The second “Kestenijada” was held on Saturday in a settlement near Konjic, in the local community of Neretvica. Hasan Hakalovic came to the chestnut festival from Visnjevice, a village in Konjic municipality.
“I hope that in the future, someone will take this seriously and that it will be even better,” Hakalovic said.
His friend Hamdo Pripo also came from Visnjevice.
“I’m glad the Kestenijada is organized. This time the rain made us a little distracted. It would have been even better if the weather had been as good,” Hamdo said.
The local community of Neretvica used to have a population of 15,000, but now, it has a fifth of that number because many people have left this area by the construction of Jablanica Lake and the war.
Zahra Ziko lives in Germany and Kestenijada was the reason for her to return to her birthplace and visit family.
“The desire of the organizers was to organize a ceremony in each local community in order to promote brands from this area, including chestnut”, said Bajro Perva, president of the Association for the Protection of Cultural and Historical Monuments and Heritage SIN Neretvica.
The entire Kestenijade program is enriched more than the previous year. In addition to the cultural and entertaining program, thank-you notes were also given to the participants, as well as to those who assisted in holding the Chestnut Festival. In addition to chestnuts and its products, all visitors could taste traditional beans, Oslobodjenje news portal reports.