n while working
in the fields and get a clear view of the whole city. This exaggeration was
supposed to depict the flatness of the city's territory. A local standing on a
pumpkin, dressed in traditional attire, and with his hand blocking the sun so
that he can see into the distance, thus became the symbol for the region. A
group of local enthusiasts started the Pumpkin Days manifestation in 1986 and
it quickly attracted pumpkin and gourd lovers from all over the country. The
three-day event also includes lectures and seminars on the advancement of
pumpkin and gourd cultivation, a culinary competition in preparing meals from
pumpkins and gourds, children's competitions in creating masks and sculptures,
and various concerts and exhibitions. Over the past few years this event has
gained prominence and has drawn visitors from Hungary,
Romania
and the former
Yugoslav republics. The largest
pumpkin measured at the event to date weighed 247 kilograms, while the longest
gourd was 213 centimeters in length. In 2006 the event celebrated its 20th
anniversary and had the largest number of visitors so far, as well as a richer
program. A
tamburitza
festival was included in the event,
contributing to the authentic Banat experience.
Every year, since 1982, 6 to 8 world
renowned sculptors are invited to Kikinda at the premises of an old production
plant of the TozaMarković
