In the 9th century, in the time of Gregory the Great, a church measure of obligatory fasting was prescribed on Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The Sunday preceding Ash Wednesday was called Latin Dominica Carnis close, or meatless Sunday, and the people simply called it carnival. But around the 15th century, fasting was replaced in the broadest circles by very opposite customs - strong food, entertainment, drink and disguise under which everything is allowed. This is how carnival festivities, or carnivals, came into being. The word carnival comes from the word klasti, or to disguise oneself, a Carnival comes from the name for Shrove Tuesday, which in old Zagreb was called fašenk.
Samobor fašnik is one of the oldest carnival festivities in Croatia and one of the largest tourist events in the continental part of Croatia. The first written document about Samobor the carnival confirms that it was held in 1827, and it is probable that it was held earlier, but there is no written evidence of this.
Pre-jubilee Samobor carnival
This year's program 199th Samobor Carnival will be held under the theme Close encounters of the carnival species: from the Magpie's Nest to the carnival stars! The event will be held from Friday, February 21st to Tuesday, March 4th in Samobor.
The carnival spectacle begins on Friday, February 21st at 19 p.m. when the Mayor of the City of Samobor, Petra Škrobot, hands over the keys to the city and is proclaimed. Free Carnival RepublicMasked groups of numerous participants will turn Samobor into a place of constant two-week entertainment.
At one of the oldest traditional carnival events in these areas, visitors can expect a multitude of surprises, artistic performances and colorful events that will inspire the carnival spirit on the streets and squares of Samobor. This year's 199th Samobor Carnival promises an unforgettable experience filled with laughter, music and colorful costumes. The rich program will enliven the streets of Samobor and bring an unforgettable atmosphere of joy.
The fun continues this year too in the carnival tent where part of the concerts will be held, out of a total of 14. The audience will be entertained in the carnival tent by, among others, Maja Šuput, Goran Bare i Majke, Grupa Vigor, Ivan Zak, Begini, Neda Ukraden and many others, and the carnival will end with a musical spectacle, a concert by Jelena Rozga on the Square of Carnival Greats.
More than three thousand masked participants are expected
This year, more than 600 primary school students from the Samobor area, 20 groups of almost 500 kindergarten children and more than 1000 masked children from other parts of Croatia are expected to attend the Samobor Carnival. The Samobor Tourist Board points out that more than three thousand masked participants in groups from all over Croatia will be presenting themselves at this year's event. Visitors will be able to enjoy dance, art workshops and performances, and a large number of prizes are also provided for masked visitors and groups.
Carnival is also accompanied by sporting events, and a novelty of this year's Carnival is the Carnival Run - the first carnival road race under masks which will take place on Friday, February 28. Each participant will receive a Carnival Race T-shirt, and registration is still ongoing, until February 26.
At the pre-jubilee Samobor Carnival, for the first time, there will be Padel tournament of foolsAlong with sports news, there will be a traditional Squirrel, a masked orienteering competition, then Carnival football league champions of local committees and city districts and the traditional carnival round Samobor Winter Trail Leagues.
From February 21st to March 4th, Samobor becomes the Free Carnival Republic when the Sraka, Princ, Sudec and Fiškal with their masks take over. Join the galactic Samobor Carnival where the streets will turn into a space arena of top-notch entertainment, and the city will become the epicenter of all the powers of the galaxy.
Show your carnival spirit, put on a mask and have fun with the craziest program. Indulge in the fun and don't forget: "Fools are fools every day, but smart people only on Carnival!"
///Samobor Carnival declared an intangible cultural asset
Photo: Edin Tuzlak
