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SEATTLE, WA— Celebrate Croatian heritage and culture at CroatiaFest, taking place from 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4 as part of Seattle Center Festál in the Seattle Center Armory and Fisher Rooftop.
As a celebration of Croatian heritage, the festival marks its 22nd year of bringing Pacific Northwest Croatian American culture to Seattle Center through music, dance, food, and family tradition, presented by CroatiaFest.
Set at Seattle Center, the cultural heart of the Pacific Northwest, CroatiaFest fills the Armory with a full day of tamburitza music, kolo dancing, cultural exhibits, Croatian food and craft vendors, as well as various basketball competitions on the Fisher Rooftop. New this year, CroatiaFest partners with the Association of Croatian American Professionals (ACAP), whose 10th Annual Conference runs Oct. 2–4 in Seattle.
The Croatian Embassy in Washington, D.C. has loaned the festival Croatian Americans in the U.S. Armed Forces: History, Service, and Partnership, an exhibit of historical panels marking the nation's 250th anniversary and honoring Croatian Americans who served in the Armed Forces. The Mezzanine Level’s ACAP Gallery also features watercolors by Seattle artist Allie Woods and “Time Travel to Dalmacija” by author Brendan Weston.
The Armory main stage hosts live tamburitza music and kolo dancing throughout the day, headlined by the returning Rakija Bend from Chicago and the American Zagreb Junior Tamburitzans, a Cleveland youth ensemble of 42 students ages 5 to 19, celebrating its 69th anniversary. Additional performers include Tamburaški Orkestar Kardinal Stepinac, Dunava, KlapaDooWopella, Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble, Ruže Dalmatinke, Bonaca, Kišobran, Radost, Seattle Junior Tamburitzans, and Gorani. Outside the Armory, guests can also sample traditional Croatian fare, including spit-roasted lamb and grilled salmon honoring the region’s Croatian fishing community.
Browse a marketplace of crafts and gifts and visit the Konoba wine cellar for tastings. Author, podcaster, and comedian Kristina Kuzmic, winner of Mark Burnett’s reality TV competition “Oprah’s Search for the Next TV Star,” makes a stage and book signing appearance.
“Our art gallery makes our festival special with the exhibit of the ‘Time Travelers Guide to Croatia’ by author Brendan Weston,” said Cathryn Morovich, CroatiaFest president. “The skilled tradition of old-world spit-roasted lamb and grilled salmon also honors our Croatian fishermen.”
Seattle Center Festál promotes cultural awareness by welcoming the broader public to engage, learn, and celebrate alongside each community, fostering greater understanding and respect. Over the decades, Festál has grown into a cornerstone of Seattle Center’s cultural programming, creating space for communities to share their histories, traditions, and contemporary expressions on their own terms.
About CroatiaFest
CroatiaFest has celebrated Croatian heritage and culture in the Pacific Northwest for more than two decades, marking its 22nd year in 2026 as part of Seattle Center Festál. The festival is produced by CroatiaFest, an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving Croatian culture and educating future generations of Croatian Americans and the general public about Croatian heritage and Croatian American contributions to the United States. Learn more at CroatiaFest.org.
Information on the festival is available at SeattleCenter.com.
About Seattle Center Festál
Seattle Center Festál is a unique public program series of 25 free cultural festivals, each offering its own celebration of heritage and identity.
These community-produced events provide a range of engaging programs and activities to cultivate a deeper understanding of our region’s diversity through immersive performances, food, arts, and educational programming. Collectively, the festivals welcome approximately 400,000 visits annually, generate an estimated $30 million in economic activity, support more than 250 jobs, and engage thousands of volunteers, artists, and small business vendors.
Seattle Center Festál is presented in partnership between Seattle Center and 25 community-based organizations, with support from the City of Seattle, Seattle Center Foundation, and 4Culture's Sustained Support and Free/Reduced Access programs. Additional support for Festál 2026 is provided by 2025 charitable donations from the Snoqualmie Tribe, and ArtsFund's Community Accelerator Grant funded by Allen Family Philanthropies.
About Seattle Center — The Cultural Heart of the Pacific Northwest
Seattle Center is a 74-acre civic, arts, and cultural gathering place in the heart of Seattle and is home to more than 30 partner organizations, including Climate Pledge Arena, KEXP, Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle Opera, Pacific Science Center, SIFF, and many others.
Anchored by world-class attractions, historic venues, public art, and a dynamic calendar of free and affordable events centered around the iconic International Fountain, Seattle Center brings together arts, culture, sports, and community year-round.
As a department of the City of Seattle and anchor of the Uptown Arts and Cultural District, Seattle Center serves residents from across the Puget Sound region alongside visitors from around the world.
In partnership with Friends of Waterfront Park, Seattle Center provides operations, maintenance, and public safety services for Waterfront Park, while Friends leads park experience, programming, and stewardship along Seattle’s downtown waterfront.
Seattle Center welcomes nearly 12 million visits annually, generating nearly $3.3 billion in total economic activity, supporting 19,400 jobs, and producing more than $37 million in local tax revenue for the City of Seattle.
With the support of its official partners—Alaska Airlines, The Climate Pledge, Pepsi, Symetra, T-Mobile, and WaFd Bank—Seattle Center is the most-visited arts and cultural destination in the Pacific Northwest.
Contact
Jordan Van Beek | jordan@whyforgood.com | 425.638.2293
