MORE THAN 2,500 VISITORS AT SRBAC'S "TRACTORIJADA"

The eighth annual "Traktorijada" in Srbac, held at the agricultural aviation runway in Povelič, attracted over 2,500 visitors from across the region. The event featured around 250 tractors, with the most skilled drivers showcasing their abilities in tractor pulling and log dragging competitions.

PHOTO: Glas Srpske

One of the organizers, Aleksandar Nježić, stated that this year's event was one of the largest "Traktorijadas" to date, with participants coming from Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, the Republic of Srpska, and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"This was also a sort of agricultural fair, as visitors had the opportunity to see the latest generation of tractors, disc harrows, seeders, and other machinery, as well as numerous vintage tractors that drew a lot of attention," Nježić said, as reported by Glas Srpske.

The event also took on a culinary dimension, with many teams preparing grilled meats and other specialties.

Among them were locals from Sitneš and Lepenica near Srbac, who, alongside grilling and spit-roasting chicken, also demonstrated the traditional making of "čvarci" (pork cracklings).

"This is one of our people's traditions, and despite that, many younger people have never seen how it's done, so we decided to demonstrate this skill. It would be great if Srbac organized a 'Čvarkijada' (crackling festival), as we already have 'Kupusijada' (cabbage festival), 'Kobasicijada' (sausage festival), 'Kotlićijada' (stew festival), and 'Gastro fest' where they prepare chicken and fish," said Siniša Rakić, a representative of the team.

A regular attendee of the Srbac "Traktorijada" is a team of about thirty members from Donja Slatina near Šamac, who organize the famous "Slatinska Traktorijada." This year, they brought a special attraction in the form of a "tractor barbecue," which they claim is unique in the Balkans and Europe.

"Five years ago, we bought an old 750-horsepower tractor without an engine and converted it into a barbecue. That's why we're invited to tractor events all over the Lijevča field and other areas, as our stand is always the most visited," said Živan Ilić from Donja Slatina.

Visitors also had the chance to try roasted bull on a spit, and various musical performances were organized throughout the day. The Srbac "Traktorijada" is now a regular feature in the annual calendar of events, with funding provided by the municipality of Srbac.