THE CULTURAL and Education Centre (MKaOS) in Snina in eastern Slovakia, together with the Homeland Museum in Humenné, organised the 10th Podvihorlatský Folklore festival over the second weekend of May. The 10th version of the event also reached a milestone since the first festival had been organised 25 years ago to celebrate the various activities of associations representing Slovakia’s Ruthenian citizens.
This year’s programme included a concert of folklore music featuring the Vihorlat ensemble followed by 17 other folklore groups such as Šiňava, Starinčanka, Dúha, Dukát and others. Altogether there were 350 performers – both young and old – who also presented family traditions and rituals in a gala programme called Rodina, rodina, rodinôčka moja (Family, family, my dear family). Folklore and popular music bands and ensembles from Moravia in the Czech Republic also enhanced the festival together with a country band called Fox.
The TASR newswire wrote that a contest for the area’s best traditional pies, tatarčené pirohy, was part of the festival for the first time. Teams of three were asked to make these popular delicacies but they had to produce at least 60 pies that were then judged on appearance and taste. But the crucial thing was not so much to win but instead to have fun and draw attention to this popular local food, TASR wrote. Demonstrations of traditional crafts were also offered around the ponds of Snina.
The festival organisers said the main idea of the event was to show the good relations among various ethnic minorities in eastern Slovakia.
