Croatia has a variety of UNESCO heritage, and one intricate example will be celebrated for the 21st time on September 21, 2017, as the Lepoglava International Lace Festival takes place once again.
Croatia has a variety of UNESCO heritage, and one intricate example will be celebrated for the 21st time on September 21, 2017, as the Lepoglava International Lace Festival takes place once again.
It is a sign of the true diversity of Croatian handicrafts that three different types of lacemaking all over the country have all been awarded the status of intangible UNESCO heritage. The lace makers of the island of Pag, together with the Benedictine nuns and their agave lace on the island of Hvar produce exquisite work on two of Croatia’s most famous islands, but it is a small town in northern Croatia, Lepoglava, which not only has the same UNESCO states, but has also been hosting an international lace festival for some 20 years.
This year’s festival begins on September 21, with one of the highlights being Republic of Germany Day on Saturday, with tastes and lace from Germany. See the full programme below, and to learn more about UNESCO lace in Croatia, check out the official UNESCO lace video below.
To learn more about Lepoglava lace, visit the official website.
Lace festival programme
Thursday, 21 September 2017
18:00 Ivančica Restaurant terrace – tent
Opening ceremony of 21st international Lace Festival and raising of festival flag
19:00 Exhibition viewing
20:30 Area in front of parish church
Fireworks
Friday, 22 September 2017
10:00-17:00 Culture House – Reading Room
European Heritage Day 2017 in Lepoglava: Heritage and nature: scenery of possibility, lectures and UNESCO workshops
10:45 – 11:15 Lecture: Handicraft as motivation to develop creativity
11:30-12:00 Lecture: Heritage in educational programmes in Lepoglava town area
12:15-17:00 Workshops: Lepoglava lace, knitting of baskets, paper flower production, knitting and demonstration of toy construction from natural materials and licitar production
17:00 Pauline Monastery
Opening of philatelist exhibition by the Young Philatelist Club Trakošćan
19:00 – 20:30 Ivančica Restaurant terrace
Music programme
Saturday, 23 September 2017
Republic of Germany Day in Lepoglava: Lace and Taste of Germany
10:00 - 20:00 Ivančica Restaurant terrace
8th Fair of Traditional Handicraft and Old Crafts
10:00 Lepoglava Town Administration Building
Unveiling of memorial plaque to commemorate 80th anniversary of opening of school building of the Banovina Lace Course in Lepoglava
10:30 Culture House – Reading Room
Expert seminar: Heritage of European lace schools (past, present and future) – with representatives of Croatian and international lace schools
11:00 – 14:00 Ivančica Restaurant Terrace
Opening of 8th Fair of Traditional Handicraft and Old Crafts, with entertainment programme
Fashion event: “Fascination - lace through time” – Kulturzentrum “Goldene Sonne” and Schneeberg Lace School
Entertainments programme by Croatian Germans Community – Zagreb
19:00 Blessed Virgin Mary Church
Concert Trio d’Oro
20:30 – 23:00 Ivančica Restaurant Terrace – Tent
Entertainment programme – music group Podvinčani
Sunday, 24 September 2017
8:00 Blessed Virgin Mary Church
Concelebrated Holy Mass for female lace workers and participants of 21st International Lace Festival
10:00 – 18:00 Ivančica Restaurant Terrace - 8th Fair of Traditional Handicraft and Old Crafts
14:00 Procession through Lepoglava (from Lepoglava primary school)
Brass Band Lepoglava, lace workers, Paulines, Lepoglavski Pušlek Society, Gun Society Glasna Kubura, Gun Society Prva Kubura Višnjica, Hunting Society Srnjak – Ravna Gora Lepoglava, brass band Alples Železniki and majorettes from Železnik – Slovenia, Croatian Cultural Society Pomurje Lendava – Slovenia, tambouritza band Biseri Kamenica
14:30 - Ivančica Restaurant Terrace – Tent
Cultural programme Lepoglava Kušlec: Brass Band Lepoglava, Lepoglavski Pušlek Society, brass band Alples Železniki and majorettes from Železnik – Slovenia, Croatian Cultural Society Pomurje Lendava – Slovenia, tambouritza band Biseri Kamenica
17:00 Festival closing
Entertainment programme – annual concert by Brass Band Lepoglava
