The Picnic in Rakitnica on May 1 brings May Day socializing, tradition and a walk to Velika Mrdakovica
The traditional Picnic in Rakitnica will be held on Friday, May 1, 2026, starting at 10 a.m., in the Rakitnica area near the Church of St. John. The event is organized by the Vodice Tourist Board, and the program is designed as an all-day gathering in nature with music, traditional gastronomy and an introduction to the cultural and historical heritage of the Vodice hinterland. It is an event that is associated every year with the May Day atmosphere, spending time outdoors and gathering in an area that has important local historical and symbolic value. An appropriate program has been announced for visitors, featuring a musical ensemble and the Cultural Association Vodiške perlice, with special emphasis on a presentation of the preparation of wild greens and polenta, dishes connected with the tradition and everyday life of this region. As an indispensable part of the May Day gathering, traditional beans will also be provided for all visitors.
May Day program with music, local food and customs
The Picnic in Rakitnica is based on a simple but clearly recognizable concept: gathering in a natural setting, socializing with food and music, and presenting customs that are passed on through local associations and the community. According to the organizers' announcement, the program takes place near the Church of St. John in Rakitnica, and the start is scheduled for 10 a.m. Along with the musical part of the program, the Cultural Association Vodiške perlice will present the customs of preparing wild greens and polenta, which also gives the event an educational dimension because it brings visitors closer to a part of the local food heritage. Wild greens, polenta and beans are presented not only as a suitable food offering, but also as a reminder of a more modest, seasonal and locally available cuisine that marked life in the Dalmatian hinterland.
In such a program, its informal nature is especially important. The picnic is not conceived as a classic stage event in which the audience only observes, but as a meeting in a space where music, the aromas of homemade food and conversation blend with the landscape. That is precisely why Rakitnica in this announcement is not just a backdrop, but an important part of the story. The area near the Church of St. John allows the May Day gathering to move away from the city bustle and shift into an ambience that connects nature, tradition and traces of older settlements. For those planning a longer stay in Vodice or coming from outside the venue, a practical option may also be
accommodation in Vodice near the starting point for Rakitnica, especially if a visit to the picnic is to be connected with a tour of the coast, the hinterland and archaeological sites.
Rakitnica as a space of history and local identity
Rakitnica is important in the event announcement not only because of the area where the picnic is held, but also because of the historical layer associated with that settlement. In its information on archaeological and historical sites, the Vodice Tourist Board states that the settlement of Rakitnica is mentioned in 1311, while even today the remains of former houses and dry-stone walls can be discerned. The local Church of St. John the Baptist, located near the village, according to the same source, was built in 1445, when the parish of Rakitnica was also founded. Such information gives additional weight to the choice of location for the May Day event, because the gathering takes place in an area that for centuries was connected with the life, defense, faith and everyday life of the local population.
The history of Rakitnica also includes periods of conflict and changes of rule. According to data from the Vodice Tourist Board, the Šibenik nobles, the then owners of Rakitnica, together with the villagers began building the Gradina castle in 1509 on a steep ridge above the settlement for defense against the Ottomans. In the 17th century, battles for Rakitnica were fought between the Ottoman and Venetian armies, and peace came only at the end of the century, after the Ottomans left this area. This historical framework does not change the present-day character of the picnic as a relaxed gathering, but it makes it richer in content: visitors who come for beans, greens, polenta and music actually come to a space in which layers of centuries-old history can be read.
Guided walking tour to Velika Mrdakovica
One of the most important parts of the program is a guided walking tour to the Liburnian-Roman archaeological site at Velika Mrdakovica. According to available announcements by the Tourist Board, the tour starts from the picnic location during the morning, and the official event announcement states a departure at 11:15 a.m., while some announcements also mention a time around 11:30 a.m. For this reason, it is most practical for participants to arrive earlier and check the exact schedule at the location itself. The walk itself is an important addition to the program because the picnic does not remain only a gastronomic and entertainment gathering, but also becomes an opportunity to get to know one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Vodice area.
Velika Mrdakovica, also known as Arauzona, is described in the information of the Vodice Tourist Board as a rich archaeological site from the pre-Roman period. About a hundred graves have been discovered at this site, some of which date from the fourth century before Christ. Based on found artifacts and the records of ancient writers, experts connect the site with Arauzona, a Liburnian-Roman settlement mentioned by Pliny. In this context, the guided tour to Velika Mrdakovica has a broader value than an ordinary walk: it enables visitors to connect a May Day outing with archaeology, the older history of the Adriatic and the story of the settlement of the area long before modern tourist and urban flows.
Why Velika Mrdakovica is important for the Vodice area
In recent years, Velika Mrdakovica has been mentioned more and more often in the public sphere as one of the key sites for understanding the oldest history of the Vodice area. According to an announcement by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, a total of 1,771,500 euros has been secured for programs for the protection and preservation of archaeological heritage in 2026. Among the approved programs of terrestrial archaeological heritage is also a project connected with the Velika Mrdakovica site, that is, the Liburnian and Roman necropolis, for which the City of Vodice has been approved 10,000 euros. Such funds are not merely an administrative item in public financing, but confirmation that the site is viewed as an important part of cultural heritage that requires further research, documentation and protection.
According to available data, Velika Mrdakovica encompasses the area of a former settlement connected with the Liburnian and Roman periods. In the broader picture, this site shows how the area of present-day Vodice and its surroundings was included in important communication, economic and cultural flows long before modern tourism. The mention of the necropolis, finds and settlement points to a complex picture of life, death, trade and social relations in periods that preceded modern borders and administrative divisions. That is why the walking tour to the site as part of the Picnic in Rakitnica is more than an additional excursion: it is an example of how local events can popularize cultural heritage without turning into a dry lecture.
Free transport from the bus station in Vodice
For easier arrival in Rakitnica, free transport from the bus station in Vodice has been organized. According to the organizers' announcement, departures start at 8:30 a.m. and will run every half hour. This information is especially important because the event location is not in the city center itself, and organized transport enables arrival also for those who do not plan to use a personal car. Free transport also reduces pressure on the area around the picnic location, makes arrival organization easier and makes the event more accessible to a wider circle of visitors. Given that the program begins at 10 a.m., earlier departures make it possible to arrive before the start, find a place and join the program without haste.
Organizational details such as transport often determine how pleasant an event will be for visitors. In the case of Rakitnica, this is especially important because the event is based on staying in nature and informal movement between the socializing area, the gastronomic part and the starting point of the walking tour. Visitors coming for several days will find it useful to plan their arrival in advance, especially if they want to connect the picnic with a tour of Vodice, a walk toward the hinterland or a visit to nearby cultural points. In that sense,
accommodation for visitors to Vodice and Rakitnica can be a practical choice for those who want to avoid returning the same day and use the May Day period for a shorter break.
Gastro heritage as part of the experience
The announced presentation of the preparation of wild greens and polenta connects the event with traditional cuisine, but also with a way of life in which dishes were shaped according to the season, the availability of ingredients and everyday needs. Wild greens in the Dalmatian hinterland have a long presence in the kitchen, and their preparation is often linked to knowledge of wild plants, local customs and simple recipes. Polenta, as a filling dish made from cornmeal, was in many environments an important part of the diet, especially in periods when cooking was done with basic and available ingredients. By including the Cultural Association Vodiške perlice in the program, such knowledge is presented not only as a folkloric addition, but as a living part of local identity.
Traditional beans, announced for all visitors, fit into the broader May Day custom of gathering around a simple, warm and communal dish. Such a gastronomic element also has a social function: it gathers people at the same table, encourages conversation and creates an atmosphere that is difficult to achieve with a formal program. Precisely because of this, food at the Picnic in Rakitnica is not merely an incidental offering, but one of the central elements of the event. It connects Labor Day, spending time in nature, local customs and a sense of community, while relying on ingredients and dishes that are recognizable, understandable and close to a wide audience.
Vodice between the coast, hinterland and cultural heritage
The Picnic in Rakitnica further shows that the tourist and cultural offer of Vodice is not exhausted only in the coastal area. Although Vodice is widely known as a coastal destination, events such as this draw attention to the hinterland, archaeological sites, old paths, dry-stone walls and lesser-known historical points. Such an approach is important for the development of more sustainable tourism because it encourages visitors to leave the usual routes, get to know the area beyond beaches and city promenades, and better understand the layers of local history. Rakitnica and Velika Mrdakovica naturally connect to each other in this respect: the first through medieval and early modern traces of settlement, and the second through the pre-Roman and Roman archaeological layer.
For visitors planning to come to Vodice precisely because of the May Day program, the value of the event may also lie in the fact that different contents can be combined in one day: morning arrival by organized transport, socializing near the Church of St. John, traditional food, music and a walking tour to the archaeological site. Such a rhythm suits families, recreational visitors, heritage lovers, but also everyone who wants a calmer day away from city crowds. Those who want to stay longer can consider
accommodation offers in Vodice for the May Day weekend, especially if they want to connect the event with a tour of Srima, Prvić, the Vodice coast or other excursion sites in the Šibenik area.
An event that connects rest, heritage and the local community
The Picnic in Rakitnica in 2026 is being held at a time when events that are not only mass gatherings, but offer an authentic relationship with the space in which they arise, are increasingly valued. In this case, that means connecting May Day tradition, local gastronomy, music, nature and archaeological heritage. The program does not try to artificially separate entertainment from education: visitors can come for the beans and socializing, and along the way learn why Rakitnica, the Church of St. John and Velika Mrdakovica are important in a historical and cultural sense. Such a combination gives the event recognizability and makes it suitable for a wider audience, regardless of whether someone comes because of tradition, nature, archaeology or simply a pleasant day outdoors.
According to the announcement, the key organizational elements have already been defined: the event begins at 10 a.m., it is held on May 1 near the Church of St. John in Rakitnica, a musical and traditional program is planned, beans are being prepared for visitors, and free transport from Vodice has also been organized from 8:30 a.m. every half hour. The guided tour to Velika Mrdakovica further expands the program and gives it a cultural and historical dimension. Ultimately, the Picnic in Rakitnica has been announced as an event that, through a simple format, opens space for a meeting of people, nature and heritage, and that simplicity is precisely its greatest strength.
Sources:- Vodice Tourist Board – announcement of the Picnic in Rakitnica event, program, location and transport (link)- Vodice Tourist Board – information on archaeological sites, Rakitnica and Velika Mrdakovica – Arauzona (link)- Šibenik-Knin County Tourist Board / Visit Vodice – announcement of the Picnic in Rakitnica event for May 1, 2026 (link)- Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia – announcement on funds for programs for the protection and preservation of archaeological heritage in 2026 (link)- Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia – programs for the protection and preservation of terrestrial archaeological heritage in 2026 (link)- Infovodice – report on approved funding for research at Velika Mrdakovica (link)
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