“Penga” – Easter Traditions Festival

The Easter Traditions Festival – Penga focuses on, affirms, and presents elements of the rich intangible cultural heritage of Dubrovnik and its surroundings, Dalmatia, and Croatia, connected to the celebration of the greatest Christian holiday, Easter, as well as the beginning of spring. Through numerous presentations, exhibitions, performances, creative and educational workshops, competitions, and exhibitions in museum and public spaces, both local and international visitors can directly engage with the phenomena, knowledge, techniques of craftsmanship, and other forms of intangible cultural heritage, as well as their bearers. The aim of the festival is to highlight valuable yet somewhat neglected aspects of spiritual heritage, which are an integral part of our identity and a unique symbol of our recognition in the European cultural context. The festival is organized by the Dubrovnik Museums, the City of Dubrovnik, and the Dubrovnik Tourist Board.

FESTIVAL PROGRAM

Thursday, April 10, 2025, 13:00 – 15:00, Ethnographic Museum, Grain Storage Rupe

Welcome address, presentation of the program and festival participants

Lectures and Presentations:

The Tradition and Symbolism of Painted Eggs of the Dubrovnik Riviera / Ivica Kipre

Traditional Egg Decoration Techniques of Eastern Croatia: Silk Painting and Embroidery / Mario Kiš, Bogdanovci

Traditional Egg Decoration Techniques with Wax and the Plant Setaria in Podravina / Josip Cugovčan, Podravske Sesvete

Traditional Egg Decoration Technique using Nitric Acid in the Šokadija Region / Vinko Babić, Gradište

Thursday, April 10, 2025, 15:30 – 17:30, Ethnographic Museum, Grain Storage Rupe

Workshops:

Making Painted Eggs of the Dubrovačko primorje / Jagoda Konjuh, Doli / Zdenka Kraljić, Slano / Nina Smokvina, Slano

Making Silk-painted and Embroidered Eggs of Eastern Slavonia / Mario Kiš, Bogdanovci

Making Podravina Eggs with Wax and the Plant Setaria / Josip Cugovčan, Podravske Sesvete

Making Eggs decorated with Nitric Acid among the Šokci/ Vinko Babić, Gradište

Friday, April 11, 2025, 10:00 – 12:00, Sponza Palace – Courtyard

Presentation Workshops:

Embellishing Eggs with Embroidery from Eastern Slavonia / Mario Kiš

Decorating Eggs with the Plant Setaria from Podravina / Josip Cugovčan

Making traditional braided palm branches from the Pelješac Peninsula / Marina Filipović, Dubrovnik Museums

Creative Workshop for Children:

Little Logs and Patterns for Skilful Little Fingers / Dubravka Tullio, Natural History Museum Dubrovnik

Traditional Easter Games – Tournament on the valje (traditional Easter game of rolling eggs)

Saturday, April 12, 2025, Easter in the Primorje, Mrčevo, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Decorating Easter eggs using the batik technique – Heritage that connects

Workshop on making silk-painted eggs in Eastern Slavonia /Mario Kiš, Bogdanovci/

Workshop on making Podravina Easter eggs with wax /Josip Cugovčan, Podravske Sesvete/

Workshop on making Easter eggs using nitric acid among the Šokci /Vinko Babić, Gradište/

Competition for the most beautiful Easter egg