Welcome to Seattle Center
CroatiaFest will take place on October 1: 12pm-6pm at the Armory Food & Event Hall. The festival is part of the Seattle Center Festál series. It is free and open to the public.
Seattle Center Festál is a year-round series of 24 free cultural festivals, produced in partnership with community organizations. In 2022, Festál celebrated 25 years of stories and traditions, ushering in a new era of hybrid programming. Learn more about Festál and subscribe to the newsletter for updates.
Armory Stage
| TIME | PERFORMANCE |
| 12:00pm | Opening Ceremony |
| 12:20pm | Tamburaški Orkestar Kardinal Stepinac Croatian Dance and Tambura orchestra from Vancouver, BC Canada, Tamburaški Orkestar Kardinal Stepinac will perform a medley of songs from Slavonija, Baranja and Srjem, followed by dances from Bilogora entitled “Tajnovitom Bilogorom” (“Mysterious Bilogora”). |
| 12:50pm | Trubaduri of Pittsburg, PA Perform both traditional as well as contemporary Croatian music |
| 1:25pm | KlapaDooWopella Men's group singing traditional songs with the distinctive Dalmatian harmony |
| 1:45pm | Seattle Jr. Tamburitzans A group of young people performing traditional songs and dances from the Island of Susak |
| 2:00pm | Kišobran This group of musicans and singers are made up of mostly alumni of the Seattle Jr. Tamburitizans that perform songs from the various regions of Croatia |
| 2:20pm | Seattle Jr. Tamburitzans A group of young people performing traditional songs and dances from the Island of Susak |
| 2:40pm | Awards and Swearing-in Ceremony Presentation of the 2023 Outstanding Croatian Award and Featured Young Persons Award. In addition, there will be a swearing in ceremony of the new recipients of Croatian citizenship. |
| 3:00pm | Sinovi Tamburitza combo singing and playing traditional Croatian songs from various regions of Croatia. The group has been performing together for over 40 years since they were teenagers with the Seattle Jr. Tamburitizans. |
| 3:20pm | Trubaduri of Pittsburg, PA Perform both traditional as well as contemporary Croatian music |
| 3:55pm | Radost Fok Ensemble Radost Joy" in all the Slavic languages - has presented on stage the dance, music and song of Eastern Europe throughout the Pacific Northwest since 1976. They will perform Dances from Zagorje. |
| 4:15pm | Dunava Women's singing group with songs that span a vast array of musical arrangements and traditional styles. |
| 4:35pm | Bonaca, Ruže Dalmatinke & Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble will perform music and vocals from Konavle and Bunjevačko, Croatia. They will be accompanied by Bonaca Tamburitza Orchestra and Ruže Dalmatinke. |
| 5:30pm | Gorani Tamburitza group consisting of members of the Jovanovich/Mataja families whoes descendants come from the Gorski Kotar region of Croatia performing songs from various regions of Croatia. |
Armory Loft 2
Join us this year at the CroatiaFest Wine Cellars located upstairs on the 3rd floor of the Armory from 1:00 – 5:00 PM for a day of wine tasting with our Croatian-American vintners and wine shops. Tickets are only $15.00 at the door. With your admission, you will receive a beautifully etched commemorative CroatiaFest wine glass, or, new this year, you may choose to receive an etched CroatiaFest shot glass to use to taste Sljivovica (plum), Maraschino (cherry), Kruskovac (pear), or Orahovac (walnut) liquors from Croatia. Must be 21 or older with photo ID.
Armory Loft 3
| TIME | ACTIVITY |
| 1:00pm-2:00pm | WHAT CAN CROATIA DO FOR YOU Croatian Consul General Renee Pea is returning to CroatiaFest to present an interesting lecture on what Croatia has to offer its diaspora. Croatia welcomes millions of tourists from around the world each year. However, the country also provides several programs to attract Croatian descendants to learn about its rich history, language, business opportunities, and more. |
| 2:15pm-2:20pm | CROATIANS IN ANACORTES Video of the history and tour of the town of Anacortes including interviews with local Croatians. |
| 3:30pm-4:20pm | CROATIANS IN GIG HARBOR Video presentation of the historical town of Gig Harbor, intereviews and tour of Gig Harbor Museum and Skansie Net Shed |
Armory Balcony - Big John's PFI Cooking Stage
| TIME | ACTIVITY |
| 1:30pm-2:30pm | POL MJESEC Joanne Martinis is back, this time demonstrating the late Margaret Barhanovich's signature cookie, Pol Mjesec (half-moon). Joanne has very fond memories of enjoying these cookies as a child at the Barhanovich house in Everett, and as a young adult over coffee, always with Margaret. The cookies are made from cake, which is cut into crescents using a water glass after it's cooled. The cake is made with rum and lemon peel and is topped with finely chopped walnuts and sugar. |
| 3:00pm-4:00pm | KNEDLE SA ŠLJIVAMA Sisters Marija Mataja and Toni Stipetić will demonstrate Knedle sa Šljivama, Croatian plum dumplings made with a mashed potato dough that can be eaten as a dessert when sprinkled with sugar, as a meatless main course, or as a starch accompanying a meat dish. |
VENDORS & INFORMATIONAL BOOTHS
The Association of Croatian-American Professionals (ACAP) is an international network of 2,000+ professionals spanning all industries and academic communities. Since 2014, ACAP has endeavored to connect and inspire Croatian-American professionals from the United States and around the world to exchange ideas and engage in business collaboration while preserving the cultural heritage we all hold dear to our hearts.
The American Slavic Women's Club will be selling povitica, a very popular sweet bread made with yeast-raised dough layered with dense walnut filling. You will be able to purchase slices of povitica or even whole loaves.
Unique designed bowls, platters and gifts
Baked In Bosnia will serve the traditional Croatian dish sarma - stuffed cabbage rolls. They will also be selling slices of their delicious apple and bee sting cakes and some new surprises; pita/burek and princes krofna (creme puff).
The Balkan Store will be grilling čevapčići, a Croatian style sausage served with lepinja (bread)and condiments. There will be BBQ lamb sandwiches for purchase with accompaniments.
Imported Croatian foods-soups, coffee, candy and much more.
Handcrafted scented candles and gifts
Representatives from the Croatian Consulate Office of Los Angeles
Handcrafted ceramics and Croatian themed apparel and gift items.
Pick up your souvenir programs and schedule of activities. Volunteers will be on-site to answer questions.
Variety of CroatiaFest apparel featuring the new 2023 T shirt design
Exhibition of local and national, past and present Croatian /American Athletes. A panel will be devoted to the Sinjska Alka equestrian event held in the Dalmatian town of Sinj, which has been added to the UNESCO List of the 1ntangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Georgia's Food Truck specializes in traditional favorites like Halal Yeero, Falafel, Lamb Burger prepared with utmost care
Traditional Croatian pastries, cookbooks and gifts
The Balkan Task Force will offer palačinke, a Croatian crepe and baklava. You can also purchase a cup of Croatian kava (Turkish coffee) to go along with these sweets.
OVERVIEW
Seattle Center Festál presents CroatiaFest in partnership with CroatiaFest. The festival presents Croatian culture through music and dance performances by the finest Croatian musicians, singers and dance ensembles from the Pacific Northwest, Canada and beyond. Museum quality exhibits tell the story of the Croatian American immigrant experience through historical photos, artifacts, traditional costumes and folk instruments. Attendees can enjoy cooking demonstrations of traditional foods by Croatian chefs. The office of the Croatian Consulate assists with passports, visas and official government documents.
HISTORY
CroatiaFest is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Since its inception in 2004, CroatiaFest’s mission is to promote and preserve Croatian culture and to educate future generations of Croatian Americans and the general public with the richness and beauty of Croatian culture and Croatian American contributions to the building of the U.S. With the Honorary Croatian Consul to the State of Washington, Dr. Frank Brozovich, and the support of the Croatian American community of the Pacific Northwest and Canada, CroatiaFest is able to present Croatian culture, history, cuisine, music, original traditional costumes and dance to the thousands of festival attendees and the hundreds of visitors of the Seattle Center campus.
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