The traditional 'Tragom Jankovića' (In the Footsteps of Janković) event took place in Pakrac on Saturday, 26 September, gathering a large and loyal audience from the areas of Pakrac, Lipik, and Daruvar, as well as visitors from outside Croatia. The event was designed as an encounter with the past through theatre, traditional skills, gastronomy, music, dance, and entertainment, featuring historical characters and customs from the time when Pakrac and its estate were under the rule of the Janković family.
The organisers were the Pakrac Town Museum, the Pakrac City Library, the Hungarian Society of Pakrac, and the Pakrac Music School, with the support of the City of Pakrac, bringing the spirit of the 18th and 19th centuries to life. The day's programme began with 'Morning for the Young', during which the Požega Theatre performed the play 'About Grga Čvak'. A traditional 'Gardening in the Manor' activity was also organised for children, led by Daliborka Duchač.
In the large hall of the manor, the 'Dance and Song for the People' took place, where the Hungarian cultural society 'Népkör' from Osijek, 'Česká beseda' from Prekopa, the Association of Hungarians of the Virovitica-Podravina County, and the folk ensemble 'Boróka Senior' from Barcs presented themselves. Robert Janković, the MP for the Hungarian minority, and Countess Alžbeta Janković, portrayed by Rebeka Tóth from the Hungarian Society of Daruvar, were welcomed. József Ha, the president of the Hungarian Society of Pakrac, in the name of the peasantry and the poor, reproached the count for his extravagance and lack of care for the poor.
Special guests from Hungary were representatives of the twin town of Czapra and members of the 'Boróka' folk ensemble from Barcs. Kinga Kral from Czeged brought valuable gifts, including original bricks with the insignia and coat of arms of the Janković family, as the family had a brickworks in Czeged, and the founder of the family, Antal, was buried there. Zsuzsanna Szabó, a heritage guide, prepared the programme 'Culinary Piquancy with Countess Alžbeta Janković', a blend of gastronomy and heritage interpretation in which visitors were introduced to the culinary customs and tastes of the manor era.
A lottery 'Lottery of Fortune' was held, in which nearly a hundred prizes were distributed, and for the 'Beer Feast' with the Count, Countess, and Queen, the people from the local Slavonia Brewery were responsible. The event's gastronomic offer was provided by members of the Hungarian Society of Pakrac, while visitors were able to receive photos from the event for free thanks to 'Delix Events' and their photo stand.
The event concluded in the hall with the screening of the film 'Evening with Count Janković', made by students of the Daruvar Gymnasium, after which a concert of classical music by the Zagreb Quartet followed. The first violin was played by Martin Krpan, the second by Davor Philips, the viola by Hrvoje Philips, and the cello by Martin Jordan. They performed works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann Pachelbel, Ivan Manojlović, and Joseph Haydn.
