As part of the cross-border project “DRANICA.24 – Promoting the Intangible Wooden Heritage of the Carpathian Euroregion. A Technical Handbook for Traditional Woodworking” (Project Reference: HUSKROUA/23/RS/2.2/021), coordinator Maramureș Chamber of Commerce and Industry, we invite the public to the Traditional Woodcraft Fest DRANICA—an international celebration of craftsmanship, creativity, and the living wooden heritage of the Carpathian region.
The event will take place on July 24, 2026, starting with 10:00 Bucharest time, at the Maramureș Village Museum in Sighetu Marmației, situated on Doboieș Hill, approximately three kilometres from the city centre, along the road to Vadu Izei.
Set within the remarkable open-air surroundings of the museum, DRANICA Fest will bring together traditional woodcraft practitioners from Hungary, Romania, and Ukraine. Throughout the day, visitors will have the opportunity to meet the craftspeople, discover their stories, observe their techniques, and experience the skill and patience behind authentic handmade wooden objects.
A central part of the festival will be a series of open, live, and interactive workshops dedicated to traditional woodworking. Craftspeople will demonstrate how raw materials are selected, prepared, shaped, carved, joined, and transformed into practical or decorative objects. They will present the tools, working methods, materials, and equipment used in their craft and will share knowledge passed down through generations.
Rather than simply displaying finished products, the workshops will allow visitors to see the creative process as it happens. Participants will be able to ask questions, discuss techniques directly with the craftspeople, examine traditional tools and materials, and gain a better understanding of the cultural meaning and practical value of woodworking traditions.
The festival will also provide a meeting place for researchers, cultural heritage experts, craftspeople, practitioners, and representatives of organizations involved in traditional wood processing, heritage preservation, education, and cross-border cooperation. This combination of practical demonstrations, professional exchange, and public participation will create a unique space in which technical knowledge and community traditions can be explored together.
Although the workshops have an important technical and educational dimension, DRANICA Fest is designed to be accessible and attractive to the general public. Families, young people, visitors, local residents, craft enthusiasts, and anyone interested in traditional culture are warmly encouraged to attend. No previous knowledge or professional experience is required—only curiosity and an interest in discovering how woodcraft continues to shape the identity of the Carpathian region.
Participation is free and open to the public. Registration will take place on-site.
The DRANICA.24 project is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the intangible wooden heritage of the Carpathian Euroregion. By identifying, documenting, and sharing traditional knowledge, techniques, and practices, the project connects academic research with craftspeople, communities, and the wider public.
Its objective is not merely to preserve woodworking traditions as records of the past, but to support their continuation as living, evolving, and vibrant cultural practices. DRANICA Fest offers visitors the opportunity to experience this heritage directly—through the hands, tools, stories, and skills of the people who continue to keep it alive.
The event is organized and coordinated by Muzeul Maramureșan, located at Piața Libertății 15, 435500 Sighetu Marmației, Maramureș, Romania.
To follow the progress of the project, access technical insights and receive upcoming updates, please visit the official digital channels:
Project information will also be hosted soon on the ViaGastrocarpathia.
Contact: dranica@ccimm.ro, Maramures Chamber of Commerce and Industry
