"Shoemaker's Sunday is our tradition, it is an event with a half a century tradition. It carries a clear message: shoemaking remains very alive in Tržič, and is still important in spite of the sad story about Peko," the mayor of Tržič Borut Sajovic explains, and adds that they intend to give more emphasize to ethnological aspect of the event.
More than one half of all the Slovenian shoemakers responded to the invitation to participate at the 50th Shoemaker's Sunday Fair. For each one of a stand has been placed in the old city centre of Tržič, marked with a sign Slovenski šuštar (Slovenian shoemaker).
A part of the tradition of the shoemaker's fair is also the so-called Tržič braciola (tržiška bržola). It is a traditional local specialty, a kind of stew, with a long tradition of hundreds of years. The Tržič Tourist Association introduced a competition in preparing Tržič braciolas on open fire with the intention of preserving and promoting this characteristic dish; this year the 9th competition took place.
M. Z., MMC; translated by G. K.