Events

The town of Piran has a rich history, closely intertwined with salt harvesting, which has shaped its economic and cultural development for centuries. The salt pans near the town, especially the Sečovlje and Strunjan salt pans, were key to the town's trade and prosperity. Salt was a valuable commodity, often referred to as "white gold," and it connected the people of Piran with the Venetian Republic. Today, traditional methods of salt production preserve this heritage, and salt is protected as a top-quality local product.

The event "Saltpans Feast" is one of the most important tributes to the history and identity of the town and its residents. Since, in 1343, the people of Piran chose St. George as their patron saint, who, according to legend, saved the town and its citizens from a catastrophic storm, the event, held before the salt production season begins, is called the "Saltpans Feast on the Feast of St. George."

The salt production season traditionally ended around the feast of St. Bartholomew on August 24th, when, after the Mass of thanksgiving for the harvest, the families of salt workers would slowly return to their homes. This part of the customs will be presented at the Saltpans Feast on the Feast of St. Bartholomew, on August 23rd and 24th.

"With this festival, Residents of Piran wish to honour all those who, in any way, have been part of this thousand-year-old story. We also want to introduce visitors to our medieval town to the importance and invaluable nature of salt production and living in harmony with the sea. Only through education and awareness will this heritage be preserved for the future. Remember, in every grain of Piran salt that you use, a part of our soul and history is reflected." Slobodan Simič Sime

Workshops and presentations at the "Kavedini"
At Tartini Square, there will be various workshops and presentations, named after the crystallization ponds, or "kavedini". Here, you can learn a lot about salt harvesting, ecology, and the plants and animals that live in the salt pans. A special experience will also be the artistic and creative "kavedini."

You will have the chance to try working with a "gaver", a wooden scraper used by salt workers to push salt into a pile in the crystallization pond and shape the "grumo"(a pyramid-shaped pile).

Lectures by experts
Curious visitors will be able to listen to expert opinions at Tartini Square, where specialists in salt harvesting and the protection of natural and cultural heritage will discuss the impact of salt in our diet and daily lives. Presenters will include Matjaž Klun (ZVKDS), Flavio Bonin (PM Sergej Mašera Piran), and Tilen Frangež (Center for Health Promotion Piran).

Saltpans’ products and cuisine
On Saturday and Sunday, market vendors at Tartini Square and the pier in front of the Tartini Theatre in Piran will offer homemade products and agricultural produce.

A Pinch of Salt for Luck
From the kavedin you can take a pinch of salt, for good luck or to add to your soup. But be careful: according to an old Istrian superstition, salt should not be given away, as it is believed to bring bad luck. It can be sold or borrowed, but never given for free. So be sure to prepare a coin!

P R O G R A M M E

Piran, Zelenjavni trg (organized by the Piran Local Community)

08:30 AM - Cleaning action
09:00 AM – 12:00 PM - Painting Ex tempore on the topic of salt pans and the town's patron saint at Tartini Square
11:00 AM - Guided tour of the Parish Museum and St. George's Church for schools, in collaboration with the Piran Parish (free)
04:00 PM - Guided tour of the Parish Museum and St. George's Church, in collaboration with the Piran Parish (free)
04:00 PM - Competition in cooking Istrian snacks (pre-registration required at the Piran Local Community)
04:30 PM - Cultural program with Piran associations
05:00 PM - Piran delicacies from the grill and pot
06:00 PM - Piranese Tombola / Piran-style tombola (demonstration of the ancient game in collaboration with the Giuseppe Tartini Italian Community)
07:00 PM – 10:00 PM - Tug-of-war competition, announcement of the cooking competition winner, and feast with live music

08:30 AM - Cleaning action
09:00 AM – 12:00 PM - Painting Ex tempore on the topic of salt pans and the town's patron saint at Tartini Square
11:00 AM - Guided tour of the Parish Museum and St. George's Church for schools, in collaboration with the Piran Parish (free)
04:00 PM - Guided tour of the Parish Museum and St. George's Church, in collaboration with the Piran Parish (free)
04:00 PM - Competition in cooking Istrian snacks (pre-registration required at the Piran Local Community)
04:30 PM - Cultural program with Piran associations
05:00 PM - Piran delicacies from the grill and pot
06:00 PM - Piranese Tombola / Piran-style tombola (demonstration of the ancient game in collaboration with the Giuseppe Tartini Italian Community)
07:00 PM – 10:00 PM - Tug-of-war competition, announcement of the cooking competition winner, and feast with live music

Tartini Square

09:00 AM to 06:00 PM - Fair of Delicacies and Nature's Bounty
09:00 AM to 06:00 PM - Activities at the "Kavedini"
09:30 AM - Arrival of the saltpans’ boat with salt in Piran
09:45 AM - Parade of participants from Punta in Piran to Tartini Square
10:00 AM - Opening of the 21st Saltpans Feast in Honor of St. George's Day. Performers: Family of the salt-workers - La Famea dei salineri, Portorož Choir, Folk Group Val Piran, Banda di ottoni - Brass Band Comunità degli Italiani di Visinada with conductor Adriano Zaulović.
10:30 AM - "Salt-workers lunch"
11:00 AM - Expert lecture: A Pinch of History, A Pinch of Salt?
11:30 AM - Calligraphy in Mud and Salt with Loredana Zega
12:30 PM - Performance by the musical group Ne me jugat
01:00 PM - Free multilingual guided tours of Piran (meeting point in front of the TIC Piran)
01:30 PM - The Last Salt-Worker - Dana Petretič and Siniša Bukinac, Dance Performance
02:00 PM - Learn about the vessel used for transporting salt – the maona with the help of a unique, semi-open model (guided tour, ground floor of Tartini House)
03:00 PM - Performance by the musical group Ne me jugat
04:00 PM - The Last Salt-Worker – Dana Petretič and Siniša Bukinac, Dance Performance
04:10 PM – Musical Fairytale The Little White Heron by Nika Solce (with the fairytale, we gently invite the audience into the magical world of nature. On the wings of the fairytale, we will fly through time and sound landscapes, all the way to the marshes and salt pans where the Little White Heron resides).

Fishermen's Pier, in front of the Tartini Theatre Piran

11:00 AM – 04:00 PM – Salt-workers’ Culinary Market (Lasr Feral)
01:00 PM - Banda di ottoni - Brass Band Comunità degli Italiani di Visinada (conductor Adriano Zaulović)
01:30 PM – 03:00 PM - Dive in an Antique Diving Suit: Exhibition, Presentation, and Explanation of Old Diving Equipment with the Demonstration Group of the Museum of Underwater Activities
06:00 PM - Primorska Sings 2025, a Review of Primorska Choirs at the Tartini Theatre Piran

Herman Pečarič Gallery

07:00 PM – 10:00 PM - Feel the Salt Crystal: Images, Sounds, and Tastes of the Salt Crystal
Let’s explore Piran salt with all our senses! The Institute for Landscape, Culture, and Art ABAKKUM will guide you into the unknown world of sea salt crystals with an interdisciplinary program. In the beautiful spaces of the gallery and its garden with wisteria, we will discover the shapes of the salt crystal cosmos and life within it, the sounds of the salt crystal in the Sound Landscape of the salt pans and electronic music by DJ Benjamin Shock, as well as tastes in crusted bread with salicornia, crystal-salted cocktails, and cakes.

Sečovlje Salt Pans Nature Park - Lera

11:00 AM, 01:00 PM, and 02:00 PM: Guided Tours (Slovenian/English) – meeting point at the entrance to the park at Lera
12:00 PM – 12:20 PM: Adventures of Little Emi (by Iztok Škornik), book presentation about the only European native freshwater turtle, the European mud turtle (at the Visitor Center)
11:00 AM – 04:00 PM: Salt-workers’ Market
08:30 AM - Cleaning action
09:00 AM – 12:00 PM - Painting Ex tempore on the topic of salt pans and the town's patron saint at Tartini Square
11:00 AM - Guided tour of the Parish Museum and St. George's Church for schools, in collaboration with the Piran Parish (free)
04:00 PM - Guided tour of the Parish Museum and St. George's Church, in collaboration with the Piran Parish (free)
04:00 PM - Competition in cooking Istrian snacks (pre-registration required at the Piran Local Community)
04:30 PM - Cultural program with Piran associations
05:00 PM - Piran delicacies from the grill and pot
06:00 PM - Piranese Tombola / Piran-style tombola (demonstration of the ancient game in collaboration with the Giuseppe Tartini Italian Community)
07:00 PM – 10:00 PM - Tug-of-war competition, announcement of the cooking competition winner, and feast with live music
08:30 AM - Cleaning action
09:00 AM – 12:00 PM - Painting Ex tempore on the topic of salt pans and the town's patron saint at Tartini Square
11:00 AM - Guided tour of the Parish Museum and St. George's Church for schools, in collaboration with the Piran Parish (free)
04:00 PM - Guided tour of the Parish Museum and St. George's Church, in collaboration with the Piran Parish (free)
04:00 PM - Competition in cooking Istrian snacks (pre-registration required at the Piran Local Community)
04:30 PM - Cultural program with Piran associations
05:00 PM - Piran delicacies from the grill and pot
06:00 PM - Piranese Tombola / Piran-style tombola (demonstration of the ancient game in collaboration with the Giuseppe Tartini Italian Community)
07:00 PM – 10:00 PM - Tug-of-war competition, announcement of the cooking competition winner, and feast with live music

Tartini Squar

09:00 AM to 06:00 PM - Fair of Delicacies and Nature's Bounty
09:00 AM to 06:00 PM - Activities at the "Kavedini"
09:30 AM - Arrival of the saltpans’ boat with salt in Piran
09:45 AM - Parade of participants from Punta in Piran to Tartini Square
10:00 AM - Opening of the 21st Saltpans Feast in Honor of St. George's Day. Performers: Family of the salt-workers - La Famea dei salineri, Portorož Choir, Folk Group Val Piran, Banda di ottoni - Brass Band Comunità degli Italiani di Visinada with conductor Adriano Zaulović.
10:30 AM - "Salt-workers lunch"
11:00 AM - Expert lecture: A Pinch of History, A Pinch of Salt?
11:30 AM - Calligraphy in Mud and Salt with Loredana Zega
12:30 PM - Performance by the musical group Ne me jugat
01:00 PM - Free multilingual guided tours of Piran (meeting point in front of the TIC Piran)
01:30 PM - The Last Salt-Worker - Dana Petretič and Siniša Bukinac, Dance Performance
02:00 PM - Learn about the vessel used for transporting salt – the maona with the help of a unique, semi-open model (guided tour, ground floor of Tartini House)
03:00 PM - Performance by the musical group Ne me jugat
04:00 PM - The Last Salt-Worker – Dana Petretič and Siniša Bukinac, Dance Performance
04:10 PM – Musical Fairytale The Little White Heron by Nika Solce (with the fairytale, we gently invite the audience into the magical world of nature. On the wings of the fairytale, we will fly through time and sound landscapes, all the way to the marshes and salt pans where the Little White Heron resides).

Fishermen's Pier, in front of the Tartini Theatre Piran

11:00 AM – 04:00 PM – Salt-workers’ Culinary Market (Lasr Feral)
01:00 PM - Banda di ottoni - Brass Band Comunità degli Italiani di Visinada (conductor Adriano Zaulović)
01:30 PM – 03:00 PM - Dive in an Antique Diving Suit: Exhibition, Presentation, and Explanation of Old Diving Equipment with the Demonstration Group of the Museum of Underwater Activities
06:00 PM - Primorska Sings 2025, a Review of Primorska Choirs at the Tartini Theatre Piran

Herman Pečarič Gallery

07:00 PM – 10:00 PM - Feel the Salt Crystal: Images, Sounds, and Tastes of the Salt Crystal
Let’s explore Piran salt with all our senses! The Institute for Landscape, Culture, and Art ABAKKUM will guide you into the unknown world of sea salt crystals with an interdisciplinary program. In the beautiful spaces of the gallery and its garden with wisteria, we will discover the shapes of the salt crystal cosmos and life within it, the sounds of the salt crystal in the Sound Landscape of the salt pans and electronic music by DJ Benjamin Shock, as well as tastes in crusted bread with salicornia, crystal-salted cocktails, and cakes.

Sečovlje Salt Pans Nature Park - Lera

11:00 AM, 01:00 PM, and 02:00 PM: Guided Tours (Slovenian/English) – meeting point at the entrance to the park at Lera
12:00 PM – 12:20 PM: Adventures of Little Emi (by Iztok Škornik), book presentation about the only European native freshwater turtle, the European mud turtle (at the Visitor Center)
11:00 AM – 04:00 PM: Salt-workers’ Market
Sečovlje Salt Pans Nature Park – Presentation of the park, work of the environmental supervisor, and invasive species

Stalls with selected salt pans products (books, straw hats, tastings) Presentation of the activities of the Salt-Making Museum and the Maritime Museum Sergej Mašera Piran Tourist Society TD Taperin Sečovlje presents itself (products by society members, demonstration of making and tasting Istrian fried pastry kroštole, sharing recipes, and workshops for children) Creative workshops for children (collecting stamps at stations, gift for completing workshops)

All day long, there will be a prize draw at the Sečovlje Salt Pans Nature Park, where visitors can participate. At the end of the day, three prizes will be drawn, and the winners will receive their prizes by mail.

M U S E U M S  A N D  E X H I B I T I O N S

Maritime Museum "Sergej Mašera" Piran (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, free entry)

Outdoor Exhibition, Tartini Square Piran: Selected photographs by Josip Rošival, taken in the Sečovlje Salt Pans and Fazan Salt Pans in Lucija from 1960-62. (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, free entry)

Aquarium Piran: Guided tour of the unique underwater world of the Northern Adriatic (11:30 AM, 4:30 PM, entrance fee)

Museum of Underwater Activities Piran(10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, entrance fee)

St. George's Museum Piran(10:00 AM – 6:00 PM, entrance fee)

Shell Museum, Piran(11:00 AM – 5:00 PM, entrance fee)

Tartini House, Piran(10:00 AM – 6:00 PM, free entry):

Museum collection of the birthplace of composer and violinist Giuseppe Tartini; Presentation of artistic groups that bring the cultural heritage of Piran to life: La famea dei Salineri, Al tempo di Tartini, Voga Veneta Piran – Pirano, Viva san Zorzi! – documentary video about the monumental and spiritual Latin-Venetian heritage in Piran, Large model of the salt pan vessel maona, Il silenzio della memoria - Tišina spominov (Silence of Memory); exhibition by teacher and artist, Piran native Guido La Pasquala.

Mediadom Pyrhani, Piran(10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, free entry)

Monfort Exhibition Hall, Portorož- Permanent exhibitions of the Maritime Museum - Museo del Mare "Sergej Mašera" and guest exhibition Jadra našega morja / Le vele del nostro mare (10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, free entry)

Sečovlje Salt Pans Nature Park(9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, free entry)

Salt Pans Museum, Fontanigge(9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, guided tours at 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 3:30 PM, free entry)

G U I D E D  T O U R   O F  P I R A N
1:00 PM Free guided tour of Piran (in Slovene, Italian, and English, meeting point: in front of the TIC Piran, the tour lasts an hour and a half).

FREE CIRCULAR BUS TRANSPORT
Piran Tartini Square – Portorož Bus Station – Sečovlje Salt Pans Nature Park Lera – Sečovlje Salt Pans Nature Park Fontanigge

C O N T E N T  O F  T H E  K A V E D I N O S

Kavedin: Aquarium Piran - University of Primorska Science Center
Learn in a fun way about interesting plant and animal species found in the Northern Adriatic.

Kavedin: Anbot Society for the Preservation of Cultural and Natural Heritage Piran
Together with the children of Piran's elementary schools, they created garlands that decorate Tartini Square during the event. On Saturday, creative workshops will be held in front of the society's premises.

Kavedin: Public Institution Sečovlje Salina Nature Park and TD Solinar Strunjan Tourist Society
Take part in a quiz about the Strunjan saltpans and park and win a symbolic prize. At the producers of the Solinar Society, you can try homemade products like local almonds, pickled olives and eggplants in brine made with Piran salt, award-winning olive oil, and dried persimmons.

Kavedin: Morigenos Society, the Slovenian Society for Marine Mammals
With interactive educational activities and games, you will learn about dolphins in the Slovenian sea and discover a lot of new information about the role of research in their protection.

Kavedin: NIB, Marine Biology Station Piran
Presentation and observation of marine organisms (blue crab, nudibranchs) using a magnifying glass, live feeding observation of the blue crab.

Kavedin: Salt-worker’s family La famea dei Salineri
A group in costumes with original items and tools presents the cultural heritage of salt-worker’s families during the celebration.

Kavedin: Emilja Pavlič – Cooking Workshop
Where is coarse salt indispensable? A demonstration of fish cleaning, pickling fish and vegetables, preparation of saltworkers' bread, and a presentation of the book Mamica, nauči me kuhati(Mom, Teach Me to Cook) and souvenirs of typical Istrian dishes.

Kavedin: Sečovlje Saltpans Nature Park
Taste and feel the most precious Sečovlje salt, Fleur de Sel.

Kavedin: Institute for the Preservation of Maritime Heritage Portorož
Get a close-up look at diving equipment, stroll through the history of diving suits, and peek into literature that studies diving suits in Slovenia.

Kavedin: Environment Piran
Let's protect our sea. Properly handle waste, recycle. Old and seemingly useless items get a new value as useful everyday tools.

Kavedin: Seamstress Loredana Ruzzier
With Loredana, you will sew salt bags or watch as the skilled hands create a salt-worker's shirt.

Kavedin: Salt-worker’s lunch
In Istria, there are delicacies that we prepared for important holidays. The Istrian lunch is not abundant but rich in calories, essential for working in the saltpans.

Kavedin: Mediteranum
How skilled are you at "nailing in Istrian style"? Try your hand at a speed competition where you drive nails with a pointed hammer into a beehive. Get a closer look at a model of a salt-worker's boat – maona – and local literature.

Creative Kavedini for the youngest
Saturday, April 26, 2025

Kavedin: Youth EPI Center Piran, ŠIMC
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Create graphics on drawing sheets with a salt-working theme. The paint will be mixed with salt.

Kavedin: Maritime Museum – Museo del mare Sergej Mašera Piran – Pirano
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Make a magnet in the shape of taperin and try creating a stamp for salt bags. You can also complete fun tasks with a salt-working theme.

Kavedin: Calligraphy with Loredana Zega
11:30 AM – 3:30 PM
What does the art of calligraphy look like using salt and mud as a medium? Try your hand at calligraphy, write your name, or a positive thought.

Kavedin: Paint Your Taperin
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Let your imagination run wild and create vivid images on real wooden taperinunder the expert guidance of Vasko Vidmar, a versatile artist from Piran.

Participants in the 21st Saltpans Feast on the Feast of St. George

Abakkum Institute for Landscape, Culture, and Art Piran, Aquarium Piran – Center for Science, University of Primorska, Art – Dance Promotion Society, Brass Band Comunità degli Italiani di Visinada, Self-managed Community of the Italian Nationality Piran, Comunità degli Italiani “Giuseppe Tartini” di Pirano, Society of Enthusiasts of Cultural and Natural Heritage Anbot Piran, Society of Citizens of the City of Piran, Society "Ne me jugat", Portorož Choir Society, Society Friends of the Treasures of St. George, Emilja Pavlič, Folk Dance Society Val Piran, Brass Band Mužika sv. Lazar from Boršt, Local Community Piran, Sečovlje Salt Pans Nature Park, Strunjan Nature Park, La Famea dei Salineri – Salt-worker’s Family, LASR Feral and LAS Green Istria, Lea Bajc, Loredana Zega, Me PZ Georgios, Mediteranum Piran, Morigenos – Slovenian Society for Marine Mammals, National Institute of Biology, Marine Biology Station Piran, Nika Solce, Coastal Galleries Piran, Primary schools: Ciril Kosmač Piran, Sečovlje, Lucija, and Scuola elementare V. e D. de Castro Pirano, Maritime Museum – Museo del mare "Sergej Mašera" Piran – Pirano, Volunteer Fire Department Piran, SOLINE Salt Production d.o.o., ŠIMC - EPI Center Piran, TD Taperin Sečovlje Tourist Association, TD Solinar Strunjan Tourist Association, Vasko Vidmar, Voga Veneta Piran - Pirano, Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, Regional Unit Piran, Institute for the Preservation of Maritime Heritage Portorož - Museum of Underwater Activities Piran, Association of Cultural Societies Piran and OI JSKD Piran, Parish of Piran

Organizer: Auditorium Portorož – Portorose with the support of the Municipality of Piran, JP Okolje Piran, TZP – Tourist Association Portorož, g.i.z.