Way back when excavations of Colentum began in 2012, an idea of the first theme-based manifestation was born. Hence, the first Night of Colentum was organized in collaboration between Murter-Kornati Tourist Board, NGO Argonauta, the Municipality of Murter-Kornati, Virko Theatre, and Diocletian’s guard from Split. It has eventually become an integral part of ”Murtersko lito”, taking place in late August each year. Gladiator fights, drama performances, and crowds in costumes under the lights of torches constitute this spectacle that successfully managed to bring Murter back to the period of once powerful Roman town of Colentum, at least for a night.
The last Night of Colentum, held in August 2017, achieved great success. Collaboration with Krka National Park Public Institution was established in spring 2017. The same institution is responsible for the organization of a similar manifestation, known as ”The Ides of Burnum”. Funding applications for Krka National Park Public Institution associations provided financial resources that enabled the preparations for the project titled ”18 Miles from the Mouth of the Krka River”. It included meetings with NP Krka employees, practicing a play for the Night of Colentum, a visit to The Ides of Burnum, and organizing a fair during the Night of Colentum. In the first meeting we shared our experiences, agreed on the program of the manifestation, divided our duties, and added some new components to the manifestation. Hence, The Night of Colentum 2017 included not only drama performance and crowds in costumes, but also a fair, an open-air cinema and workshops for kindergarten and elementary school children. Many visitors enjoyed ”Pirates in front of Colentum”, a play performed by the children from Murterski škoji Elementary school, as well as the other children who spend their summer holidays in Murter, and actors from Virko Theatre in Šibenik. Another attraction, besides the fair, included the Latinsko idro Association’s wooden boats that portrayed the pirates attacking Colentum. This successfully organized manifestation only serves as an encouragement for the organization of some future manifestations with even more interesting activities.
We would like to express our gratitude to all those who helped us in organization, as well as to those who took part in the Night of Colentum 2017.
• Murter-Kornati Tourist Board
• The Municipality of Murter- Kornati
• Krka National Park Public Institution
• Murterski škoji Elementary school
• The Latinsko idro Association
• NGO Argonauta
• Zvonko Ilijić
• Ivana Ožanić Roguljić
• Serđo Mioč
• VFA Murter
• Murtela Public Utility Service
