The most famous Folk Festival in Serbia."I didn't know you could play trumpet thet way"
Miles Davis, a Guca Festival visitor.

Guca Festival - Serbian WoodstockThe festival is a genuine demonstration of Serbia's tradition. Since 1961, there have been 48 festivals. The popularity of this world class festival has been increasing over the years. The festival includes cultural and art programs, self-taught artists, ethnological and historical exhibitions, and sports competitions in traditional disciplines. The final goal is for the festival to become the biggest international trumpet competition. About 100 orchestras go through pre-selection, and only 40 best seniors, youth and pioneer orchestras take part in the finals. There were only 4 trumpet orchestras from Dragacevo attending the initial Guca Festival, the rest is history...

The traditional Dragacevo trumpet - its cult kept alive for nearly two centuries regardless of political and social considerations - has with time become world-renowned. It is owing to the trumpet that the name of Serbia has resounded worldwide, in all the continents. Some orchestras, when they appear on stage, whether for official competition national dress, the authentic and indigenous dances and other folkinspired elements, coupled with music, have become an integral part of national gathering. The virtuoso music performers, the trumpet players to the paradox and make the story more authentic - are for the most part fully self-taught. They play by ear and quite spontaneously, relying on their musical memory; they play from the heart and soul, and their music reaches out to listeners precisely for this quality. The Gucha Assembly of Trumpet Players continues to grow year after year: today, this musical feast of recognizable national skills is more popular, more diverse and bigger than ever before.

With considerable experience in organizing Assemblies, today the traditionally hospitable Gucha has earned its place on the map of world music festivals, inviting high interest from ethno music lovers, and deservedly so. As an internationally recognized trumpet capital, and a singular corner of positive energy, a place with accumulated joy, gaiety and spontaneity, coupled with the piercing yet gentle sound of the trumpet, Gucha is a place of catharsis of the heart and soul while the festival lasts. All this is more than enough to attract visitors to Gucha each Mexico , Spain , Greece , Denmark , China and many other close or distant countries. The names of Boban Markovic, Milan Mladenovic, Ekrem Sajdic, Elvis Ajdinovic, Fejat and Zoran Sejdic have carried the glory of the Serbian trumpet across the world. Some 500,000 visitors are expected at the next, and 45 th Assembly. That would be very impressive indeed, would it not?

Welcome to Gucha!