What is ancient Rome versus Stari Grad – Welcome to DAYS IN THE BAY!

This September, all roads lead to Stari Grad on the island of Hvar, as the Stari Grad bay will be filled with traditional boats arriving from all over the Adriatic, as well as from some distant countries. Visitors of “Days in the Bay” will enjoy daily promotional sailings, sailing and rowing, concerts, exhibitions and workshops, and this year more than 15 dishes that bear the common name “Dalmatian Brunch”, and thus experience the authentic spirit of the Mediterranean and all the beauties of life by the sea through their palates.

“An impressive fleet of traditional boats from all over the Adriatic is participating in this year’s DAYS IN THE BAY. Around 50 traditional vessels are arriving, organized by associations that are involved in the preservation of Croatian maritime heritage. Traditional boats and the people who take care of them will sail from all over the Adriatic to present their maritime and cultural heritage, traditional crafts, culinary, fishing, shipbuilding and nautical skills in Stari Grad. Visitors will be able to see traditional boats from all over the Adriatic, from Istria to Dubrovnik,” said Plamenko Bavčević, president of Cronaves.

The partner country and guest of honor for this year’s edition of DAYS IN THE BAY is Italy, represented by the Arzana association from Venice. They are coming to Stari Grad with two traditional boats that will represent the Venetian lagoon. Among them are shipbuilders, crew members, but also musicians, poets and chefs. Their choir Coro Arzana will perform as a guest of the Terca ensemble from Split at the first full-length concert on Thursday, September 17.

The Association for the Preservation of Neretva Heritage from Opuzen, the Croatian Wooden Boats Association, and representatives of the Spanish federal province of Catalonia will also be present, promoting their project “The Sea Connects What the Land Divides”. Representatives of the Federation of Associations for the Protection of Maritime Heritage of the Kingdom of Norway, Forbundet KYSTEN, are also coming. The aim of the federation is to preserve traditional ships, traditional construction methods and coastal culture.

There will be no shortage of shusura from central Croatia, as the friendly towns of Samobor and Rugvica are visiting Stari Grad with their widely known Sava boatmen.

Stari Grad will be the center not only of the Adriatic but of the entire Croatia during these days.

This year’s edition of DANI U VALI on the legendary Tvrdalj Square will also offer several concerts that will delight all guests who book the weekend from September 17 to 20 for a stay in Stari Grad on the island of Hvar. After the Terca ensemble and the Coro Arzana choir on Thursday, on Friday there will be a full-evening concert by the Cambi a cappella group in Stari Grad, and on Saturday Petar Grašo will sing on Tvrdalj Square.

For all 4 days, the caterers of Stari Grad will prepare authentic “spiza” for guests and participants, with authentic Dalmatian ingredients to take you back to some forgotten times, and it is especially pleasing that the “queen of the sea” sardine will once again take center stage on the menus. It will be followed on the plates by anchovies, squid, prawns, shark, but also pašticada, polpete, tongue in sauce, dolce garbo, and there will also be risottos, pastas and the inevitable gregada. A competition in the preparation of “Dalmatian brunch” will also be organized on the Riva, where amateurs, not just professional chefs, will be able to show off their skills, all with the aim of bringing local cuisine closer to guests who are looking for something completely authentic. The event will begin with a festive parade of the festival procession with the introduction of all participants and will have its grand finale at the already well-known night parade “Dance of Sails and Lights”, which, in addition to light effects, will this year be enriched with a drama program with musical accompaniment.

The program of round tables and lectures, in addition to topics from the national maritime heritage, also includes lectures by renowned domestic and foreign scientists on the cultural, sociological, economic and general social significance of national maritime heritage. Representatives of shipping associations will discuss, who will have the opportunity to present their views and proposals for the renewal and reaffirmation of almost extinct maritime crafts, especially the almost extinct traditional wooden shipbuilding.

The complete program of this year’s international festival of ships, sea and sailors, which is organized this year by the City of Stari Grad, the Association for the Promotion of Croatian Maritime Heritage “Cronaves” and the Stari Grad Tourist Board, can be found below.

CONTACT PERSONS;

Žaneta Roić, Director of the Stari Grad Tourist Board, mob 0915236071

(cultural and entertainment, gastronomic and concert programs and events)

Plamenko Bavčević, President of the CRONAVES Association, mob 0913352015

(program of maritime traditional and cultural maritime heritage, knowledge and crafts )