Croatia – cultural happenings

posted in: Poster

Fishermen’s days in Kopačevo were first held more than 2 decades ago in 1998. They are held in September, various fishing specialties are prepared during that time, and the main event is a fish festival where all those interested compete in the preparation of fish stew. In addition to gastronomy, this event also has a cultural part, so you can see many cultural and artistic societies that mostly nurture Hungarian folklore.

The Pannonian Challenge is the largest festival of extreme sports in Southeast Europe and every year competitors from all over the world take part in it. It has been held since 1999, and fans of extreme sports can see competitions in the categories: skate, BMX, inline and scooter. In 2020 Panonnian Challenge was the only international extreme sport competition in the world.

Vinkovci Autumn is an event that has been held in Vinkovci since 1966 and significantly contributes to the preservation of tradition and culture of the area. The festival has various attractions such as the Biggest Kolo (all participants and spectators dance the “kolo” together) and folklore evenings, but the most visited is always the Ceremonial Parade. On it, thousands of members of cultural and artistic societies, horse-drawn carriages and riders present themselves wearing folk costumes and passing through the streets of Vinkovci in a procession.

Đakovo embroideries are the largest Croatian traditional festival with the participation of about seventy folklore groups from all over the world. Each group has a unique costume, and each costume a different embroidery. At this event, visitors can enjoy traditional song and dance, as well as local delicacies.

Fišijada u slavonskom brodu

The Golden Strings of Slavonia is a music festival that has been held in Požega for more than half a century. The festival is dedicated to tamburitza music and is attended by famous Croatian musicians, but also young talented artists.

Picokijada is a cultural and tourist event that has been held in Đurđevac since 1968. It is dedicated to the legend according to which the Turkish army attacked the Đurđevac fortress. Unable to conquer it in battle, they decided to occupy it and starve the inhabitants of the fort. That strategy really worked, the food ran out and they only had one rooster left in the fort. An old woman then suggested that they put it in a cannon and shoot it at the Turks, which they did. The Turks therefore concluded that the fort was rich in food, and they gave up the siege and the locals were thus saved.

St. Martin’s Krampuslauf is an annual event held on the occasion of St. Nicholas Day in St. Martin on the Mura. The crampus procession scares visitors who always have a good time. The goal of this event is to preserve local legends.

Špancirfest is a unique festival in Croatia because its content is very diverse. In the 10 days of the festival on the streets and squares of the city of Varaždin you can see: concerts, plays, numerous activities for children, acrobats, street entertainers, exhibitions and many other attractions.

Advent in Zagreb is a pre-holiday event that takes place at several locations in the city at the same time. At that time, the streets of the city are full of houses and stalls where you can try various local and world delicacies or buy various souvenirs. Visitors can see a large Christmas tree, a live nativity scene or take a ride on the Christmas tram which always has Santa Claus and other holiday and cartoon characters. For three years in a row (2016-2018), Zagreb Advent has been named the best destination for the Christmas holidays in Europe.

The Snow Queen is a women’s slalom race of the World Ski Cup, which has been held on Sljeme since 2005. The name “Snow Queen” is in honor of the best Croatian skier Janica Kostelić.

Beer Days in Karlovac are the longest-running gastronomy and beer festival in Croatia. During the festival, streets and parks are transformed into stages, restaurants and bars. This event attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year.

Rijeka Carnival is a set of different events that take place every year in Rijeka. Some of the most visited are the selection of the Queen of the Rijeka Festival and the handover of the city key, the children’s carnival procession, the Paris-Bakar Masked Car Rally (parody race from Rijeka to Bakar) and the International Carnival Parade with thousands of participants.

Rovinj Night is a fun music event that has been organized in Rovinj for more than 55 years. Famous domestic and foreign musicians take part in the music program on the city waterfront. In addition to music, visitors can enjoy traditional gastronomic treats and the fireworks, known as one of the most beautiful on the Adriatic.

Histria Festival, an international music and stage festival, is held every year in Pula. It is held in the Pula Amphitheater and is the most successful festival in Croatia. Every year, famous people from the domestic and international music scene, such as Anastacia, Eros Ramazzotti, Maksim Mrvica, Nora Jones and Luciano Pavarotti, take part in it.

The Pula Film Festival has a tradition of almost 70 years, which makes it the oldest Croatian film festival. The festival is held in the Pula Amphitheater and every year domestic and foreign films are shown there. The awards at the festival are modeled after the Oscars, but unlike the Oscars, the awards in Pula are given to films that are mostly premiered at the festival.

Autumn in Lika is a cultural and tourist event that takes place in early October in Gospić. At the festival you can see an exhibition of indigenous Croatian cows and sheep, evaluation of honey and brandy, dance performances, professional lectures and other events.

Musical evenings in Sv. Donat is a musical event that has been held in Zadar since 1960. Church of St. Donat from the 9th century in which the evening has outstanding acoustic values, which further contributes to the quality of this event.

The donkey race in Tribunj is a fun event that started in 1952 when a group of students decided to organize a race during the summer holidays. The locals accepted it very well and the race became a tradition. The fact that donkeys are known for their stubbornness makes the race unpredictable and makes it more special.

Sinj Alka is a knight’s game that is held every August in Sinj, on the occasion of the battle in which in 1715 700 Sinj soldiers defended the city against tens of thousands of Turkish soldiers. The object of the game is to hit the center of the target (alka) with a spear, while riding a horse. This event lasts for three days and has a whole range of customs and traditions that are held before the final game.

Diocletian’s Days are a fun event that takes place in Split. During that time, on the streets of Split, Roman legions and Emperor Diocletian in a carriage can be seen passing through the city accompanied by the sound of drums and fanfare. Visitors can enjoy numerous gastronomic delicacies, performances by street entertainers as well as concerts and dance routines.

The boat marathon is an amateur sports competition in the boat race that takes place on the second Saturday in August in the Neretva Valley. Its goal is to preserve the Neretva boat, which is why only boats of traditional shape, dimensions and made of prescribed materials can participate in the competition.

The Dubrovnik Summer Festival is a cultural festival founded in 1950. During the festival, visitors can enjoy numerous music, theatrical and folklore performances by local and foreign artists.