Croats Celebrate May Day with Free Bean Soup

Croatians in the capital Zagreb will celebrate Labour Day on Thursday with a public holiday that will see thousands turn up to Maksimir park for a traditional free lunch…

Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić will be amongst those serving out more than 60,000 portions of free bean soup to the public as they gather in the capital to celebrate Labour Day. The free lunch is a tradition in Croatia, and there will also be beans served at many other locations in the capital and around the country. Croatian President Ivo Josipović will join Bandić from 12pm at Maksimir park before heading onto Jarun.

In Split, the largest city on the coast, locals will gather on Marjan for a free lunch. Bean soup is given out to all people as a symbol of a real workers dish and red carnations as a symbol of blood of fallen workers from the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago.

Worker’s Unions however will also use the day to show their disapproval against the ruling government, by staging a march through the city. Last year more than 20,000 people turned up on Zagreb’s main square to protest about worker’s rights.(pic: 52varivo)