Serb Fest - The First Generation

The First Generation

In the mid-1970s a Serbian gentleman (known affectionately by today's attendees as "Abe Lincoln" for the resemblance of his facial hair to that of the Sixteenth President of the United States) and his wife gathered with a close group of Serbian friends at Turkey Run State Park to celebrate Memorial Day Weekend. The number of attendees in these early years is unconfirmed, but as the legend grew, so did the numbers. The weekend was an invitation only event for families. Families would reach out and invite close family friends and by the mid-1980s, it is believed that as many as 20 families might have gathered 'round the grills of Turkey Run (TR).

In 1986, Predrag & Mila Zelenkovich who themselves had first attended only 1 year prior brought their 6-year-old son Jovan to Serb Fest. Little did they know that this was to be a life changing event for Jovan and was a pivotal event in the endurance of Serb Fest into the 21st Century.