The 37th Pikin Festival: "We will stop time"

The 37th Pikin Festival kicks off on Saturday, September 5, at 11 a.m. on Titov Trg in Velenje, with Pika Nogavička officially taking over the mayor’s ribbon. This marks the start of the largest children's and family event in Slovenia, transforming the city center into a vast playground for imagination, creativity, culture, and a bit of chaos. Running until Friday, September 11, the festival will feature hundreds of activities tailored for kids and families, including more than 50 creative workshops, over 50 interactive motoric stations, and educational exploration zones. The theme this year is “Pikine Zgodbe,” inviting visitors to explore a fairy-tale world filled with imagination, creativity, courage, and inner strength. Main events will take place across three locations in Velenje’s heart, Titov Trg hosting the Cirkuški živ žav, Rdeča Dvorana reviving Vila Čira-čara, and Pikino otroško igrišče turning into Otok Taka Tuka. However, Pika’s influence extends beyond these venues. The festival will also spread to other sites such as the Cultural Center Velenje, Gallery Velenje, Library Velenje, Velenjski Grad, People’s University Velenje, Music School Velenje, Cinema Velenje, and other local spots. Throughout the event, Vila Čira-čara will remain open near Velenjsko Jezero. The busiest days will be Thursday and Friday, September 5 and 6, featuring Pikin sejm, an art market, a culinary market, a mushroom exhibition, a sailing race, and a fire department competition. During the week, organized groups of children from across Slovenia will visit the festival for cultural days. Pika described her plans for the festival: “This year we will dive deep into the ocean of my stories.” Children will search for their treasures, imagination, creativity, courage, and inner strength. They will learn circus skills and the talents of sea pirates, while spending time together playing, reading, storytelling, and bonding. She emphasized: “We will definitely not rush! We will stop time.” The festival will include stories, performances, creative workshops, exhibitions, games, and events for the whole family. Brina Kerič Pika also helps This year’s festival is not just about fun. As part of the pre-festival program, three competitions have been planned, artistic and photography contests under the title “Pikine Zgodbe” and a literary challenge “Pika Izziv Domišljijo”, with the shortest story in a picture. A charitable action called “Pika Pomaga” will also take place, collecting funds through the Medobčinska Zveza Prijateljev Mladine Velenje to buy books for the developmental ambulance at the Health Care Home Velenje. A special moment will occur on Thursday, September 10, when the current honorary patron, writer Bronja Žakelj, will receive a plaque as Pikine Ambassador in the small hall of the Cultural Center. Pikine Zgodbe also on exhibitions The festival officially starts on Saturday, but Pika has already begun to make an impression before that. On Tuesday, the Library Velenje opened several colorful exhibitions featuring works by children from Vrtce Velenje, creativity of golden readers, and creations from the literary contest “Pika Izziv Domišljijo”, shortest story in a picture, along with other items.