In the municipality of Fužine, the sweetest festival Medun fest is held, dedicated to forest meduna, the Goranian superfood, and opens the revitalized Gorica Historical Park with attractive cultural content.
Medun Fest – the sweetest festival in Gorski kotar
Saturday, September 7 and Sunday, September 8 are dedicated to forest meduna, the nutritionally valuable and sweetest promoter of Gorski kotar. The fifth edition of Medun Fest, a unique gastronomic manifestation that has become a recognizable platform for the promotion of forest medusa, provides visitors with an extremely rich and attractive program this year.
The festival begins on Saturday, September 7, with a family hike through the beautiful landscapes of Lič and Fužine from 11:30 a.m. With a welcome drink and a honey snack, participants will take a tourist train ride to Fužine and enjoy a walk along Lake Bajer and a gentle ascent to Preradović's peak, which offers a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. The all-day program in the center of Lič includes a variety of events, from viewing the Ethnographic Collection to thematic workshops, a family honeymoon bike ride and a variety of fun activities. Special mention should be made of the extremely interesting lecture by Korad Korlević, a world-renowned Croatian astronomer, on the topic "Climate change - Gorski kotar", about the importance of the forest community and beekeeping for the preservation of the environment. The lecture is held from 13:30 p.m. to 15:XNUMX p.m. in the Lič Center of Culture.
The central entertainment program starts at 16:XNUMX p.m. in the center of Lič, when visitors can expect a series of events. In the afternoon, don't miss the delicious cooking show of Kasandra Draganić, owner of the portal Vilicom kroz Croatia, and chef Damir Perman, who will prepare specialties with meduna. Visitors will be able to enjoy homemade products, ice cream and honeydew cocktails, as well as creative workshops for children. By the way, the first jellyfish ice cream was created by the famous Croatian chef Dino Galvagno, in collaboration with Marko Stojević, a famous confectioner. Guest appearance by Josipa Kujundžić from Novska, physiotherapist and apitherapist, who has been presenting the subject of good practice examples in the segments of apitherapy, apiturism and apinhalation to the professional public for five years.
Saturday's program is completed by traditional Goran games such as shoulder throwing, horseshoe throwing and tug-of-war competitions, and the musical event will be completed by the performances of the Vrelo Choir, the Žažara Band and the KUD Delnica. The happy and healthy atmosphere will be additionally spiced up with a fun zone for children with inflatables and a ride on a tourist train, while the winner of the competition for the most beautiful garden, garden or balcony will be announced in the evening.
For all visitors from Rijeka, there is a Honey Train that departs from the main railway station in Rijeka on Saturday at 15:30 p.m., and arrives in Lič at 16:18 p.m. The return from Lič will be on Saturday at 20:45. Tickets can be purchased at the Rijeka main railway station during office hours. The train travels directly and does not stop at other stations.
Sunday: tastings and opening of the Gorica Historical Park with a concert by Sandra Bagarić
Sunday, September 8, brings another specialty of the festival - Medun Walk & Taste, a guided tasting tour "Taste the medun". Visitors will have the opportunity to taste various bee products, visit local OPGs and enjoy a ride around Lake Bajer with expert guidance, presentations about honey and tasting bee products from OPG Milošević at Lake Lepenica, as well as a visit to OPG Zanoškar with tasting. This trip will not only allow visitors to enjoy bee products from OPG Milošević and learn about the honey production process at OPG Zanoškar, but will also introduce them to the daily effort and dedication of small producers. Along with the gastronomic trip, a honey family bike ride will be organized.
The highlight of the day is the ceremonial opening of the revitalized Gorica Historical Park starting at 19 p.m., a place that will provide a haven for cultural events, recreation and socializing in a more intimate environment. Gorica Park has great historical and cultural value for the local community, and its opening represents an important step in preserving and reviving the tradition of Fužine.
In addition to serving as a location for future cultural events, the park will attract visitors with its landscaped space in search of peace, recreation and enjoyment of nature. The grand opening of the Gorica Historical Park will be musically enriched by a concert by the famous Croatian opera singer Sandra Bagarić and the Tuhtan family and the Vrelo choir, providing the perfect end to a weekend full of experiences.
Driving along the picturesque lakes Bajer and Lepenica adds a special atmosphere to this gastronomic trip, making it
not only a culinary, but also a visually inspiring adventure. The real charm of this trip lies in what
allows personal contact with the people behind the product, which is an impulse that encourages many to
embark on this unique gastronomic adventure.
Medun Fest and the opening of the Gorica Historical Park invite visitors to a weekend filled with fun, learning and gastronomic delights, emphasizing the importance of preserving the natural and cultural heritage of Gorski kotar. Do not miss the opportunity to become part of this unique story.
