MANIFESTATIONS 

The Oratory Festival

SIRMIUM LUX VERBI – SIRMIUM LIGHT OF WORDS
The idea of oratory has been present in Sremska Mitrovica for decades, especially after the beginning of the intense research and archeological excavations which unearthed imperial palaces, Corinthian pillars, forums, streets… The idea became even stronger once the famous Belgrade actress Marija Crnobardi stood against a Corinthian pillar on stage at the Yugoslav Drama Theater uttering the words of Antigone. The power of imagination of a couple of students from Sremska Mitrovica resulted in the reestablishment of oratory on the streets and squares of Sirmium.  
Thanks to the project "I love Mitrovica", in 1992, the Sundial Magazine was founded to deal with science, culture and art, the town got its first postage stamp, a rare jubilee was commemorated – 1700 years of the Tetrarchy and the first Oratory Festival was held thanks to its creators lawyer Aleksandar Erdeljan, Dr Petar Milošević and literary author Jovan K. Radulović. The first Oratory Festival took place on 17th September 1992. Under the auspices of the famous Pindar’s First Pythian Ode (the anthem of the festival), performed by the "Sirmium Cantorum", in front of 3 000 spectators, everything was taken back in time, and both the human thought and clocks were turned back. Belgrade orators Ljuba Tadić, Mira Banjac and Stevan Žigon for a while became Socrates, Isidora Sekulić and Robespierre. This festival was purely non-competitive and theatric in character.    
The 14th Oratory Festival "SIRMIUM LUX VERBI" took place in 2005. It is an international manifestation (now traditionally, the "Oratory" hosts speakers from Greece, Italy – the cradle of fine words, France, Hungary), which encouraged the return of the oratory art as a subject to many schools and universities in the country. It has been included in the Calendar of Manifestations of Republic Importance by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia.     

The Song of Mitrovica
The festival emerged as an idea of the Board for Urban Planning and Development of the Sremska Mitrovica Municipal Assembly and "I love SM" project, and had its debut in 2001, in SIRMIUMART production. The Festival itself was designed as a contest for the best original compositions which should cherish the tradition and special character of Sremska Mitrovica and its inhabitants through the authentic sound of tambura orchestras and their lyrics.
Preparations for the festival start in May, when the open contest is advertised, and the festival eve takes place within the November Days Festival. The jury awards the first, the second, and the third prize for the most successful composition, the prize for the best lyrics, and the prize for the best vocal solo. Votes of the audience decide on the best song.
Since 2002, the Song of Mitrovica Festival has been organized and produced by the SIRMIUMART Cultural Centre.  


Summer in Mitrovica
Summer in Mitrovica includes a number of programmes with various contents which support all branches of art. During July and August, the Cultural Centre presents musical, visual arts, drama and poetic programmes, as well as programmes especially aimed at the young population such as rock and dance concerts, in order to make the summer rich and eventful for those who spend it in the town.

THE WATERMELON FESTIVAL
The Watermelon Festival is a tourist-economic manifestation which has been taking place in Šašinci around the end of August and the beginning of September for already fifteen years in a row. Apart from the contest for the sweetest and heaviest watermelon and the competition in fast eating of watermelons, every summer, Šašinci also hosts, as part of this manifestation, the “bećar” stew cooking contest, exhibition of handwork, and a very attractive parade of horse carriages through the village.

The “Stojan Čupić” Gathering
The “Stojan Čupić” Heritage Association was founded in Noćajski Salaš in 1992 to honour the commander famous for his role in the 1st and the 2nd Serbian Uprising. 
For already thirteen years, the Association has been organizing two-day “Stojan Čupić Gatherings” in the first week of September and the programme includes the following:

· traditional social gatherings in Mačva,
· culinary contests in preparing old dishes from Mačva,
·  painting camps – exhibitions of works by painters from Mačva and others (including school children), exhibitions of folk costumes from different parts of the Balkans inhabited by the Serbian population (Serbia, Herzegovina, Montenegro, Bosanska Krajina, Semberija, etc.),
· chivalry tournament: stick tug, still start long jump, stone shot put, duels on a tree trunk, tree stump jump, etc. – and the contest for the title of the Commander of Mačva (for a year), with a sword as the prize,
· commanders’ gathering – diverse cultural-artistic programmes, recitations, toasts, choir compositions, performances by folk groups and ensembles from Mačva and other areas, speeches by scientists, culture and public officials on current issues from Mačva’s past and present,
· scientific conventions: on the Zmaj od Noćaja, on the First Serbian Uprising, on Karađorđe and his commanders,
· studies of history, life, customs, language, and culture of this part of Mačva.

Over the past period, the programmes of the Gathering have been realized with the professional assistance from the Vuk Karadžić Foundation, the Ethnographic Institute of the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts, The Serbian Language Institute of the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts, and the Military High School from Belgrade. Many distinguished scientists, church officials, artists, and public officials took part in the gatherings. Prince Tomislav Karađorđević attended several gatherings, and did on one occasion the Princess Jelisaveta Karađorđević. The church officials that took part in the manifestation include the following: Metropolitan of Montenegro and the Coastlands and Skenderija Amfilohije, bishops: Bishop of Sabac-Valjevo Lavrentije, Bishop of Australia and New Zealand Nikanor, Bishop of Budim Lukijan, Vicar Bishop of Hvostno Atanasije. The following also honored the gatherings with their presence: academicians Miroslav Pantić and Matija Bećković; scientists, among which – Dr Miodrag Maticki, Dr Nenad Ljubinković, Dr Mirjana Drndarski, Dr Radoš Ljušić, Dr Dušan Ivanić, Dr Drago Ćupić, Dr Jovan Striković, Dr Veselin Đuretić, Dr Petar Opačić, Dr Dragoslav Dević, Dr Dimitrije Golemović; artists: Jelena Žigon, Milić od Mačve, Sonja Jauković, Stanimir Pavlović, Ljubivoje Tadić, Miša Janketić, Maja Dimitrijević, Ivan Jagodić, Dragan Martinović, and others, poets: Dobrica Erić, Ljubivoje Ršumović, Rajko Petrović–Nogo, Dr Aleksandar Erdeljan, Đorđe Vranješ, pastor Milorad Golijan, Blagoje Rogač, and others, famous presenters: Mića Orlović and Svetislava Sveta Vuković, gusle players, instrumental and vocal solo performers, groups and ensembles, folk dance groups, cultural-artistic and cultural-educational associations, traditional folk groups (vocal and folk dance) from various parts of Mačva and Srem, from Belgrade, Aranđelovac, Topola, Kragujevac, Semberija, Montenegro, Herzegovina, and the Republic of Serbian Krajina.

The Association’s work and Gatherings are financed by the Municipal Assembly of Sremska Mitrovica and numerous donators.

November Days

During the long and tumultuous history of Sremska Mitrovica, the month of November was the time when a number of events of historic momentum for the town took place. That is the reason why a number of cultural, sports, and other manifestations all take place in November under the name «November Days».
    Sremska Mitrovica was liberated in the World War II on the 1st November 1944. On the same day in 1765, the town was declared a free military frontier community – magistracy.
    In the World War I, the town was liberated on the 5th November 1918.
    The Municipality Day and the town’s Patron Saint’s Day are celebrated on the 8th November, the day when Christians celebrate the day of the great Saint Demetrius, whose name and work has been tightly interwoven in the history and minds of the inhabitants of this town.
    After the town became a free royal town with full autonomy, the Town Council and the Town Magistrate were founded on the 9th November 1881.
    On the occasion of the town liberation day from the World War I, wreaths are laid on the tomb of the fallen imprisoned Serbian soldiers buried in the Orthodox cemetery, and as part of the commemoration of the liberation day from the World War II, wreaths are laid on the Monument to the Liberators, outside the railway station. 
    On the occasion of the liberation anniversary, the deserving organizations and communities are presented with the November Award – the highest award in the Municipality.
On the Municipality Day the Municipal Assembly holds a formal session. On Saint Demetrius Day, Holy Archpriest Liturgy takes place at the Saint Stefan Cathedral.

Srem Folk Fest
   “Srem Folk Fest” is an international non-competitive folk dance festival which takes place in Sremska Mitrovica (Serbia) every year, in the first half of August, under the patronage of the Municipal Assembly of Sremska Mitrovica. The founder and organizer of the Festival is Sirmiumart Cultural Centre.

   The aim of the festival is to cherish and promote culture and tradition of all nations of the world through song, dance, and traditional costumes to the citizens and tourists in Sremska Mitrovica; to introduce the visiting ensembles to the local culture and tradition of the host town and its surrounding and Serbian people in general; to establish cooperation and good relationship among the ensembles at the international level.

   Ensembles from more than ten countries take part in the Festival and during the Festival (five days) they present the folk dance of their countries. The programmes are performed on an open-air stage in the ambience of excavation site of the ancient Roman city, and they are attended every night by more than 2000 spectators. Before the festival concerts, a parade of participants is organized along the streets of the town and it is also very popular with the audience. On the stage, the ensembles perform their programmes in the duration of 10 to 20 minutes according to the envisaged timetable.

   In their free time, the participants have the opportunity to get acquainted with the town, its surrounding, history, and tourist offer. The first ’’SREM FOLK FEST’’ was held on the second weekend in August 2004. The participants included 13 folk dance ensembles from 18 countries. The Festival is in the Calendar of Manifestations of Republic and Provincial Importance.

The String Festival
   The String Festival, organized by the “Petar Krančević” Musical School, is the only manifestation of its kind in the Republic. The basic idea of the organizer was to follow the development and quality of teaching and performing solo on stringed instruments.

   Through performances on the violin, viola, violoncello, and double bass, the festival offers an opportunity to young artists with primary and secondary education in music to give a go to their competitive spirit and perfect their learning strategies on the provincial and republic level.

   Every year, Sremska Mitrovica hosts a large number of participants from our country and members of different nations who are achieving their artistic growth in the territory of AP Vojvodina and the Republic of Serbia, which is something the organizer takes special pride in.

   Respectable and prominent stringed instruments musicians and teachers, who have enhanced the quality of performing on stringed instruments in the many years of their teaching and artistic activities, confirm the significance of this manifestation by acting as members of the jury for many years.

   The first Festival was held at the end of May 2003 at the Museum of Srem and it presented 111 young artists.

Festival of Jazz