Jurjevanje in Bela krajina

Launched in 1964 and held in the town of Črnomelj in southern Slovenia, the Jurjevanje in Bela krajina is Slovenia’s oldest folklore festival. Its programme brings together folklore groups from Bela krajina and other regions of Slovenia, as well as folk musicians and international performers, in a vibrant celebration of traditional song and dance.

Jurjevanje is a member of the International Council for Organisations of Folklore Festivals and Folk Art (CIOFF), Slovenia.

Programme

The five-day Jurjevanje takes place on the main stage in the natural amphitheatre of Jurjevanska Draga, as well as at various venues across the town of Črnomelj. The programme presents the folk traditions of Bela krajina and other regions of Slovenia to audiences, while regularly hosting folklore groups from across Europe and beyond. With a focus on dance and song, it also features an annual showcase of young folk dance groups from Bela krajina, alongside ethno-folk, classical, and pop concerts, as well as presentations of local delicacies and handicrafts, workshops, and exhibitions.

Background

The festival’s origins date back to either 1933 or 1939, when the “Festival of National Songs and Dances” was held. This event celebrated Bela krajina, featuring dances, customs, and games that attracted visitors from across Slovenia, and is considered a precursor to today’s Jurjevanje.

The first official Jurjevanje festival in its current form took place in 1964. In its early years, it focused on the dances, songs, and music of Bela krajina from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often featuring traditional tamburica instruments: brač, berda, bisernica, bugarija, and gudalo, along with other local instruments such as the "white birch leaf" and the "rug".