This is your last chance to win a hand - crafted Tamburitza Prima, made and donated by Milan Opacich for this year's final Serb Fest Raffle. Koa wood was imported from Hawaii and used for this special last prima. Ticket requests can be mailed to Milan Opacich, 2255 Robinhood Blvd., Schererville, IN 46375, or call Dorothy (219)613-6133 for tickets. Checks can be made to: Serbian Historical Society or St. Sava Church. Perhaps you'll be the lucky winner of this beautiful heirloom. Tickets are $5 Each, or 5 for $20. Pictured below is last year's prima - Milan's still building this year's prima.

SERB FEST 2006 was quite the event to attend. Milan Opacich chose that weekend to retire from his lifelong career performing with his Tamburitza Orchestras. Once the word got out, the hall was filled to capacity all weekend long as people came from all around the country and Canada to witness his final curtain call. It was very emotional for all as Karageorge members and the room full of fans sang "Mnogaja Ljeta and Zivio" in tribute to Milan with wife Roz and daughter Karin by his side.

Tom Andrejich, Nick Tarailo, and Vinko Mancich joined Sumadija Band as the "boys" took us back to the 70's with a MLADA SRBADIJA reunion. Tom lives in southern California and Nick runs Bronko's in Crown Point, Indiana, and both made a special effort to treat us with their musical talents as the endless kolo line filled the patio dance floor.

Enjoy this music from the 2006 Serb Fest DVD performed live by Drina Tamburitza Orchestra and Mlada Srbadija. The $20 DVD benefits the St. Sava Cultural Museum fund. The 2 hour DVD can be purchased in Goods & Services.

You can play the songs directly from this player or download them to your computer or iPod. Click the album with 8 tracks (in the light blue area) to load them in the player and enjoy!

Watch the 50 minute clip from the 2-hour Serb Fest 2006 DVD on Google Video. The mini-museum was put together by volunteers Milan & Roz Opacich, Ted Erceg, and Paul & Xenia Jancarich. This presentation was too lengthy to post on Youtube, so we chose to host it on Google Video.

You can purchase the complete 2 hour DVD in Goods & Services, including the Church overview, sounds of Karageorge, Milan's retirement performance, and musical highlights from MLADA SRBADIJA and DRINA. The proceeds from the DVD sale will benefit our future cultural display room and library in the north wing. Now grab some popcorn and follow the link:

Museum Tour with Milan Opacich from Serb Fest 2006.

The NWI Times interviewed Milan Opacich about the Serbian Cultural Mini-Museum at the upcoming St. Sava Serb Fest. From the article:

This year's temporary museum will feature a new Wall of Fame that will illustrate the achievements of St. Sava's most famous parishioners, including the following:

Gary-born Bishop Varnava, who was venerated to sainthood in the Eastern Orthodox church; Diana (Chirich) Henery, who became the leading soprano for the Volksopera in Vienna, Austria; Nicholas "Jumbo" Strincevich, a retired American Major League baseball player; Walter Bogdanich, who won Pulitzer Prizes for national reporting in 1998 and 2005; and Milo Komenich, a member of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Probably the most famous parishioner in the Wall of Fame is Mladen George Sekulovich, better known as Karl Malden, who won the 1952 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for "A Streetcar Named Desire," and was nominated in 1954 for his supporting role in "On the Waterfront."

A past president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Malden was named the 40th recipient of the Screen Actors Guild's Life Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment.

"Karl has never forgotten his roots," Opacich said.

"He has made many donations to St. Sava's."

SERB FEST celebrates Serbian heritage and culture: three wonderful days of music, dancing, and delicious food. Highlights include a MLADA SRBADIJA reunion and Milan Opacich's retirement performance with DRINA. Join Milan for a narrated tour of this year's mini-museum, a display of musical instruments and historical artifacts.