Jubilee CIOFF Folklore Festival in Split
For the fifth consecutive year, Dalmatia becomes the world capital of cultural heritage, and this year ensembles from Mexico, Canada, Turkey, and other countries are arriving.
For the fifth consecutive year, Dalmatia becomes the world capital of cultural heritage, and this year ensembles from Mexico, Canada, Turkey, and other countries are arriving.
The CIOFF International Folklore Festival Split celebrates its small jubilee, the fifth edition, this year. From August 17 to 24, Dalmatia will once again host hundreds of performers who will present tradition, dance, and music from different parts of the world. The organization is led by the Folklore Ensemble Jedinstvo in collaboration with the Split-Dalmatia County, and the festival is included in the prestigious calendar of CIOFF world folklore festivals under the auspices of UNESCO.
This year, ensembles from Mexico, Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia, Turkey, and Croatia are coming to Split. Among them are Tecniart Dance Studio from Mexico City, Ankara University Folk Dance Group, the Ukrainian ensemble Tryzub from Calgary, the Slovak ensemble Orgonina from Vranov nad Toplou, and KUD Lola from Sarajevo. The home colors will be represented by Split's Jedinstvo, FA SKUD Ivan Goran Kovačić from Zagreb, KUD Kvadrilja from Trogir, KUD Šolta from Gornje Selo, and FS "fra Filip Grabovac" from Mainz, representing the Croatian diaspora in Germany.
The grand opening is scheduled for August 18 on the Split Riva at 8 PM. Prior to that, at 6:30 PM, the ensembles will present themselves in front of the Croatian National Theatre as part of the Split Summer Kolure, followed by a promenade from Gaje Bulata Square through Marmontova Street to the Riva. The reception for delegations with the County Prefect and the Mayor will take place in the morning at 10:30 AM.
The festival will not stay only in Split. On Thursday, August 20, it moves to Šolta, where an evening of folklore will be held in Grohote, in Park Đardin, starting at 8:30 PM. The next day, August 21, Trogir becomes a world dance stage: the promenade starts at 7:30 PM, and the concert on the square in the old town center begins at 8 PM.
Saturday, August 22, brings a rich program at City Center One, where a promenade, a creative workshop for children, and a concert with all participants will take place from 10 AM, with the concert at 11 AM. That same evening, Solin takes over: the promenade starts at 7:30 PM, and the final concert at Gradina begins at 8 PM. The festival does not end with the departure of most participants on August 23, as the next day, August 24, a special joint concert by the Ukrainian ensemble Tryzub and Split's Jedinstvo will take place on the plateau below the Klis fortress to mark Ukraine's Independence Day, starting at 8:30 PM.
Admission to all events is free, and the festival has been declared an event of special significance for the City of Split. Support is provided by numerous institutions and partners: Split-Dalmatia County, City of Split, Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, tourist boards of Split, the County, Trogir, Klis, and Šolta, JUUK Zvonimir Solin, Croatian National Theatre Split, and the Croatian Heritage Foundation, Split branch.
A special contribution is made by donors and sponsors: Leda, Digitalni studio AKVARIJ, City Center One Split, hotels Park and Ambasador, Quantum code, restaurant Tinel Split, and MM Tours. The media sponsor is Slobodna Dalmacija. During the festival, from August 17 to 23, an exhibition of photographs titled "4 Years of World Rhythms in the Heart of Dalmatia" can be viewed at City Center One.
