Armonike zad kastela - Accordions behind the castle
If you ever pass near Žminj on the second Saturday in July, than you should not miss the meeting of Istrian self-taught accordions players, officially named 'Accordions at Kastel' and unofficially 'The wedding of accordions'.
This meeting is not competitive and the only prizes are applauses and ovations of the public, which is always present in a large number here in Žminj. On that day it is possible to hear from the Kastel the sounds of polka and to see waltz and 'balun', the Istrian wheel dance. According to the tradition, the concert should be officially opened with the performance of one local musician, while the end is being left to the debutants. Seen that most of the musicians already became 'local stars', and that they are also frequent guests at the weddings and parties, people usually welcome them with great applause and ovations.
The end of the official part of the program is celebrated with the performance of a group of about forty accordions, which is the usual number of the participants, but that is not all because the party continues till the early morning with the local songs and performances.
