Genealogy Returns To CroatiaFest

Robert Jerin, Genealogist

Robert Jerin, who hosts the very popular Facebook page “The Croatian Heritage and Genealogy Facebook Group”,will be the featured genealogist at 2018 CroatiaFest on October 7th.

Robert has been researching Croatian family histories since 1986.  And for the past 16 years he has been conducting Croatian Genealogy Workshops across the United States and Croatia.  His Facebook page has over 9,300 followers.

He will give a presentation at CroatiaFest at 3:15 in the East Loft #3 lecture room located on the 3rd floor of the Armory, which will focus on how to determine your ancestor’s exact place of origin and how and where to locate records of your ancestors.  Come to CroatiaFest on Sunday, October 7th and visit his booth located upstairs on the 3rd floor of the Armory just outside of the Art Gallery, where he will be available to talk with you and to answer your questions.

CroatiaFest Wine Cellars

Wine Tasting

CroatiaFest will again provide, in a more casual setting, an opportunity to taste wines produced by Croatian-American vintners Sunce Winery from Santa Rosa, CA and Ancestry Cellars of Woodinville, WA. Imported wines will be presented by Balkan Market, Seattle Wine Outlet, and Big John’s PFI. The wines will also be available for purchase to take home to enjoy.   The Wine Cellars will be open from 1:00 – 5:30. With your $15.00 entrance fee, your wrist band will allow you to come in and out of the Wine Cellars at your leisure. You will receive a CroatiaFest souvenir etched wine glass and tokens for 5 tasting pours from these extraordinary vendors.    Tickets may be purchased in advanced at www.croatiafest.org or at the door on the day of the festival.

Make your way upstairs to 3rd floor of the Armory to Lecture Room West Loft #2 to taste some of the best wines from California, Washington and Croatia, enjoy some live music and perhaps buy a bottle or two of fine wine.  After all, the holidays are just around the corner. 

Zivjeli!

Wine Classroom

As an added attraction CroatiaFest has added free classes in the Wine Classroom located on the 3rd floor of the Armory in West Loft Lecture Room #1A.  Here, Richard Kinssies of Seattle Wine Outlet, former Seattle PI wine critic and author of “The Art of Wine Tasting” will teach you how to properly taste wine.  You will also learn about the process of making wine from vintner Jason Morin of Ancestry Cellars of Woodinville.  To round out the classroom, Jayne Morris of Vitis Renaissance Wine Tours will give a presentation of tours of vineyards and wineries of Croatia. 

Classroom Schedule:

1:30     Richard Kinssies

2:30     Jason Morin

3:30     Jayne Morris

Sinovi Orchestra of Chicago

Many of you have had the pleasure of being entertained by Sinovi Orchestra of Chicago.  This very popular band has performed in Seattle at several past CFU Lodge 439 picnics.  They were the headline band at CroatiaFest 2011.  Three musicians are graduates of the famed Duquesne Tamburizans. Band members consist of:  Steve Kirin, Prim; Joe Gornick, Bass; Nick Gornick, Bugarija; Toma Vucinic, Bugarija; Mark Oreskovich, Bugarija.

Tamburaški Sastav Ponoć

Tamburaški Sastav Ponoć of Pittsburgh are also graduates of Duquesne Tamburitzans.  This will be their first appearance at CroatiaFest.

The band members include: Peter Kosovec, John Huckle, Mark Stafura, Ben Wagner, Nikola Vranesevic.

Each group has their unique style and repertoire. Both bands will perform at the Saturday night kick off dance and sing-along at the Russian Community Center on October 6th.  They will also be appearing on the main stage at CroatiaFest on Sunday, October 7th.

CroatiaFest

CroatiaFest is held in the Seattle Center Armory and features continuous live performances on the main stage. In addition to the wonderful music, dance and food that make our culture so unique, there are food demonstrations and vendors selling Croatian merchandise.

The festival will feature:

• Music & Dance Performances
• Croatia Travel Today
• Historical Exhibits
• Souvenirs of Croatia
• Market Place
• Cooking Demonstrations
• Authentic Food
• Crafts for Kids

Festival Highlights

October 6, 2018 - Saturday Evening Events

Croatian Mass - Join us for mass 5:00 PM at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 732 18th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112. Traditional Croatian Catholic hymns will be played and sung by Tamburaški Orkestar Kardinal Stepinac

Croatian Dance Party - Dance and Sing-along at the Russian Community Center (across the street from St. Joseph). Admission is only $10, and there will be Croatian food available for a la carte purchase catered by the Seattle Jr. Tamburitizan parents. A no-host bar will feature a variety of wines and imported Croatian Karlovacko Pivo. Come dance and sing along to new as well as the old standard Croatian songs. This year featured tambura orchestras will be Tamburaški Sastav Ponoć of Pittsburg and Sinovi of Chicago. 

October 7, 2018 - All-Day Festival

Festivities begin at Seattle Center Armory with opening ceremonies at noon. The festival will include:

MAIN STAGE ENTERTAINMENT:  All day performances by some of the finest Croatian Music and Dances Ensembles from the United States and Canada. 

FUN FOR KIDS: CroatiaFest invites families with children to stop by Kids Activity Booth on the main floor of the Armory to engage in one of the many crafts that will be available for the young ones.

CROATIAN CONSULAR DAYS: Don't miss this chance to get or renew your important Croatian documents, passport or citizenship in Seattle. Phone: Croatian Consulate Office in Los Angeles 310-477-1009.

CULTURE: The Art Gallery displays various genre of works created by local Croatian artists. Original antique Croatian costumes can be viewed throughout the gallery. 

TRADITIONS: Two different cooking demonstrations will take place in the new John Sarich Memorial Cooking Stage located upstairs on the 3rd floor of the Armory.

HISTORY:  Exhibition panels feature the history of Croatian Americans who have contributed to the building of the United States of America., immigrant stories and photo display.

Homeland: Plan your next trip to Croatia by spending some time at the Croatia Travel Today booth. Once again a representative from Adriatic Tours from Los Angeles will be on hand to answer your questions, book your flight and give you guidelines to help with your travel plans.

FOOD! FOOD! FOOD! CroatiaFest will have seven food booths at this year's festival, four outside and three inside the Armory. Outside: Traditional BBQ lamb on the spit, grilled čevapčići with ajvar, Croatian style sausages and cheese & meat filled burek. Inside: Sarma (cabbage rolls), povitica (walnut roll) palacinke (crepes). Follow your nose and stop by each booth to enjoy traditional and delicious Croatian cuisine. You are welcome to bring your entree into the newly expanded Quincy's Bar to enjoy a Karlovacko Pivo (or your favorite beverage).

CROATIAN WINE CELLARS: Wine enthusiasts are invited to participate in CroatiaFest Wine Cellars.  This event will again provide opportunity to taste wines produced by Croatian-American vintners or imported from Croatia.  These wines will also be available for sale.  As an added attraction, the event has been expanded to include a Wine Classroom.  Here, our experts will teach you how to make and properly taste wine.  You will also learn about wine tours in Croatia Must be 21 years and older with ID for admittance.

QUINCY’S EXPANDED BEER GARDEN: You are welcome purchase food at anyone of CroatiaFest’s seven food booths (4 outside and 3 inside the Armory) or from anyone of the Armory food vendors along the perimeter of the Armory and take your entrée into Quincy’s to enjoy a Karlovačko Pivo or your favorite beverage in the newly expanded beer garden.

MERCHANT VENDORS:  A variety of Croatian goods and souvenirs for your shopping pleasure.

INFORMATION BOOTH: Stop by the CroatiaFest Information booth to pick up the beautifully designed souvenir program, take a handout of the schedule of the day’s activities, or purchase tickets to the wine tasting. Our staff of volunteers are ready to answer your questions.

GENEALOGY: An opportunity to speak with an expert genealogist about tracing your ancestral Croatian roots.