The past in the present – Events

Our events, although rooted in the tradition and natural features of the area, take on new forms to meet the expectations of modern people. Viškovo offers a wide range of interesting programmes that cater for all tastes in every season. We invite you to join us throughout the year and enjoy our programme of events.

CARNIVAL

Carnival coincides with the period of winter dormancy before nature awakens. For local people, this meant a rest from their everyday work and an opportunity to get together and have fun. In fact, Carnival is often referred to as the fifth season of the year. The Carnival period in the Municipality of Viškovo begins on 17 January. This is the feast day of St. Anthony, patron saint of animals, which reflects the traditional way of life of the area (animal husbandry). The beginning of Carnival is marked by the blowing of a horn and the hanging of a straw doll known as Pust. On Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, the Pust is convicted of all the bad things that happened in the previous year and burned.

Halubje Carnival is an event that has taken place every year since 1999, and is based on the centuries-old tradition of the Halubajski zvončari bell ringers ( All events connected to Halubje Carnival are focused on preserving local and traditional values. The Carnival is an event that features ‘live traditions’ and which simultaneously aspires to preserve old values and present Halubje to the wider public.

It is held on the first Sunday after St. Anthony’s Day. The streets become filled with cheerful and creative masks of the young and old, as well as with traditional costumes that evoke the spirit of times gone by. Singing, dancing and the thundering ringing of bell-ringer groups can be experienced all over town. The end of the procession is traditionally reserved for the hosts, the famous Halubajski zvončari bell ringers. On this unforgettable Saturday, Viškovo becomes a gathering place of carnival groups and associations from Croatia and abroad, inviting you to participate in this costume party until the early morning hours! Masked groups from neighbouring countries, such as Slovenia and Italy, also like to participate in Halubje Carnival, which makes it an international event.

Tradition is passed down from generation to generation. During the ‘Smotra mićeh zvončari pul Marčeji’, Marčelji becomes a gathering place for young bell ringers from neighbouring areas that foster the tradition of bell ringing The carnival period is also marked by numerous other events, such as the Women’s Masquerade Bocce Tournament, the Marinići Brass Band Concert, the Carnival Darts Tournament, Children’s Masked Dances, etc., with which institutions and associations nurture the traditions, customs, and spirit of the carnival.

Typical Carnival figures in this area are the Halubajski zvončari bell ringers, whose carnival pageant has been inscribed in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This pageant reminds us of times gone by, when the administrative borders were somewhat different. However, its main goal and importance has remained the same: to connect local people. The inhabitants welcome the bell ringers and offer them traditional food just like they did in past centuries.

READY, STEADY, GO! AND TAKE A WALK WITH ME…

Ancient paths and trails that once connected villages and people are today well-tended and marked walking trails. In spring, when nature is in full bloom, a series of walking tours under the title ‘Priprema, pozor, sad!’ (Ready, steady, go!) is organised every Monday and Wednesday of April in cooperation with Viškovo Hiking Club – a perfect opportunity to enjoy nature and heritage, as well as the interesting stories told by our guides. In October, join us for a walk along the trails of the Halubajski zvončari bell ringers (‘Prošeći se z manun… po zvončarskeh puteh’) at the time of year when the forest is full of autumn colours.

MAJEVICA

The first Sunday in May is called Majevica after the local name for the lilac flower, which blooms at this time of the year. In the past, this was the day of the last spring dance, followed by a busy period of work in the fields. In the past, young women would wait eagerly for this day, as the night before young men would bring flowers to the window of the house in which the girl they liked lived. They would also place a young May tree (usually juniper, fir or laurel) or a blossoming ash or cherry branch on the chimney or another high place next to her house such as a mulberry or walnut tree.

There is also a traditional song about this custom that goes:

Majevica, lovely Sunday,

You’ll bring flowers to my window,

Or a mulberry beneath it.

To commemorate this custom, Viškovo Tourist Board initiated the Majevica spring event dedicated to preserving local traditions, cultural and historical heritage, and the cuisine and old customs of the Halubje area. It takes place on the first Sunday in May. The symbol of this event is the lilac flower, known locally as the majevica. In addition to the revitalization of the former way of life through ancient games, recitations, and a fair of local and eco products, special emphasis is placed on the creation of gastronomic experiences and the presentation and preparation of traditional local food that links with the Mediterranean diet of the hinterland, which is part of UNESCO’s intangible heritage—the Mediterranean diet—on the Croatian Adriatic, its coast, islands, and part of the hinterland.

THE ŠTERNE WATER WELLS – A SOURCE OF LIFE

The karst relief with its permeable limestone rocks has unfavourable conditions for life due to its inability to retain water. The River Rječina, the only stream of water in this area, which marks the north-eastern border between the Municipality of Viškovo and the Grobnik area, has always been an important source of water. However, before the construction of the water supply system, the Rječina was generally inaccessible to people from Viškovo, which is why water wells – locally known as šterne – were a source of life for them.

Since people needed water on a daily basis, the well became the main meeting place for both young and old. People would go there to meet, exchange information and have a good time together. However, the local legend of Malik warned children against falling into the deep, cold water. All this made the well a source of life in both a physical and spiritual sense.

Throughout the month of June, the wells of the Municipality of Viškovo play host to a series of events entitled ‘The šterne water wells – a source of life’. The limited space around the wells provides an intimate atmosphere in which the performers of cultural and entertainment programmes are closely connected to their audience. This series of event turns the wells into small stages and brings the spirit of past times and their original role back to life, if only for a while.

Summer is the time when we enjoy various events in open spaces and interesting environments. One of them is “Summer Rainshower,”  a concert on the square in front of the Church of St. Matthew that provides real refreshment in the warm month of July.

MATEJNA

The day of St. Matthew, September 21, is celebrated in St. Matthew’s parish. In the past, a fair was held on the holiday, but as I. Jardas describes it, it was miserable, so it cannot even be said that it was a real fair: “Kranjac came with pots, and God is happy.” As the holiday was celebrated only in Halubje and not in Kastavština, people were not inclined toward that fair and had a hard time learning something new. It did not work in his favor that it was held on the day of Matejna and not on Sunday. For Matejna, there was a holiday in the parish, a mass and a blessing, and in the evening a dance, and that was all. That’s how it used to be, and Matejna today offers much more: a wealth of cultural and sporting events, an opportunity for the locals of the Viškovo Municipality, as well as all welcome visitors, to hang out, have fun, and at least break away from everyday life for a while.

ADVENT IN VIŠKOVO

Of all the months of the year, December wears the most festive garb of Christmas magic, smells, tastes, and a sense of community and family. To make the end of the year as special as it deserves, we organized Advent in Viškovo, with many Christmas and New Year’s concerts, shows, a Christmas market, and a holiday brunch and get-together.

ZELENA ČISTKA

Zelena čistka is the largest one-day action to clean wild waste disposal sites and the largest ecological volunteer project in Croatia. With the aim of a greener future, preserving the environment, and developing awareness of responsible behavior in nature on our walkways and paths, the Tourist Board Viškovo, the Municipality of Viškovo, KD Viškovo, and numerous volunteers who contribute to the protection and preservation of the environment are involved in the action every year.