On the occasion of Bučijada, Ivanić Grad hosted visitors from all over Europe for the 20th time!

Not visiting Ivanić Grad in autumn on the occasion of Bučijada (Pumpkin festival) is the same as not visiting Hrvatska Kostajnica on the occasion of the Kestenijada (Chestnut Festival). These are two events that in continental Croatia mark the beginning of a colorful era full of various forest fruits such as mushrooms, and chestnuts, but also those from which the best bučnica and various sweet or salty desserts are made. As I missed last year’s edition, which was attended by part of our portal’s team, I decided that this year I have to see for myself whether the famous pumpkin beer is good, but also other delicacies as well!

Bučijada, Photo: Adria.fun

The smell of autumn has been felt everywhere for days, and to better enjoy those beautiful colors, I decided to reach the city by the “old road“. Although there were no crowds on the way, arriving in Ivanić Grad, I was greeted by a real crowd already at noon, and parking was barely available. Right where the team told me to park, the police were already writing tickets to some people because due to insufficient parking spaces, people were parking their cars everywhere, so in order not to be one of them, I went around in circles until someone was freed.

Bučijada, Photo: Adria.fun

I managed to arrive at this already 20th Bučijada, which lasted from October 4-6, only on the last day, because as we go out on the field with a variety of equipment, I had to be sure that one of those days I would not be caught by heavy rain, which for days now hasn’t stopped. And it’s a good thing that I did, because on Sunday the sun decided to bless all the visitors, so we were all in one place like ants in an anthill, collecting vitamin D and enjoying a varied program and gastronomic delights.

I found out through the media, as well as the official program, that on Friday, October 4, the entire program started with the ceremonial opening of Bučijada, a documentary film, performances by tambura ensembles, and a performance by Jelena Rozga. On Saturday, October 5th, and Sunday, October 6th, the program gained in volume, so accompanying activities such as the opening of the largest sales fair of pumpkin oil, pumpkin, and pumpkin products began.

There were also various gastronomic offers, children’s corner and painting workshops, competitions in flower growing, jumping in sacks, eating hot peppers or pumpkin custard, workshops where natural cosmetics are made, and theater performances… On Saturday, a singer Jole also performed.

What caught my attention the most was the amount of pumpkins that were brought into the heart of the city to decorate everything in style. There were on the sidewalks, and parks, along and across. Photo booths were also everywhere, surrounded by various shades of orange and yellow, which made the atmosphere even sweeter.

Of course, I had to treat myself too, so I found a pumpkin cheesecake and an apple-shaped cake at one of the stands. With a cold pumpkin beer, I sat in a nearby park decorated with straw seats and thought about what else I could experience while I was there.

After the rest, I headed to the market itself, where I planned to buy something local, so I tried pumpkin oil from as many as 20 or so exhibitors until I found the right one. There were also various other products, such as homemade kulen, tomato sauce, and various handicrafts.

According to the schedule, I found out that the tribute band ABBA RING concert starts around 6 p.m., and as a big fan of the 80s, I stayed a little longer to enjoy the greatest hits. After that, there was a concert by Toni Cetinski, but as the sun went down, and I wasn’t ready for too low temperatures, I went home to show you as soon as possible a few more reasons where to go next year in autumn!

Bučijada, Photo: Adria.fun

See you, right?

This publication was co-financed by the Fund for the Promotion of Pluralism and Diversity of Electronic Media.