Mama Brings Let 3 to the Black Sheep, ŠČ!

The Black Sheep Festival is its own biggest competition. Yet, every year, it manages to surprise itself with an even stronger and blacker lineup for all the fans of this popular event in Baška on the island of Krk. This year, Mrle and Prlja, and the rest of the Let 3 gang, are going to fly in directly from the Eurovision Song Contest, to deliver an unprecedented ŠČpectacle. Bare and his band Majke will be joining the company of these black sheep, as will Krešo & Kisele Kiše, and Zagreb’s acoustic collective, JeboTon Ansambl. In addition to the great urban music, you will also find plenty of Baška’s best lamb meat, prepared every which way, as well as cultural events, sports, children’s workshops, and standup comedy, among other things. This year, between May 19 and 21, Baška will once again be the center of all the happenings in the Kvarner Bay. As before, the festival is put together by the Studio Conex team, with crucial support from the Municipality of Baška, Baška Tourist Board, and Valamar Riviera, the festival’s gold sponsor, who will be offering financial backing and accommodation for all the performers, and welcoming all festivalgoers with tasty delicacies at their Mezzino Street Food Bar. Both the hosts and the visitors look forward to the third weekend in May, because the Black Sheep has long won the hearts of many, both in Baška and abroad. We are happy to see all those faces light up at the mere mention of the Black Sheep. Considering this year’s program, I am sure that the latest Black Sheep will be remembered and retold for a long time to come – says Toni Juranić, head of the Municipality of Baška. Each year, during the Black Sheep weekend, accommodation is a hot commodity. Hospitality and hotel industry workers are already busy with preparations, and accommodation bookings are well under way. The great thing is that the festival is growing in popularity, even outside of both Baška and Croatia. We have had inquiries about it at different fairs abroad. We are quite pleased with this year’s program and the fact that we have once again highlighted the preservation of the region’s cultural heritage, in particular Baška’s mrgari. These structures are quite unique around the world, as evidenced in the fact that our guests are looking forward to exploring the restored mrgari in Ljubimer – says Ivana Topić, head of the Baška Tourist Board. 

The team at Studio Conex has once again come up with an excellent program. Besides a cracking music lineup, the festivalgoers will be able to enjoy an exhibition by the Rijeka-based, formally trained painter Mauro Stipanov, an intriguing lecture by Korado Korlević, a hilarious standup show by the SplickaScena Collective, a book launch for Kvarnerski otoci pješice i biciklom, and performances by the Šoto Cultural Society, among other things. Once again, the hardworking Sinjali Association will showcase the local traditions by performing in Baška’s Placa, while the highlight of this year’s festival are the newly restored mrgari in Ljubimer, which were restored by the dedicated Sinjali team, with the help of experts from the Dragodid Associations and volunteers, after decades of being left to fall into disrepair. 
As for the sporting events, we should definitely mention the Corinthia Cup – Jure Vukasović Memorial Regatta, Black Jancić football tournament, walking and bicycle tours, bocce tournament, and free parasailing rides. The youngest festivalgoers can look forward to a children’s play titled Pet basni za male janciće (Five Fables for the Little Jancići) by Kazalište Prijatelj, wool felting and Glagolitic script workshops, reading event, and a few more surprises along the way. Of course, in between these events, the festivalgoers will be able to refuel and find their second wind by tasting the mouthwatering Baška lamb meat, served by all the restaurants in town and prepared in a myriad of ways, as is appropriate for a festival that celebrates individuality and local heritage, primarily the sheep, the staple food of the coastal inhabitants.