The Spring of Orahovica

The Spring of Orahovica (Croatian: Orahovačko proljeće) is the most popular cultural and tourist festival in the Virovitica-Podravina County in Slavonia, Croatia. The event, held annually at the beginning of June, celebrates Orahovica as the most important tourist destination in the county, and officially marks the beginning of the summer tourist season in the town and its surroundings. Over the period of six days, the town of Orahovica opens its doors to the visitors from all over the world, offering a programme of diverse activities, with the aim of joining the town’s patrimony with modern culture.
Flower Parade.
The Spring of Orahovica traces its origins to the Flower Parade staged for the first time back in 1957. Today, the Flower Parade is the central and most anticipated in the series of events, held on the last day of the celebration, which is as a rule the first Sunday of June. The procession is organized along the town’s main street, with hundreds of spectators lining the route to watch. The parade, with children costumed as flowers followed by numerous cultural clubs wearing folk costumes and a marching brass band providing music for the occasion, represents the historical, natural and cultural riches of the town and its vicinity. After the parade, the guests can enjoy the last day of the celebration by attending the folklore festival with which the annual cultural event comes to an end.
Programme.
A week-long program of sports and cultural activities caters for all tastes. For sports aficionados, basketball, handball, indoor-soccer, bowling, chess and horseback riding tournaments are held every day. Apart from that, the local hiking club promotes hiking and alpinism by installing an artificial mountain and putting together a photography display. The art lovers can enjoy the exhibitions of the local amateur painters, whose paintings reflect the historical and cultural riches of Orahovica. A piece of tradition is also comprised in the exhibition of the needlework and dishes characteristic of this part of Croatia. Since orchards and vineyards are an integral part of the life in Slavonia, and Croatia in general, fruit-growers and viticulturists present their products and offer them for tasting in the town’s central park. The children and their parents can also enjoy the benefits of the amusement park and the fair set up especially for this occasion. Friday and Saturday evenings are reserved for the entertainment programme, such as theatrical and folklore performances, and pop and rock concerts.