Archive for July, 2009
July 29th, 2009 | 
Author: This weekend sees the second annual rope-pulling event that pits Brac Island against Solta Island. In addition to the fun of lining up in small, motorless boats and pulling on a rope, the event has a serious purpose as well. Only 700m apart, Brac and Solta islands nevertheless have no ferry transport between them. This is a familiar problem. Even though Croatia ferries run frequently between the coast and the islands, ferry service between Croatian islands is much spottier. It’s kind of silly that Solta residents must return to Split to get a ferry to Brac Island–unless they swim!
The festivities will take place on 31 July and 1 August with the actual rope-pulling occurring between 4 and 7pm on 1 August. The winning island can claim ownership of Mrduje, a small islet that lies between Brac and Solta.
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For a while it seemed that the swine flu bug was going to bypass Croatia. After a scare last month in which a patient falsely tested positive for the virus, it’s now been confirmed that there are three swine flu cases in Croatia. The first case was announced last week and involved a Croatian woman from Split who had recently returned from Australia. Now there’s another Australian in Karlovac and a Brit in Zagreb that have come down with the malady. All three cases are mild and all are under treatment. The Health Minister claims to be fully prepared in case of a pandemic.
July is here which heralds the start of Croatia’s summer festival season. No matter where you are, you can participate with the locals in festivals celebrating music, theatre, film or traditional culture. Nearly all islands and coastal towns present nightly music in the town square but there are some festivals that are true stand-outs.Here is a sampling of the season’s best festivals:
- Dubrovnik Summer Festival
Dubrovnik
July 10-August 25
Classical concerts, theatre, dance, jazz and folklore ensembles keep the Old Town jumping nearly every night. Every year there’s the traditional production of Hamlet staged at Fort Lovrijenac. Heartthrob Goran Visnjic of “ER” fame once played the brooding prince there. See the Dubrovnik Summer Festival website for schedules and tickets.
More Dubrovnik events & festivals
- Histria Festival
Pula
July 25-August 21
All Istria descends on Pula on certain festival nights to enjoy the concerts in Pula’s Roman Amphitheatre. This year’s highlight is Elton John but there are also classical concerts and ballet drawn from Europe’s finest ensembles and presented in venues around town. See the Histria Festival website for program and tickets.
More Pula festivals & events.
- Motovun Film Festival
Motovun
July 27-31
With 65 films in five days, this festival is truly a movie freak’s delight. There are no starlets, few paparazzi and there’s no need to drag out a ball gown. Just enjoy the movies. See the Motovun Film Festival website for the program and tickets.
- International Folklore Festival
Zagreb
July 15-19
Despite the name, the accent here is on Croatian folklore from a variety of regions. From the traditional circle dance to puppet theatre, the festival provides a good overview of Croatia’s rich cultural heritage and puts it in context by including a smattering of other European groups. See the International Folklore Festival website for the program and booking info.
More Zagreb festivals & events.
- Split Summer Festival
Split
July 14-August 14
This is a smorgasboard of delights with an emphasis on classical music, opera, art exhibitions and theatre. Many events are within Diocletian’s Palace. See the Split Summer Festival website (in Croatian) for program information.
More on Split festivals & events.
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