In the heart of the summer season, the town of Cres once again becomes the epicenter of tradition, culture, and entertainment, reviving its nearly five-century-long history through an event that has become synonymous with the peak of summer on the island. From August 5th to 7th, the streets and squares of the ancient town center will be transformed into a vibrant open-air stage, filled with the sounds of music, the laughter of visitors, and the aromas of local delicacies. This is the Cres Fair (Creski semenj), an event whose roots date back to the distant year of 1543, and which today successfully combines the spirit of past times with a modern tourist offer, providing a rich and varied program for all generations.

This three-day celebration is not just an ordinary fair; it is deeply rooted in the identity of the town and the island. The Semenj, as the people of Cres affectionately call it, is historically linked to the feast of Our Lady of the Snow, the patron saint of the Cres parish. The first written record of it being held is found in a Decree of the Venetian Republic dated August 14, 1543. This document testifies to the importance of the fair for the economic life of that time, as it stipulated that all products brought to Cres during the seven-day duration of the fair were exempt from paying taxes. The significance of the event was later confirmed by an imperial bull of Franz Joseph I from 1828, and the tradition was maintained with equal fervor until the beginning of World War II. After a decades-long pause, it was revived in the 1990s, growing into one of the most anticipated and visited summer events in the Kvarner region.

A return to the past on the town's streets

One of the most magical aspects of the Cres Fair is the way it brings to life the daily existence of past generations. A walk through the narrow alleys (kalete), picturesque squares, and hidden lanes (klančići) becomes a journey through time. A special atmosphere is created by an open-air exhibition, carefully curated in collaboration with the Cres Museum and the local population. The citizens of Cres have selflessly lent items from their private collections for this occasion, providing visitors with a unique insight into the island's heritage. Wooden barrels, demijohns, woven baskets, old pots, agricultural tools, and numerous other everyday objects from former households will be displayed along the town streets, telling a story of the life, work, and customs of the islanders. To make the experience complete, a thematic exhibition of old Cres words and rhymes will be set up alongside the objects, giving visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich linguistic and cultural heritage as well.

The entire event actually begins with a kind of introduction on Monday, August 4th. In the beautiful ambiance of the Franciscan Monastery of St. Francis, starting at 9 PM, the traditional klapa concert will be held to mark Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day. It will be an evening filled with a cappella harmonies performed by esteemed local klapas, Klapa Teha and Klapa Burin.

The official start of the Cres Fair is scheduled for Tuesday, August 5th. The day will begin in the spirit of tradition, with a solemn Mass at 10:30 AM in the Church of St. Mary Major, on the occasion of the feast of the parish's heavenly patroness, Our Lady of the Snow. After the Mass, at 11:30 AM in front of the church, the Mayor of the Town of Cres, Marin Gregorović, will officially open the event with a celebratory gathering with citizens and visitors, accompanied by song and joy.

Fair of local products: a treasury of tastes and scents of Cres

The heart of every true festival is the market, and the Cres Fair is no exception. For all three days, from 6 PM to midnight, the 20th of April Promenade will become the lifeline of the event, home to the fair of local products. This year, about fifty exhibitors will gather, hardworking producers from the island of Cres, as well as their guests from various parts of Croatia. Visitors will have the opportunity not only to taste and buy top-quality local products but also to talk with the producers who are happy to share stories about their tradition and the secrets of their craft.

The offer will be extremely rich and diverse. The stalls will feature the widely known Cres cheese and lamb sausages, the indispensable extra virgin olive oil, medicinal sage honey, traditional island sweets, homemade jams made according to old recipes, unique products made from olive wood, and handmade jewelry. Every evening, the atmosphere at the fair will be further enriched by musical performances by the local group Versi.

A cultural and entertainment program for all tastes

This year's fair program intertwines tradition, culture, music, and entertainment at every turn. Renaissance palaces, the pride of Cres architecture, will open their doors to visitors. The magnificent Moise Palace, in collaboration with the University of Rijeka, will offer free guided tours on all three days at 8 PM and 9 PM. Within its premises, the exhibition "9 Stories from the Island" by author Vesna Jakić can also be viewed, and the palace atrium will become a stage for jazz evenings featuring excellent musicians like Filip Flega, Marko Arich, and Boris Šargonja. The Moise Palace will also be a place for the youngest; on August 6th, an interesting multilingual storytelling and art workshop "The Legend of Lake Vrana" will be held here, organized by the Frane Petrić Elementary School.

The Arsan Palace, home of the Cres Museum, also opens its doors. Visitors will be able to see as many as three interesting exhibitions: "Heraldic Cres," which tells the story of the island's noble families, "Three Stories about the Arsan Palace," and "Cres Cuisine," which reveals the gastronomic heritage. In front of the museum, as part of the "Renaissance in the Cres Way" program, Dario Sobol will perform. Music will also resonate through other streets – in Cres Statute Street, Dianora Kučić will play the piano, while St. Sidar Street will host a series of concerts by Vanja Čerić, who will perform solo and in combinations with Boris Šargonja and Marko Arich.

For those who want to delve deeper into history, costumed guided tours of the town in English are organized, starting every evening at 8 PM in front of the town loggia. Mali Mandrać, the picturesque little harbor, will be dedicated to maritime heritage and an exhibition of traditional wooden boats. A special experience will be the nighttime parade of these boats in the Cres harbor, scheduled for Wednesday, August 6th, at 9 PM. In Cons Square, the youngest will be delighted by an old-fashioned carousel and a demonstration of a smithy at work.

From plays and folklore to sports and tombola

A special place in the program is occupied by the return of the cult play "Kako je Ive šel prosit" (How Ive Went Courting), based on the motifs of Chekhov's "The Proposal." After its premiere in 1997 and exceptional success, the play returns to the stage with the original cast consisting of Luiza Mužić, Franjo Sablić, and Marijan Sablić, under the direction of Serđo Dlačić. The performance is scheduled for Wednesday, August 6th, at 9:30 PM at the Summer Cinema, with free admission. The day before, on Tuesday, at 8 PM in Pjaceta Square, an open dress rehearsal will be held, at the same location where the play premiered 28 years ago. The same square will be the place where Edo Flego and his accordionist friends will show how people used to socialize and have fun, and the Ruta Cres association will organize wool felting workshops.

Tradition will also come to life in the square Pod urom, by the town bell tower, where on Wednesday from 8:30 PM, members of the Orlec folklore society will hold a "Little School of Orlec Folklore," demonstrating their traditional dances accompanied by Mario Mužić on the bagpipes (meh).

The Cres Fair is also unimaginable without sports competitions. In the days leading up to and during the event, sports clubs organize tournaments in basketball (3x3), chess, and sailing, as well as a fishing competition for children and the popular tournaments in briškula and trešete (card games). The official award ceremony for the best will be held on Thursday, August 7th, at 8:30 PM on the central Trg Frane Petrića square.

The highlight of the evening entertainment will follow immediately after. On Thursday at 9 PM, organized by the Association of Pensioners of Cres, the traditional, always tense, and prize-rich tombola will be held. The main music program on Trg Frane Petrića brings performances by top artists: on Tuesday, August 5th, the audience will be entertained by Night Express, Wednesday is reserved for an energetic performance by Soulfingers & Marijo Petreković, while on Thursday, after the tombola, the final celebration will be graced by a joint performance of klapas Teha and Burin. The organization of this major event is managed by the Cres Tourist Board, with key support from the Town of Cres and the Kvarner Tourist Board.