From the morning, the following invited visitors to their stands in the Market Square: Tomaszów Bolesławiecki, Osiecznica-Kliczków, Wykroty, Dobra, Kierżno, Bożejowice-Rakowice, Zebrzydowa, as well as the “Kobiet Aktywnych” Lipiany Association and the Association of Re-emigrants from Bosnia, Their Descendants and Friends. City residents and guests could sample Balkan cuisine specialities here: traditional pita with toppings (spicy and savoury), goulash soup and pepper soup. Once again, a culinary competition was held for “good pita” and a “Balkan cauldron”. A culinary attraction was pečenica, a festive dish served in the countries of the former Yugoslavia. The Association of Re-emigrants from Bosnia, Their Descendants and Friends presented the exhibition “Poles on Bosnian Soil”.
At 3:00 p.m., a colourful procession of folk ensembles passed through the city. The participants included: KGW Osiecznica-Kliczków, the “Nasza biesiada” Ensemble, the “Podgrodzianki” Ensemble, KGW Wykroty, GZPiT Jutrzenka, the Association of Re-emigrants from Bosnia, Their Descendants and Friends, the “Niespodzianka” Ensemble from Tomaszów Bolesławiecki, the “Leśne Nastroje” Ensemble, ZPiT “Bolesławiec”, Kapela Herbutów, the Niezapominajki Ensemble, KGW Zebrzydowa, KGW Tomaszów Bolesławiecki, KGW Dobra, the “Lipiany” Association of Active Women, KGW Kierżno, KGW Bożejowice–Rakowice, Puhački Orkestar Brass Band DVD and Valpovo Jovalius Bend.
On the stage in the Market Square, the procession participants and guests were welcomed by: the Mayor of Bolesławiec Piotr Roman, commune head Andrzej Dutkowski, Chair of the City Council Jarosław Kowalski, director of BOK-MCC Ewa Lijewska-Małachowska, president of the Association of Re-emigrants from Bosnia, Their Descendants and Friends Halina Waniak, and distinguished guests: Natalia Szczucka, director of the Regional Representation of the European Commission, Magdalena Żelazny-Stokłosa, representative of the European Commission, Duško Kovačević, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Republic of Poland, Radojko Bogojević, Ambassador of Serbia, Leon Źulj, Mayor of Valpovo, Zvonko Barišić, secretary of the City of Valpovo and director of the Cultural Activities Institution Ante Evetović Miroljub, Mirjana Paušak, curator-manager of the Valpovo Museum at the Cultural Activities Institution Ante Evetović Miroljub, and Adrijana Jurij, chair of the “Wisła” Polish Cultural Association from Osijek.
A major attraction was the guests and residents of Bolesławiec dancing the Kolo. The local folk ensembles then took the stage: the “Jutrzenka” Municipal Song and Dance Ensemble, the Association of Re-emigrants from Bosnia, Their Descendants and Friends, the “Niespodzianka” Ensemble, the “Leśne Nastroje” Ensemble, the “Bolesławiec” Song and Dance Ensemble, and Kapela Herbutów Niezapominajki.
Concerts by invited guests from Croatia were planned for the evening. Two ensembles from Croatia performed. One was Puhački Orkestar Brass Band DVD Valpovo, founded in 1890 and one of the oldest brass bands in the Republic of Croatia. The festival concluded with a performance by the vocal and instrumental group Jovalius Bend from Valpovo. The group performs throughout Croatia at numerous entertainment events, meetings and weddings. Its repertoire includes popular Croatian and foreign dance and entertainment hits, as well as folk music performed on mandolins, which are part of the cultural landscape of this part of Croatia.
The organisers of the 15th edition of the festival were the Municipality of Bolesławiec and the Bolesławiec Cultural Centre – International Ceramics Centre. Once again, the Regional Representation of the European Commission in Poland and the Association of Re-emigrants from Bosnia, Their Descendants and Friends co-organised this important event for Bolesławiec. The honorary patronage was provided by the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia. This year’s edition was co-financed by the National Centre for Culture under the Culture – Interventions 2015 programme and by the KGHM Polska Miedź Foundation.
