Pakrac will host the 17th edition of the Slavonski Banac fair on Saturday, 10 October, an event traditionally organised by the Municipality of Pakrac. The fair begins at 10:00, with an expected attendance of thousands of people from across Croatia and the wider region. On the same day, the 11th Grahfest will take place, featuring a record 125 teams from across Croatia, thereby breaking last year’s record of 120 registered teams. Due to limited space, the number of teams has been capped.
The fair will take place simultaneously at two adjacent locations: in Matice Hrvatske Street, in the area around the Market, and on the central town square, Trg bana Jelačića. More than 120 exhibitors from 11 counties will present their goods and products at the stands. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 13:00 at the large fair stage near the market, with performances by the Pakrac City Majorettes, children from the Maslačak Kindergarten, students from the Badčević Primary School, and the school choir.
The central town square, Trg bana Jelen, will once again be transformed into a 'Children's Corner' thanks to the Pakrac City Museum and the Pakrac City Library. From 11:00 to 17:00, visitors will be treated to 'Library in the Open Air' and a 'Creative Corner' with workshops. Children will be able to enjoy an interactive presentation of historical sword fighting by the Zagreb-based school of Ars Gladiator, face painting by Balcon, and a programme by Cirkultura. Throughout the duration of the event, the museum play area will be open, and children will be able to use VR headsets provided by the cadets of the Ministry of the Interior, alongside video games and a selection of board games.
During the fair, from 11:00 to 18:00, visitors will be able to visit the Spahi cellars, while the Military and War Museum will be open from 9:00 to 19:00. The museum will feature the exhibition 'Operation Una 1995' by Željko Gašpar. Members of the Scale Model Club will present models of the Croatian Air Force, and an exhibition by collector Karl Dujmić, 'Insignia and Equipment of the Special Police in the Homeland War', will also be on display. A publishing house, Despot Infinit, will also be present, and for the first time, a meeting of vintage and classic cars will be held.
Grahfest will officially begin at 15:00, with ingredient collection starting at 14:00 in the 'White' market area. Participants will be provided with beans, dry meat, bread, an apron, a table, and 20 portions. The cooked beans must be submitted for judging by 18:00, with the winners to be announced at 20:00. The winner will take home the main prize: two nights in the Blazevci-Luka holiday home for eight people, with the second and third place winners also receiving prizes. Organisers will reward the most beautifully decorated table or stand at Grahfest with special gifts.
A part of the culinary offer at this year's fair will be the 'Wine and Food' presentation, where members of more than 20 associations will prepare their traditional delicacies. On Saturday, Croatian veterans from Pakrac and Lipik will present themselves, along with their friends and comrades, Croatian veterans from Kaštel and Sinj, who will offer dishes made from fresh fish and marine specialties. Traditionally, the culinary offer will also be presented by members of the Hungarian, Italian, Serbian, and Czech communities living and working in the area.
For visitors to the fair, the bean stew will be cooked by members of the Pakrac Hungarian Society, with lunch served from 13:00. At 16:00, visitors will be able to taste the winning bean stew, prepared by Marko Crnojević from Novska. The Slavonski Banac fair is organised by the Municipality of Pakrac in collaboration with the Association of Craftsmen of Pakrac and Lipik, the Pakzac Business Centre, the PAZRA Local Development Agency, and the Pakrac Town Tourist Board, with the support of the Croatian National Tourist Board. The Grahfest, held within the fair, is organised by the Association of Craftsmen of Pakrac and Lipik.
