cultural Center in Kaštel Lukšić. It brought together 18 folklore groups from 12 associations, or almost 400 young folklorists (preschool and elementary school children) who, by dancing, singing, playing and playing, preserve the children's folklore heritage of our county.
In the packed hall of the Cultural Center, which, due to great interest, was emptied and filled several times during the performance with numerous participants and the audience, especially the parents and children of the participants who had finished their performance and wanted to see the other participants, the little folklorists presented their year-long work in the cultural and artistic associations of our county, who performed a total of 18 different folklore choreographies, filling everyone who decided to spend this hot afternoon and evening in Kaštel Lukšić with their enthusiastic childish energy.
Namely, the Association of Cultural and Artistic Societies of the Split-Dalmatia County, with the hosting and therefore the sponsorship City of Kaštela, organized this year's County Children's Folklore Festival in Kaštela. After many years of holding this festival in Kaštel Sućurac, thanks to the cooperation with the Kaštela Youth Association KOMA, the festival returned to the City of Kaštela after last year's event in Trogir. That is why Mrs. Antonia Kljajic, Head of the Administrative Department for Social Activities and Joint Affairs of the City of Kaštela, on behalf of the Mayor and the City of Kaštela, welcoming everyone, once again emphasized their readiness to extend a helping hand to all guardians of tradition from the entire county, especially the smallest ones, at any time, just as they support their local city cultural and artistic associations.
The festival, which has been financially supported for the third year in a row, Split-Dalmatia county from the Program of Public Needs in Culture, Technical Culture and Religion, was officially opened by Mr. Zeljko Primorac, Head of the Administrative Department for Culture, Religion and Technical Culture of the County, emphasizing that it is an immense joy and privilege to support projects, programs and events of cultural amateurs, because intangible cultural heritage and identity are preserved precisely by vital local communities, and within them valuable associations and their members. He emphasized that it is precisely at events such as these, where work with the youngest generations is presented, that the efforts of all local communities in preserving their native heritage and culture are seen.
The festival, which is of a competitive nature, where representatives of the Split-Dalmatia County are selected for festivals of regional, national and international importance, was monitored by an expert committee consisting of Dr. Vedrana Premuž-Đipalo, director, and Tanja Ban, curator and museum pedagogue of the Ethnographic Museum in Split, Ines Dužević, pedagogical worker, and Ana Šakić, folklorist and representative of UHAKUD BiH. The results of the selection of representatives will be announced at the end of the week.
The event, which is organized with the professional support of the Ethnographic Museum Split and the Croatian Cultural Council (the national association of amateur cultural and artistic activities in the Republic of Croatia), is also supported by the Croatian Heritage Foundation, Split Branch, with which the Association of Cultural and Artistic Societies of the Republic of Croatia (SDC) is trying to establish links between the folklore groups of the county and Croatians in the diaspora. This is an extension of the previously established cooperation with the Association of Cultural and Artistic Societies of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the basis of which the Croatian Cultural Society "Napredak" from Bugojno was a guest at the festival.
This year, a record number of children's folklore groups presented themselves at the festival in two age categories: KUU "Andrija Matiša - Pauk" from Marina, KUU "Milan Begović" from Vrlika, KUD "Ante Zaninović" from Kaštel Kambelovac, KUU "Mosor" from Gato, KUD "Dalmacija" from Dugi Rat, KUD "Kvadrilja" from Trogir, KUD "Branimir 888 - Muć" from Muć, KUD "Pleter" from Dugopolje, HFD "Jadro" from Solin, KUD "Dicmo" from Dicmo and FA "Jedinstvo" from Split.
This event was intended to provide all the children of our county with the opportunity to perform on stage in public, to show the results of their creativity, talents, acquired knowledge and skills, and to share the joy of community with each other and with a large audience. Regardless of the fact that the event took place on Sunday and on the day of the second round of local elections, the local elementary school "Ostrog", led by the principal Mrs. By Dijana Vinčić, they enabled the admission of all 400 children in the nearby school, and provided the children with an adequate space in which they prepared for the performance and patiently waited their turn. Therefore, the organizers thank you for this type of synergistic support.
Considering the record number of small participants and associations that presented their year-long work at yesterday's festival, as well as all those who were unable to attend and participate in this year's festival due to commitments in their local communities, but who are working commendably with children, the conclusion of all those present and organizers is that we do not have to worry about Croatian intangible traditional heritage and the preservation of Croatian cultural identity, despite the challenges, by giving the youngest an opportunity and working actively and qualitatively with them.
Photo: Press
This text was co-financed by the Split-Dalmatia County within the framework of the Program for the Promotion and Development of Cultural Content in the Split-Dalmatia County via Electronic Media in 2025.
