The varied geographical-regional conditions of West-Transdanubia, the historical past, the centuries old living together of ethnically different nations created multicoloured culture in the county. The ethnic minorities living here enriched the cultural heritage with their own linguistic-cultural education, traditions. The social and economic connections run through the week- and holidays of people with different cultural background, formed susceptibility of individuals and communities for the otherness.

One part of the traditions became eclipsed or transformed in consequence of historical, social and economic changes. That elements of the education, which were suitable for continuance among the changed conditions, or served well with their renewal the formation of the historical consciousness, made it possible to preserve certain traditions to our days.

In the county we can see well the settlement and building memories adapting to the regional-geographical conditions. The folk architectural historic monument group standing in Szalafő, in Őrség is example of the sporadic settlements of the forest clearings, which roots run back to the ’szeres’ settlements of the guard posts of the Middle Ages. In the ’utcás-szeres’ villages of the flat country landhouses, or renovated privat houses preserving original architectural solutions prove the knowledge of the master carpenters and builders of the villages. In Cák the wine-cellars preserve the memory of the arcitectural solutions of the viniculture and of the wine making instruments. The Museumvillage of county Vas preserves the particular, protected folk architectural values, with its lively life it recalls the customs of the past as well.

The guild professions providing the one-time farmhouses and civil households in the market-towns, especially the potter’s craft has continuing traditions in Őrség. Excellent creators and communities take pains to renew the folk culture and small professions all over the county, the creators of Folk Art Studio in Velem building home and studio excel among them.

The ethnic variety of the county we can observe on all fields of the folklore. Certain small regions, sometimes settlements have particular traditions as well over the different language usage of the Hungarian and the other nationalities living here. These have connections on one side with the private and family lifeturnings, on the other side with the determining events of the community life (for ex.: birth, christening, marriage, wedding and death, funeral). The folk customs prepared organized and preserving one-time ritual elements evoke wider interesting, so for example the carnival time stump-drawing (masquerade wedding) in Rába-region. In more settlements customs of putting may-pole, grape harvest procession, minstrel, christmas nativity play live lively.

The actors of folk dance, folk music and folk-song on a very high level reached the best results in the conscious care of traditions. Excellent amateur bands transmit the memories of the folk culture with original compositions and treatments building on the authentic sources. Ungaresca dance group, folk dance groups of Sárvár and Körmend, ethnic dance groups gained reputation for the county on excellent domestic and international festivals.

Recently we can observe the recalling of folk nutrition culture. The specialities of folk gastronomy are recalled by dishes of the region, for example games, salads with oil, pretzel and the marrow-poppy-seed strudel in more families and small restaurants.

It’s not exaggeration: In county Vas the folk culture lives its real renaissance recently.