Velika Mleka hosts 8th Festival of Wooden Chapels showcasing classical, jazz and folk music

The 8th Festival of Wooden Chapels opened on July 7 in the historic chapel of St. Barbara in Velika Mleka, marking the start of a week‑long series of eight concerts held in wooden chapels across the Turopolje and Pokuplje regions. The programme blends classical works, jazz, contemporary pieces and even hand‑pan meditations, featuring both Croatian and international musicians.

Ensembles such as INTERArcT performed a diverse repertoire, with flautist Ana Benić Šalinović presenting a composition that weaves together sounds from Turopolje, England, France, Latin America, Argentine tango and Brazilian rhythms. The festival will conclude on July 14 with the concert “Echoes of Baroque Tradition” in the preserved wooden church of St. Mark the Evangelist in Jaksevac.

Organisers invite audiences to experience intimate acoustic settings and a cultural showcase that highlights the region’s wooden heritage and musical diversity.