The Istra Croatian Association of the Slovenian coastal town of Piran played host to a traditional Hajduk Football (Soccer) Club “White Night” festivity December 20th.
This summer the association joined an organisation that pools friends of the Hajduk Football Club out of the Croatian coastal city of Split – this won them the opportunity to host a “White Night” event, the first time they have done so in twenty-five years. The association’s president Joso Begić said they undertook this complex task in light of the great number of local Hajduk fans and enthusiasts. The festival was staged at the Tomi restaurant in Portorož with the entertainment provided by the Klapa Bevanda a cappella band and DJ Dadi.
On hand to represent the CHF was Branka Bezić Filipović with her book Veterans of Hajduk. She greeted the gathered on behalf of Hajduk Football Club president Marin Brbić. Slaven Luštica, son of Hajduk player and coach Slavko Luštica, sent a package of books about his father – Hajduk’s ’71 was penned by Mario Garber. Also on hand along with Joso Begić to greet the merrymakers was the oldest Hajduk fan in Piran – Ivan Mamić. The evening wound up with a dance after the cutting of the cake.
Besides successfully organising this grand event, the Istra Croatian Association of Piran, founded in 1997, besides football (soccer) also nurtures tennis and folklore, with a particular focus on the traditional dances of the Split region and Istria County. The Klapa Bevanda men’s a cappella band is also active in the frame of this association.
Considering that the “White Night” event succeeded in pooling a great crowd we trust that this will encourage the association to continue organising similar programmes and to achieve its other plans related to folklore and sports.
Text and photos by: Branka Bezić Filipović
