Bučijada, pumpkin festival in Ivanić-Grad

Ivanić-Grad lies 25 km south-east of Zagreb on the A3 motorway and on the Zagreb to Vinkovci railway line, so the fair works as a day trip by car or by train. The stalls fill Trg Vladimira Nazora, Moslavačka ulica, Ulica kralja Tomislava and the Maznica market from Friday to Sunday; the concerts start at 18:00 each evening with the headliner at 20:00.

• Friday 2 October: Kings 18:00, Miroslav Škoro 20:00, Svetinja 22:00.
• Saturday 3 October: Neki to vole vruće 18:00, Urban&4 20:00, DJ Nick Bane and Matymu from 22:30.
• Sunday 4 October: Spice Grills 18:00, Magazin 20:00.
• Mala Bučijada for children in Sportski park Zelenjak, Friday to Sunday.

What to buy at the fair

Pumpkin seed oil is the main product and the reason the fair exists. Producers from Moslavina, the region around Ivanić-Grad, and the neighbouring regions sell it in glass bottles of several sizes, along with roasted seeds, spreads, pastries and the pumpkins themselves in dozens of varieties. Around them you find other farm produce, from honey to wine made from Škrlet, the white grape of Moslavina, plus eco products, ethno goods and crafts. Come on Friday or on Saturday morning for the full range, before the popular oils sell out and while there is room to taste and compare. Bring a sturdy bag, a few bottles of oil get heavy on the walk back to the station.

Getting there and parking

The nearest airport is Zagreb Airport, about 30 minutes by car along the A3. Without a car, take a regional train from Zagreb Glavni kolodvor on the line towards Novska and Slavonski Brod. Ivanić-Grad station is about 15 minutes on foot from Trg Vladimira Nazora. Timetables are on hzpp.hr, and note the last train back before you settle in for the 20:00 concert. Buses also run from Zagreb bus station. If you drive, leave the A3 at the Ivanić-Grad exit. The stalls take over the square and the streets around it, so park on the edge of town or near the station and walk the rest.

Where to stay

Ivanić-Grad is a town of about 13,000 people with few beds for visitors. In town, the Naftalan spa has hotel rooms a short walk from the centre, and there are a handful of guesthouses and private rooms. All of them fill for the fair weekend, so book as soon as your dates are fixed. Most visitors sleep in Zagreb and come out by train for the day. If you plan to stay for the acts after 22:00 on Friday or Saturday, a room in Ivanić-Grad or a car spares you a late wait on the platform.

What else to see nearby

Ivanić-Grad stands on the Lonja river at the western edge of Moslavina, a farming and wine region east of Zagreb. The town is best known for Naftalan, a spa that treats skin and joint conditions with naphthalan, a rare medicinal oil. The old core around the parish church of St Peter and the main square takes 30 minutes on foot. Kloštar Ivanić, a few km to the north, has a Franciscan monastery with a pharmacy from the 17th century. Further out are the Moslavina wine road and the Lonjsko polje nature park, a protected wetland along the Sava.

Where to eat

During the fair the easiest meal is at the stalls: bučnica, the pumpkin strudel of the region, grilled meat, pastries and salads with pumpkin seed oil poured over them. For a table, the restaurants and pizzerias around the centre are busy on Saturday evening, so eat early or reserve. The local kitchen is continental Croatian: soups, roast meat, štrukli, and a glass of Škrlet with it. Cafés on and around the square are the place for coffee between rounds of the stalls.

Practical notes

Bring cash. Many exhibitors are small farms and not all of them take cards. Early October in this part of Croatia is mild by day, with daytime temperatures around 18 degrees, and cool after dark, so take a jacket for the evening concert and something waterproof, the fair goes ahead in rain. If you fly home, put oil bottles in checked luggage, they are over the 100 ml limit for cabin bags. The organiser lists no ticket prices, the fair and the square concerts are open-air, and with Mala Bučijada running on all 3 days the weekend works for families.