Along with the opening of the exhibition and the presentation of the commemorative St. George picture book, the ”Processions of St. George the Green” were held in Kumrovec

In the surroundings of the "Old Village" Museum Kumrovec, on Saturday, April 25, the traditional event Processions of St. George the Green was held. The program began with the ceremonial opening of the exhibition Golden Furrow - From Ploughing to Harvest in Hrvatsko Zagorje, authored by Tihana Kušenić, senior curator of the "Old Village" Museum. The exhibition presents a comprehensive overview of traditional life related to the land, work and the fruits of annual cycles. It follows the path of grain - from the first furrow and soil preparation, through sowing and growth, all the way to harvest, threshing and final processing into flour. Thematic units present methods of tilling the land, types of grains that were sown, traditional tools and skills, as well as the everyday life of farmers - including the harvester's diet and joint work in the field. The exhibition also provides insight into the use of straw in everyday life, as well as the wealth of customs and symbolism - from weaving a wreath of the last sheaf to harvest ceremonies filled with song, gratitude and togetherness.

The opening of the exhibition was followed by the presentation of the author's picture book and manual on St. George's customs of Mađarevo called Dora and the kinč tell St. George's tale, by Tibor Martan, an ethnologist and drama pedagogue. The picture book was created as a result of workshops with children from the regional school in Mađarevo, where St. George's customs are still cherished today, next to the church of St. George. St. George's customs are depicted with kinč and various figures made of crepe paper, made by members of the association "Magda and Luisa", and interpreted in the local dialect, which contributes to the importance of this professional manual.

The crowning achievement of the entire event was the presentation of St. George's customs performed by the Ethno Association "Zipka".

The program was led by Mateja Harapin, curator educator of the "Old Village" Museum, and the audience was addressed by the author of the exhibition and the author of the picture book, as well as Jurica Sabol, director of the Museums of Hrvatsko Zagorje, Tomislav Škvorc, president of the municipal council of the Municipality of Kumrovec accompanied by Danijela Lončar, Željka Jelavić, retired museum advisor and educator, Krešo Plantak Večerin, educator advisor at the Varaždin Kindergarten, and Mladen Kuhar, head of the Department for Ethnographic and Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, who officially declared the exhibition open.

The program was enriched by Karmen and Helena Beneković, members of the Cultural and artistic society "Braća Radić" Visoko, who performed several folk songs on the theme of St. George and harvest customs.

We would like to thank the members of the Gotali Association for the wheat harvest demonstration and their president Ines Kuna Lihtar for the organization, as well as the members of the Biserna Dolina Association for the rye harvest demonstration.

The exhibition will remain open until June 30, 2026.

Photos: Mladen Ban Photography