Days of Alka and Velika Gospa, an umbrella event that groups a multitude of colorful and attractive events in the summer months, has always been eagerly awaited by the people of Sinj and their welcome visitors.

Organizers made sure that the program is rich in diversity and everyone can easily find something to their liking: from concerts of contemporary and classical music, exhibitions, rock and ethno festivals, creative workshops and sports tournaments to Alka ceremonies and church celebrations. Exceptionally designed events, combined with the unparalleled ambiance of Sinj, guarantee unforgettable summer nights in the city at the foot of Kamičak.

The celebrations begin on July 12th in the main city square, Piazza, with the Alka’s Bride play performed by the Sinj Amateur Theatre. A sacred concert will be held at the Church of Our Miraculous Lady of Sinj just before the official opening. Multi-award winning young musicians of the ensemble (Martin Krpan, violin, Dunja Čolić, oboe, Anna Ivanov, violin, Ivo Ilakovac, cello, Michael Buturić, organ) will present an attractive program suitable for the sacred space: sacral sonatas by the Baroque composers such as J.S. Bach, G.F. Händel and G.P. Telemann as well as seldom performed Mozart’s church sonatas. A special musical treat is J. Prajz’s modern composition, composed this year for this ensemble in particular.

The traditional festival of the Marian spiritual songs titled Klapas to Our Lady Mary of Sinj, performed by klapas, will be held on August 1st in a similar meditative space, in the courtyard of the Monastery of Our Lady. Organized by the Sinj Tourist Board, the Music evenings at Kamičak Fort are an exceptional music event that has been breathing new life into this star-shaped fort that watches over the city of alkars. On August 17th, at 8 pm, the musical notes of the fantastic jazz music performed by renowned world performers - featuring Ratko Zjača - Stefano Bedetti and Nocturnal Four, will be scattered all over the ancient walls.

On August 23rd and 24th, Kamičak will also host the Kamičak Ethno Festival, yet another splendid music event with foreign and local performers. Argentinean duo Turica Doncel brings the touch of Argentinean folklore combined with the contemporary musical expression. “Nomad girls”, the band Perija, will arrive from Macedonia. They are street performers whose musical expression is based on the authentic interpretation of traditional rhythms of Balkans, especially ethno sounds of Turkey, Bulgaria and Macedonia. A unique interpretation of the musical tradition of Balkans will be presented by the praised band from Belgrade called Naked and Ogenj i Kazan, a great domestic band that will also make an appearance at the festival. Patrick Walker Trio of the English folk scene will present the rhythms of the traditional Irish music at Kamičak.

In the magnificent Alka Knights Court, the people of Sinj and guests will enjoy the performance of the Oliver Tribute band founded in Buenos Aires as a tribute to the famous Croatian musician Oliver Dragojević (on August 11th). With the concert, In memoriam: Oliver, Argentinian Croats will cover songs of the prematurely deceased beloved singer.

Summer music school is held from July 8th to 20th and it gathers many young musicians of all ages which have a great opportunity to collaborate with famous professors through different professional approaches and educational methods. Photo workshop The World in colors (August 30th - September 3rd), co-organized by Foto Hrvatska and Sinj Tourist Board, challenges everyone to have a new perspective on what is known and what is unknown through the camera lens. For history lovers, Sinj Tourist Board with associates is preparing a historical spectacle The 1715 Siege of Sinj (on August 8th). The indispensible part of the past of Sinj and Croatia is the battle with the Ottomans which gave birth to Alka knights’ tournament and the celebration of Our Miraculous Lady of Sinj and it is played out in all its glory before the spectator’s eyes. The bang of the flintlock pistol, the clatter of horses’ hooves, the cries of the grieving people – all serve as reminders of 300 year old events! The game between Delmats and Romans takes us even further back into the past (on July 28th). Organized by the association Gaius Laberius, the sworn enemies face each other on the football field under the watchful eye of the emperor Diocletian and empress Prisca. The result is irrelevant – the only reward is a moment of glory (and the realization that the first football was indeed played in the Cetina Region). The sensational 2019 Sinj Air Show will be held at the Sinj sport airport Piket from August 30th to September 1st. The Air Show is organized by the Aeronautical-Technical association of Sinj and the city of Sinj. The attractive adrenaline acrobatics attract visitors of all ages as well as fans of aeronautics.

Guests from Italian Sansepolcro, a sister city of Sinj, will present their traditional medieval archery tournament, Palio della Balestra on August 3rd.

Organized by the SKUP association, 17th Music and beer festival S.A.R.S. will be held from July 19th to 21st and it will host performers of many different music genres: Vojko Vrućina, M.O.R.T., Grše, Jufkamental, Limbonaut, Edo Majka,, Atheist Rap, Dregermajster, Teški Osjećaji, Tony Rose & The Band of Jakeys. Dr. Franjo Tuđman Square is traditionally a home to Sinj Village Fair on August 2nd and 3rd and it will host many exhibitors who will display and offer ornaments, handicrafts, delicacies and products from our villages and islands. In hope to preserve old crafts that could go extinct, the Sinj Tourist Board, under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture, is organizing an educational traditional hand-wheel pottery workshop. Visitors will have an opportunity to see how clay pots are made in crafty hands of the potter Ivan Knezović. It is important to mention the long forgotten craft of opanak-making (Lilja Vojković).

Visitors have an opportunity to taste domestic products and dishes at the fair. Apart from the exhibition and enogastronomic part, the visitors will also enjoy the entertainment program including the performances of many associations and culture and art societies. We will see the performances of the Sinj majorettes, Culture and Art Society Cetina, Culture and Art Society Vrilo, Associations for the Preservation of the Heritage of the Cetina region, URIG from Otok and HKUD Peruća. Traditional circle dances will be performed along with klapa singing and rera singing, traditionally sung at dernek (traditional folk party).

Sinj Tourist Board invites everyone who is interested, guests or local people, to join our free tours every Thursday in 7 pm from July 18th to August 29th. It’s a great opportunity to familiarize with the city in the hands of professional tourist guides. Make sure to visit the Alka race track in mid-July to see the preparations of alkars for the highly anticipated competition in August. A relaxing atmosphere of Prova offers a new perspective on the Alka competition.

The highlights of this great manifestation are undoubtedly Alka ceremonies (Bara on August 2nd, Čoja on August 3rd, Alka on August 4th) and the Feast of Assumption of Mary, the heavenly patroness of our city. On this day we celebrate the Day of the town Sinj! We invite you to have a look at the program The days of Alka and the Assumption 2019, and join us in the summer atmosphere of Sinj!