Pakrac hosted more than 120 exhibitors from 11 Croatian counties on 10 October. Within the framework of the wine and food presentation, craftsmen from more than 20 associations presented themselves. The exhibitors came from Metković, Split, and Kašt to Rijeka, Pazin, and Vukovar.
The fair was traditionally enriched by Croatian veterans from Kašt and Sinj, alongside veterans from Pakrac and Lipik. Representatives of the Italian, Serbian, and Czech communities in the area presented their traditional dishes. The ceremonial part of the event was hosted by Mirko Fodor.
The speakers included Davor Lepka, president of the Association of Craftsmen of Pakrac and Lipik, and the mayor of Pakrac, Tomislav Novinc. Also present were Dr Matuš Lak, deputy mayor of the sister city of Doln Kubin, Antonia Jož, the Požega county, and the envoy of the Croatian Parliament, Dr. Željko Glavić. The envoy of the Croatian Parliament, Dr. Željko Glavić, noted that the event had become an important part of the cultural heritage of Pakrac and Croatia, praising its continuous growth.
Antonia Jož expressed pride that the event was held in her county. She highlighted that the fair was held in the city of champion of continental tourism for 2026. She stated that in the last 35 years, Pakrac had shown that it could transform from a destroyed city into a champion of continental tourism in Croatia.
The mayor of Pakrac, Tomislav Novinc, recalled the rich history of the fair. He noted that the event had grown from humble beginnings in the Pakrac sports hall to a current event attracting thousands of visitors. Matuš Lak thanked the mayor of Pakrac for the hospitality and friendship, conveying greetings from his city.
Davor Lepka recalled the effort craftsmen had invested in the organization of the event over the years. He stated that some craftsmen had even taken annual leave for the event. He concluded that they would need to find a solution next year to gather more teams, as the event had grown beyond a simple occurrence. He also stated that Grahfest was not just a festival of beans, but had become a recognizable brand.
The cultural program continued with performances by the Mažorette of Pakrac, the educational groups "Medvešić" and "Točci" from the Mažoret kindergarten in Pakrac, a folk performance by students of the local school in Bad, and a choir by the music school with the accompaniment of teacher Tea Sila.
The opening ceremony was attended by the director of the Ministry of Regional Development and European Funds, Anđela Milobar, the mayor of Lipik, Vinko Kasan, representatives of the municipalities of Grbi and Konč, the director of the Veterans' Centre, Davor Huška, representatives of the Slovak city of Doln Kubin, and the president of the council of the municipality of Busova, Marko Ša, along with his associates. Among the many guests were also the president of the City Council of Pak, Miroslav Ivan, the president of the Regional Chamber of Economy in Požega, Goran Šut, representatives of more than 30 craftsmen associations from across Croatia, representatives of companies, institutions, agencies, enterprises, and businesses, veterans, representatives of religious communities, the military, the police, associations, and media.
