Porto Etno, the world music and gastro festival of Rijeka 2020 – European Capital of Culture was announced at a press conference today. Its backbone is the communities of the national minorities of Rijeka, people who have found their new home in Rijeka and musical nomads from all over the world. The festival comprises music, gastronomy, folk dance, circus and children’s programmes that cater to everyone – residents of Rijeka and all our guests from Croatia, the region, Europe and the world.
From 6 to 8 September 2019 in three different locations around Rijeka (128 Brigade HV Square / Riječka Rezolucija Square, CNT Ivan pl. Zajc and Rijeka market), the third Porto Etno – World music and gastro festival within the Rijeka 2020 – European Capital of Culture project will take place and it will host more than 100 performers such as the Boban Marković Orkestar, BaBa ZuLe, Acid Arab and Iva Bittova, while visitors will be able to try dishes from as many as 20 world cuisines prepared by associations of national minorities in Rijeka and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, as well as inhabitants of Rijeka originating from all over the world, including the Philippines, India, Trinidad and Tobago, Madagascar, Italy, the Czech Republic and many others. Romany steak, Bosnian pot, baklava, okra, Panacit Palabok, Shahi Paneer, Coo-Coo, Slovak noodles with kajmak (cream) and pan-crisped pancetta or real Italian lasagna prepared by the Rijeka Italian Community are just some of the many dishes that visitors will be able to taste at the Porto Etno – world music and gastro festival. As part of the accompanying programme of the festival, a presentation of folklore and music performances by national minorities’ associations will be held, as well as a series of children’s workshops.
Vojko Obersnel, Mayor of the City of Rijeka said:
“When speaking of the heritage of the ECoC project, I personally think that programmes such as the Porto Etno festival are as important as the infrastructure we are investing in because it is precisely this blend of a variety of cultures that makes this city a pretty unique place to visit and stay in. It is a festival that, in the best way possible, represents a continuation of the tradition of the Ethno festival, the Rijeka National Minorities’ day.”
“Porto Etno is organized as part of the Kitchen of Diversity flagship of Rijeka 2020 – European Capital of Culture, in cooperation with the City of Rijeka, associations of national minorities of Rijeka, and immigrants who have arrived in Rijeka from all over the world. Thus the festival programme creates new opportunities to develop friendships, and foster solidarity and tolerance.”
– said Emina Višnić, Director of TD RIJEKA 2020 d.o.o.
Music programme
The great music programme of the third Porto Etno – World Music and Gastro Festival was announced by the festival’s Music Director, Zoran Majstorović. The festival will welcome such famous musicians as the Boban Marković Orchestra, BaBa ZuLa, Acid Arab and Iva Bittova.
Boban Marković Orchestra
Hitting the stage on the festival’s opening day on Friday, 6 September, in Riječka Rezolucija Square, is the 14-piece Italian North East Ska Jazz Orchestra. In addition to solo performances, the orchestra will play a concert together with the Italian dub band Wicked Dub Division, with whom they have been collaborating since 2017. Following them on stage is the world’s best Romani brass ensemble, the Boban Marković Orchestra.
Acid Arab
On Saturday, 7 September, at 7:30 pm, Iva Bittová, a Czech avant-garde violinist of Romani-Jewish descent, will perform with the Porto Etno Orchestra at the CNT Ivan pl. Zajc, after the legendary Putokazi from Rijeka. The programme resumes on Saturday in Riječka Rezolucija Square, where Cinkuši, the unrivalled masters of 21st-century Turkish psychedelic music, BaBa ZuLa and Acid Arab, a Parisian electronic duo that blends Western electronic music with Eastern sounds and vocals, will serve a multicultural musical brew.
The daily programme on Sunday, 8 September, at the Rijeka market and Theatre Square will feature performances by the JeboTon Ensemble, a street band made up of several Croatian bands that has gained notoriety with their guerrilla shows bursting with incredible energy and good vibrations, and EtnoRom, one of the most famous Hungarian ethnic bands that draws on Romani musical heritage. Their music is rooted in traditional Vlach-Roma melodies and rhythms, which, under the influence of gipsy jazz and swing, gradually evolved into gipsy world music imbued with a unique energy.
Iva Bittova
All the musicians gathered at the Porto Etno Festival bring together people from all over the world with their intoxicating music, regardless of the languages they speak and the cultures they belong to. At the Porto Etno Festival, we all dance to the same beat, the beat of the heart.
The Gastro Fair
The host of the gastro programme, masterchef Srđana Jevtić, has announced that the Festival’s food will be prepared by associations of national minorities of Rijeka and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, as well as inhabitants of Rijeka originating from all over the world, including the Philippines, India, Trinidad and Tobago, Madagascar, Italy, the Czech Republic and many others. Romani steak, Bosnian pot, Pancit Palabok (a Filipino noodle dish with shrimp gravy), grandma’s barley soup, Macedonian Turli tava (a vegetable and meat stew), Bosnian baklava, okra, Indian Shahi Paneer, Coo-Coo (a Caribbean dish), Slovak noodles with kajmak (cream) and pan-crisped pancetta or real Italian lasagna prepared by the Rijeka Italian Community are just some of the many dishes that visitors will be able to taste.
Srđana Jevtić
Entrance to the gastro part of the Festival is free and visitors will be able to buy tasting portions of traditional foods priced at 10 HRK.
On Saturday, 7 September, the national minorities will be cooking in the 128 Brigade HV Square from 10:30 am to 5 pm.
The POP-UP gastro, music and circus performance programme will take place at the Rijeka Central Market and Theatre Park on Sunday, 8 September. The programme starts at 10 am and the opening hours of the Rijeka Market will be extended until 2 pm. Masterchef Srđana Jevtić will be preparing a special kind of minestrone (maneštra) for visitors, Cirkorama are coming to the Theatre Park with their show entitled Milica Travels the World (Milica na putu oko svijeta), performed by clown artist Petra Bokić, and the music programme will feature shows by the JeboTon ensemble from Zagreb and the Hungarian ethnic band, EtnoRom.
The following are participating in the gastro programme; The Rijeka Italian Community, the “Prosvjeta” Serbian Cultural Society – Rijeka Subcommittee, the “Rušnjak“ Cultural Society of Rusyns and Ukrainians of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Russian Home – the Russian National Minority Association in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Slovak Cultural and Publishing Society of Rijeka, the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County Albanian Community, The Albanian Association of the Island of Krk, the “Ilinden” Macedonian Cultural Centre, the Democratic Union of Hungarians in Primorje – Gorski Kotar County, The Češka Beseda Rijeka Association, the “Bazovica” Slovenian Home Association – Cultural Historical Society, the Association of the Peoples’ Communities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bosniak National Community, Rijeka expats: Trinidad and Tobago, Madagascar, India, Philippines, United States of America and Ri gastro.
Rijeka’s caterers are also joining in, driven by the Port of Diversity’s multicultural spirit, inviting everyone to enjoy and discover new scents and flavours. The European Capital of Culture (ECoC) and Rijeka’s caterers are organising a special edition of the Ri gastro event, doubling as an introduction to the Porto Etno World music and gastro festival. The event is dedicated to the promotion of the gastronomic traditions and cultures of the countries whose minorities live and work in Rijeka and its surroundings. In their taverns and restaurants, Rijeka’s caterers will be preparing indigenous dishes according to recipes of inhabitants of Rijeka originating from all over Europe and the rest of the world. This will take place from 2 to 8 September.
Tickets
Entrance to the gastro part of the Festival is free and visitors will be able to buy tasting portions of traditional foods priced at 10 HRK. The children’s programmes and programmes at the Rijeka market are free for visitors. You will be able to taste the food at very affordable prices, while entrance to the concerts is charged. University students, pensioners and the unemployed get 20% off. Persons with disabilities enter free, children under 12 enter free accompanied by parents. Festival tickets for Friday and Saturday are priced at 100 HRK in advance sales and 150 HRK at the entrance. Daily tickets for Friday and Saturday are priced at 70 HRK in advance sales and 100 HRK at the entrance. The concert at CNT Ivan pl. Zajc (Iva Bittová, Putokazi and the Porto Etno Orchestra) is priced at 60 HRK in advance sales and 80 HRK at the entrance (sold separately).
See you at the third Porto Etno festival!
