Novo Mesto Summer Evenings: The Poor People’s Kitchen

As part of the Novomeški poletni večeri (Novo mesto Summer Evenings) festival, Goga Publishing House invites you to the literary evening The Poor People’s Kitchen, taking place on Thursday, 9 July 2026, at 8.00 pm.

KITCHEN OF THE POOR; SVETLANA SLAPŠAK, ROBERT GREGORČIČ AND META KOCJAN / LITERARY EVENING

What do poverty, wealth and a good meal have in common? More than might seem at first glance.

Inspired by the book The Poor People’s Kitchen, the discussion with Dr Svetlana Slapšak will explore how food – and the lack of it – shapes communities, identities and perceptions of wealth. Why do some people display golden dinner services while others create meals from leftovers? And what does this reveal about society?

Rather than a conventional academic study, The Poor People’s Kitchen is a collection of the author’s diverse research, reflecting on how our relationship with food and the pleasure of eating shape our lives. Together with the book’s author Dr Svetlana Slapšak, chef Robert Gregorčič and Meta Kocjan, the audience will explore questions such as: What is poverty? How do different cultures express wealth? And what role does food play in all of this?

The event will take place at the festival venue on Glavni trg, in front of Goga Bookshop.

Event website

Festival Programme 2026

• Wednesday, 9 July 2026, 8.00 pm – The Poor People’s Kitchen
• Monday, 14 July 2026, 8.00 pm – Prešeren, Censorship and the Fascinating 19th Century
• Wednesday, 16 July 2026, 8.00 pm – Crime Fiction, Music and Comics
• Wednesday, 16 July 2026, 9.00 pm – Vlado Kreslin (concert)
• Friday, 18 July 2026, 10.00 am – Absolutely Nothing (puppet performance for children)
• Monday, 21 July 2026, 8.00 pm – Grandmother and the Fir Tree, A Thousand Years
• Wednesday, 23 July 2026, 8.00 pm – Life? or Theatre?
• Friday, 25 July 2026, 10.00 am – The Magical Birthday (puppet performance for children)
• Wednesday, 30 July 2026, 8.00 pm – Enlightened Novo mesto
• Saturday, 1 August 2026, 9.00 pm – Ana Pupedan (concert)
• Friday, 8 August 2026, 10.00 am – Little Mirror (puppet performance for children)
• Tuesday, 11 August 2026, 8.00 pm – Contemporary Slovenian Science Fiction Literature
• Monday, 17 August 2026, 8.00 pm – Cuteness
• Wednesday, 19 August 2026, 8.00 pm – Contemporary World Poetry
• Thursday, 20 August 2026, 8.00 pm – Winter in Sokcho
• Saturday, 22 August 2026, 10.00 am – Goldilocks and the Three Bears (puppet performance for children)

Festival website