Guča

The Dragačevo Trumpet Festival in Guča, as a vital extension of a funfair, with years has become an event that transcends the borders of Serbia. Every year in August more and more visitors from both Serbia and abroad – hundreds of thousand of them – flood Guča, a small Dragačevo town.  They all want to hear to roaring sounds of trumpets, but also to experience an unparalleled atmosphere of the biggest funfair on the Balkans.

Along with the festival, there are old time Serbian food recipes being prepared and cooked for the visitors and Serbian drinks served. Folk artists put on show and for sale their handiwork: painters, sculptors, artisans – weavers, cobblers or opanak makers, potters,  harness makers, carpenters, pastry chefs …  There is an all-around sport tournament for the young men, as well, competing in traditional national sports: wrestling, high jump and standing long jump, stone throwing, shooting an apple through a ring … There are tents everywhere packed with guests whether it be night or day. In the end, there is the final all-around music contest – the great concert which will decide the outcome – the best orchestra and the best trumpeter of Serbia.

ART

Guča, a film musical (2006)

GEOGRAPHY

Guča, Lučani Municipality, Dragačevo

HISTORY

At the First Festival held in 1961, orchestras had to perform both the compulsory and free programme. The compulsory programme consisted of a given set of songs, like: Sa Ovčara i Kablara (From Ovčar and Kablar) and Bledi mesec zagrlio zvezdu Danicu (Pale Moon Holding the Morning Star). Then they had to play for two different circuit dances or a circuit dance and a march – whichever they prefered. Only four orchestras participated in the contest, all from Dragačevo.