October 25, 2022 - This year's Sea Star festival in Umag, the first festival held in Croatia since 2019, brought a new 54 million kuna in profit for the Croatian economy. From 2017 to today, the total exceeded 225 million kuna, the festival organisers reported.

As Index writes, on May 27 and 28, more than 40,000 visitors came to the fourth edition of the Sea Star Festival, according to research by the consulting firm Hotelis, which specialises in tourism and hotel management, and the independent agency TIM Centar. The visitors brought a new 54 million in profit for the Croatian economy.

The total realised contribution from 2017 to today has exceeded HRK 225 million or almost EUR 30 million, and only direct consumption caused by the Sea Star event was included in the analysis.

Visitors from more than 40 countries and four continents

In addition to this amount, the total value of the marketing promotion of the festival and the destination, specifically Umag, the Stella Maris lagoon, Istria, and Croatia, has been estimated at more than HRK 128 million, or EUR 17 million. In 2022 alone, the value of the marketing campaign carried out in more than 20 countries exceeded five million euros.

In two evenings, visitors from more than 40 countries and four continents entered through the festival gates of this year's Sea Star. Fans from Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, BiH, and Serbia prevailed, and some came to Umag from the USA, Australia, Israel, and Kuwait.

Regarding audience size, Sea Star in 2022 was the most visited music event in Istria and Primorje and one of the three most visited in Croatia. According to the data of the Umag Tourist Board, about 15,000 tourists and almost 50,000 overnight stays were recorded at the destination from May 26 to 29.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Lifestyle section.

September the 12th, 2022 - The first gin festival is set to be held in the gorgeous Istrian city of Rovinj at the end of this month. GinIstra will more than likely prove a hit among visitors and locals alike.

As Morski writes, over more recent years, and speaking on a global level, there has been an increasingly present trend of people drinking gin. The creation of new, special, more diverse and even more specific flavours has naturally led to an increase in the production activity in the field of distillates. This is also the situation here in the Republic of Croatia, where there are currently around 40 active gin producers, eleven of which are located in Istria County.

In order to valorise local producers and introduce them to the production and the distillates themselves, on September the 30th, the first gin festival appropriately named "GinIstra" will be held in beautiful Rovinj, which will aim to gather producers and the profession in one place.

Nine producers from the area of ​​Istria have confirmed their participation in the upcoming GinIstra festival, and these are the distilleries AurA, Damijanic, Imagine spirits, Istarska kaptilpa, Martesi, Old school distillery, OPG Cehic, Rossi and Sempervivum. In addition to the presentation of almost twenty different types of gin, visitors will have the opportunity to listen to panel workshops, and on top of the rich entertainment programme which will be put on during the very first GinIstra festival, awards will be given for the best gin according to the evaluations of the profession, i.e. the Commission for evaluating all of the submitted samples.

The first GinIstra festival will be held in the white hall of the Academia Banquet in Rovinj, on Friday, September the 30th, from 16:00 until midnight, as reported by local portal Glas Istre (The Voice of Istria).

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

June 3, 2022 - The first Cres Fringe Festival had its grand opening on May 30 on Croatia's largest island with a varied and rich cultural and artistic programme. The festival is set to continue until this Sunday, and attendees can still enjoy its diverse content until then.

The Cres Fringe Festival is a festival that connects, educates, and supports performers, all kinds of art, music, culture, filmmakers, artists, and locals. But it‘s more than this. There are fringe festivals all over the world, with the first one being the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which started 70 years ago. The Cres Fringe Festival is one of a kind as it is the very first in Croatia, the only difference is the kind of art, the compilation, and its singularity. The Cres Fringe Festival is running in parallel to the Creski Kaić, which takes place on the main square of the city, while the Cres Fringe Festival present its shows in different venues around the city of Cres.

Those who attend will have the chance to connect with artists, producers, and many interesting people from diverse backgrounds. Lots of international performers, drag shows, singers and artists are currently in the city of Cres. In addition, visitors be able to attend a film festival whose programme revolves around the pandemic and the psychological effects produced as a result of it. Likewise, attendees will not just be spectators, since they'll also have the opportunity to share, perform and celebrate their own art. Numerous exhibits will be available at the festival, as will street art, and attendees can also visit the marketplace to buy handmade goods, traditional art, photos, and designs.

International performers and artists, such as Deaby De Lux, will be present at various venues around the city of Cres.

If you are at the Cres Fringe Festival, you can also attend different workshops, presentations, and discussion panels. An entertainment programme is also guaranteed, with the possibility of seeing shows, the circus, cabaret, and much more. The festival will also allow those from abroad to get better acquainted with Croatian culture up close, as well as many other types of cultural exchanges. As if that weren't enough, those present can win prizes throughout each day as well. Finally, considering the great weather at this time of the year, Cres Fringe Festival attendees will be able to enjoy a great location on a beautiful Croatian island, excellent food and drinks, and the gorgeous sea around Kvarner Bay.

You can go home with a tattoo done at the Festival itself!

Additionally, there will be a tattoo artist at the festival for those who wish to take home a unique and very permanent ''souvenir'', as well as a live artist, who will draw the attendees or even the artists while they perform on stage, finishing their incredible drawings in small time frames of between 3 and 5 minutes.

The organisers are also pleased to announce that this year, the Cres Fringe Festival has been held in collaboration with the European Burlesque and Variety Congress.

The talented Koes Komo will be in charge of portraying attendees and artists in less than five minutes.

One might wonder why all this would take place on the island of Cres, of all places. The answer lies in the fact that the island the founder's home, and she always dreamed of bringing more art and diversity to the island while also doing something for the local residents there. Those behind the organisation of the first-ever Cres Fringe Festival want to start the season earlier, bringing more people to the island and the city, as it‘s an opportunity for property owners on Cres to accommodate people by renting out their apartments and houses for the duration of the festival.

Cres, Croatia's largest island and one of the most beautiful, is ready to become a hotspot for Fringe tourism.

Those who benefit will be not only property owners but also venue owners, who will be able to have world-class entertainment and performers at their venues, completely organised by the festival's producers.

Among the main venues of the Cres Fringe Festival are Arsan, Luna Rossa, Cine Cres, Vina Miramar, and Plavica Bar.

The organising team for the first Cres Fringe Festival includes Croatian founder and producer Celeste de Moriae, and her co-producers Amanda Blyth from the UK, Sylwester Biraga from Poland, and Wini Di from the Netherlands. Also part of the team are Larisa Štefančić from Croatia and Magenta Lust from Scotland, as well as Miss Botero from France as a consultant.

As part of the objectives of the organisers, it's worth highlighting the intention to promote and grow fringe tourism in the country and thus be part of the World Fringe Community. But, above all, the aim is to attract more tourists and make both the island and the city of Cres more popular destinations by bringing a unique world event to the island.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 13 March 2022 - The 11th edition of Book Night, the national event promoting reading and books, will take place on 22-25 April, coinciding with World Book and Copyright Day (23 April) and Croatian Book Day (22 April), the organisers announced earlier this week.

The focus of this year's event will be on "books as a space of freedom".

This year marks two important anniversaries - the 400th anniversary of the birth of French playwright Molière, who found his space of freedom in farce and comedy, using them as a vehicle for a critique of the society of his time, and the 100th anniversary of he birth of Croatian poet Vesna Parun.

The organisers expect over a thousand programmes by libraries, bookshops, publishers, educational institutions, museums, local government authorities and other institutions and organisations. Admission to many of the events will be free.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 23 Jan 2022 - The Palagruža association, based in the town of Komiža on the island of Vis, preserves and promotes the maritime heritage of the local community which includes making replicas of historical boats. The association has completed the building of models "Sandula" and "Ofalkono Gajeta" and is now in search of partners to build "Leut" and "Loja" replicas.

The association is also active in collecting and preserving traditional tools and promoting local crafts, artisanal products, and cuisine.

The head of the association, Miro Cvitković, recently told Hina that in the beginning, members made replicas of more simple traditional boats such as the "Gundula". Upon completion, this was followed by building replicas of "Sandula" and "Ofalkono Gajeta-učilo" vessels.

The association takes part in many festivals and events abroad to promote Croatia's maritime heritage.

For instance, its members attended the European maritime festival in the Gulf of Morbihan, France, to promote the "Sandula" vessel. On this occasion, they also managed to establish cooperation with the French town of Rochefort-sur-Loire.

"Sandula" is a "work boat" which was used for everyday fishing activities and short voyages along the local coast.

"Loja" is a boat used in fishing for oily fish, or for communication between bigger vessels during fishing activities.

Cvitković has said that currently the association is trying to find partners for its project to build replicas of "Leut" and "Loja" vessels.

For more on lifestyle, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 23 Jan 2022 - The 17th edition of Museum Night will take place on 28 January and this year's theme is "Museums between the real and the digital".

In light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, events will be held online and, where possible, offline with mandatory use of COVID passes.

The organizer, the Croatian Museum Association (HMD), said that cultural institutions were forced to adapt to the new reality, with most of the events being moved to digital communication channels.

All Museum Night programmes will be available via digital channels.

In the pre-pandemic years, Museum Night saw mass visits to museums, with the number of visits in one night exceeding 300,000. Last year, nearly all events were organized online.

The HMD organized the first Museum Night in 2005, with the participation of only a handful of museums in Zagreb. Since then, it has evolved into a national event, attracting 3,635,127 visitors. It takes place on the last Friday in January, from 6pm to 1am, and admission to museums is free.

For more on lifestyle, follow TCN's dedicated page.

January 6, 2022 - The institution of world music journalism, New Musical Express (NME), began 2022 with a selection of the 20 most anticipated festivals of the year, and in the impressive company of the largest and most famous music festivals in the world such as Glastonbury and Coachella, the Croatian INmusic Festival holds its place.

Since its first release in 2006, the INmusic Festival has hosted over 430 bands from 37 countries and given the domestic audience more than 500 concert performances, many of which were premieres in Croatia. In 14 previous editions of the INmusic festival, we had the opportunity to enjoy the top performances of the world's greatest music artists such as Kings Of Leon, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Arctic Monkeys, The Cure, Florence + The Machine, Arcade Fire, PJ Harvey, Queens Of The Stone Age, Jamiroquai, New Order, Pixies, The Prodigy, The Black Keys, and more hundreds of others.

The long-awaited jubilee 15th Edition of the INmusic Festival in Croatia premieres performances by The Killers with the always eager return of local and international audience favorites Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and performances by some of today's most attractive bands: Deftones, Kasabian, Royal Blood, IDLES, White Lies, Fontaines DC, The Comet is Coming and many others.

INmusic Festival/Facebook

As reported by Večernji List, this recognition for the INmusic Festival sounds even greater considering that it ranks among the world's largest festivals after two years of a pandemic. These festivals received millions of grants from their countries, enjoy great support from communities, and have an average organizational budget that is 15 to 75 times higher than the organizational budget of the INmusic Festival.

INmusic Festival is additionally distinguished by having the best price for a festival ticket, which is adjusted to the purchasing power of the Croatian audience, as pointed out by many other European and world media from year to year, most recently by the largest Scottish daily The Scotsman, which in its travel recommendation highlights the INmusic Festival as the most favorable in Europe. The festival has already been praised by the world media with descriptions of INmusic festivals as ‘Woodstock for the 21st Century’ (Huffington Post) or ‘Europe’s Best Kept Festival Secrets’ (NME).

The quality and attractiveness of the INmusic Festival have been recognized by numerous international audiences, so a record number of festival tourists is expected for the 15th edition of INmusic, which is estimated to generate at least HRK 50 million during their stay in Zagreb and Croatia.

Despite its international reputation and impressive cultural and tourism results, the INmusic Festival has been warning since its launch in 2006 of unfair and inadequate treatment, and even for many years completely non-existent support from local governments and relevant ministries. In the international competition with festivals recognized as central cultural and tourism events in their countries and local communities that provide them with generous financial and logistical support, independent festivals such as INmusic not owned by corporations and venture capital funds, without long-term and stable support from local and national bodies are not sustainable.

INmusic Festival hopes that after being ranked by NME among the 20 most anticipated music festivals in 2022, another recognition in a series of major international awards, it will finally bring the deserved attention and support of the City of Zagreb and ministries so that Zagreb, and thus Croatia, remain as a relevant point on the festival map of Europe, meeting their cultural needs in order to improve the quality of life of the citizens of Zagreb and Croatia.

The 15th anniversary edition of the INmusic Festival will take place after a two-year break caused by the coronavirus pandemic at the well-known location of the Jarun Islands in Zagreb for the first time in four festival days, from 20 to 23 June 2022, accompanied by a seven-day festival camp which brings together visitors from over 50 countries around the world. The long-awaited 15th INmusic Festival will feature The Killers, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Deftones, Kasabian, Royal Blood, IDLES, White Lies, Fontaines DC, Gogol Bordello, Amadou & Mariam, Sleaford Mods, The Comet Is Coming, Tamikrest, Hinds, Dry Cleaning and many others.

Four-day festival tickets for the 15th INmusic Festival at the price of 599 kuna are available through their official website and already purchased three-day tickets for the 15th INmusic Festival remain valid for four full festival days on the new dates of its 2022 edition.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

September 3, 2020 - Three of Croatia's most internationally famous venues in the events industry were lit in spectacular red on Monday. Pula amphitheatre, Zagreb Arena and Fort Punta Christo were bathed in light from sunset until after dark

Three of Croatia's most internationally famous venues used by the events industry were lit in spectacular red on Monday. Pula amphitheatre, Zagreb Arena and Fort Punta Christo, also in Pula were bathed in light from sunset until after dark.

Though the change in appearance was enjoyable and visually impressive, the action was undertaken to send a strong message. It was part of a worldwide campaign to highlight the effects of Coronavirus on the events industry and those who work within it.

Some of the most famous historical buildings, concert venues and event halls in the world joined the Red Alert campaign and were similarly lit on the same night.

Large public events have been put on hold over most of the world under epidemiological guidelines. Seating arrangements in theatres, conference halls, sports and music halls are simply not compatible with social distancing regulations – many such venues could not make a profit by holding events at 50% capacity.

This has affected millions around the world who work in the events industry, from musicians and performers to technicians, bookers, agents, the media, PR representatives, venue management and general staff. Freelancers operating within the events industry are some of the hardest hit and have had all of their income sources removed completely. Many who operate in the events industry are highly trained and skilled, so diversifying into other industries can be problematic.

Pula amphitheatre (also known as Pula Arena) is a massively popular open-air venue in warmer months. It holds spectacular opera, ballet and classical music events as well as hosting a film festival. Like Zagreb Arena, it attracts some of the biggest names in pop and rock music. Fort Punta Christo has become famous all over Europe and further over the last decade, thanks to the internationally renowned Outlook and Dimensions festivals. Those events were supposed to take place in Tisno, at The Garden festival site. But, along with seven further festivals due to be held there this year, they chose to cancel in order to safeguard the health of their attendees and locals.


Fort Punta Christo in Pula is widely known as a host site for international music festivals

The Croatian events industry alone is comprised of 2000 business entities, has more than 12,000 employees, and annually generates HRK 4.5 billion. Autumn/winter 2021 is the soonest estimated point at which large scale events could return to normal. The Red Alert campaign has been undertaken to highlight the plight of the events industry as many sections within it face total collapse if deprived of work until then. 



All photos © Red Alert

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May 3, 2020 - The biggest Croatian companies in events, sporting events, concerts, and festivals have sent a letter to Economy Minister Darko Horvat, Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli and Culture Minister Nina Obuljen Korzinek asking if they can expect measures to be loosened this summer or to forget about Croatian events entirely this season.

Slobodna Dalmacija writes that one entrepreneur said that he and his colleagues are aware of the situation, do not want to endanger the health of visitors and their employees, but also add that waiting and uncertainty are the worst possible option.

Namely, they cannot plan anything, do not know whether they should hire or fire employees, and that their situation is unsustainable. They have to pay their debts and their current income is zero. The uncertainty is also shared by the thousands of workers permanently or seasonally employed by this industry.

Therefore, they want an answer as soon as possible: Is the upcoming summer season of festivals, sports, cultural and other events canceled or is there still a chance that smaller and larger gatherings will be allowed?

If it is not canceled, they ask for a guideline of loosening the measures, as soon as possible, because events are also being prepared several weeks/months away. If everything is canceled, then they will try to survive and somehow save their jobs.

"Within the Voice of Entrepreneurs Association, an Event Committee has been set up to bring together all entrepreneurs, craftspeople and sole traders living from the event industry, or all of whom have been unable to work due to the ban on public gatherings, without any indication of when relaxed measures will occur. The Croatian event industry has about 2000 entities, employing 10,000 people and making more than HRK 4.5 billion annually. In the crisis caused by the coronavirus, the entire event industry is the first to be disabled when public gatherings are banned, and will be the last industry to start operating.

The ban on public gatherings directly threatens all culture, festivals, theaters, conferences, concerts, performances, clubs, performers, DJs, congresses, sporting events, and weddings, but also related businesses such as equipment rental companies, hall and venue owners, photographers, and everyone else who lives in the event industry, whose gradual opening will be the last in a row," say the group of entrepreneurs, including those organizing festivals and events such as Ultra Europe, SeaStar, Fresh Island Festival, Weekend Media Festival, ATP Umag, Seasplash, Outlook, Ferragosto JAM Festival, Garden and more.

The owners of various objects and companies are also included: Papaya Zrće, Aquarius Zrće, Nomad Zrće, Noa Zrće, Kalypso Zrće, Dallas, RTL music, Scardona music production, Aquarius Records, Tvornica Kulture, Boogaloo Event and many others.

Therefore, Slobodna Dalmacija has asked the National Civil Protection Headquarters, the Croatian Institute for Public Health, the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Culture, and the Tourist Board to address them at the request of entrepreneurs in the entertainment industry.

The Headquarters replied:

"We believe that it is extremely important for the organizers of major events to know whether these events can be organized or not, but unfortunately, at this time, it is impossible to predict the epidemiological situation in Croatia this summer and what measures will then be in force."

So, nothing is known yet.

However, this response did not satisfy the entrepreneurs, who sent their requests to the Government and ministries.

"We consider these emergency measures crucial for the survival of the Croatian event industry:

1. Urgent Adoption of a Plan - a guideline for loosening the measures for banning public gatherings, especially for events of up to 100, 300, 500 and 1000 or more visitors. We believe it is important that smaller events of up to 100 people start their work as soon as possible, since they are not riskier than i.e., large shops, religious gatherings, etc. In addition, it is necessary to define the expected protection measures at public gatherings in event industries so that we could begin to prepare adequately. We ask the Government to urgently announce the date before which major events (over 1000 people) will certainly not be allowed, so that the organizers have a legal basis for postponing or canceling the event and minimizing costs.

2. Extension of HZZ measures for companies most affected by the corona crisis, which particularly applies to companies from the event industry that will be most disabled for work, for an additional 3 + 3 months or a total of 3 + 3 + 3 + 3. Companies that continue to have a turnover drop of more than 70% over the same quarter last year may qualify as extended measures, that is, those who are extremely affected.

3. Extend the voucher system to event tickets - We ask that changes already integrated in Art. 38a of the Law on Provision of Tourism Services, which relates to issuing vouchers, i.e., deferring money for package arrangements, including tickets for events (concerts, festivals, conferences), because the organizers of eventss are similarly endangered and are essential to the same illiquidity problem. We suggest that the voucher issued can be redeemed within 365 days of the event being delayed for the same or another event by that organizer. If the buyer does not match it, he/she may receive a refund within 30 days after the expiration of 365 days from the date of the delayed event.

4. Relaxing the terms of HAMAG's COVID-19 loans for smaller companies by extending the loan period from 6 to 12 months, so that smaller companies can survive the extended period with the loan obtained. In addition, it is extremely important to increase HBOR's COVID-19 loan pool and relax the conditions so that it includes all the businesses at risk, so that the companies that live from the event can apply," the entrepreneurs say.

Slobodna Dalmacija also requested a comment from the Croatian National Tourist Board.

"The Croatian National Tourist Board is primarily responsible for the promotion of tourism in the country and the world, and so far we have supported a number of music festivals in the country, which enrich the Croatian tourist offer and result in the arrival and overnight stay of more tourists in the destination.

Whether major events, festivals and events will take place this year, the epidemiologists and the National Headquarters will say, because the health of all domestic and foreign guests remains a priority.

At the same time, at this moment, it is not known yet when and under what conditions tourists will be able to enter our country. What is important to emphasize is that such a decision will not only depend on Croatia, but also on when other countries will decide to open their borders for the entry and exit of tourists from the country.

There will certainly be specific security protocols that we will all need to abide by," said Kristina Mamic, the Director of the Office.

Tomo in der Mühlen, President of the Creative and Cultural Industries Association of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), is aware of the gravity of the situation in the Croatian event industry.

"The HGK's Creative and Cultural Community brings together more than 7000 companies. Creative industries have been hit hard by this crisis, and it is evident that no measures have been devised to date to address the adverse effects of the music industry, media, cultural events and many other areas of the creative industries," quotes in der Mühlen.

The filming of all television formats that cannot meet the rules of social distance has been suspended. Because these are expensive productions, losses are measured in millions of dollars, and it is evident that the only thing that works right now is purely informational formats in which there is almost no marketing.

The same is the case with the production of radio programs - namely, radio stations are mostly financed through local marketing, which is almost non-existent at these times. The music industry is affected because there are no public appearances and clubs and festivals are left without 100% of income, and it should be emphasized that festival tourism, which involves music artists, is a significant segment in Croatia's overall tourism offer," says in der Mühlen, noting that government measures have not covered these specific areas, especially businesses that employ a significant number of seasons engaged in clubs and festivals, which they bring in a considerable number of tourists from around the world under normal circumstances.

These crises will have a long-term adverse impact on the creative industries, especially considering that copyright royalties will only go into crisis next year, as payment is made now, and this year's royalties will only be paid next year, when there are likely to be no measures," states in der Mühlen, noting that it is possible to allow further TV and radio productions to proceed immediately, while respecting social distance measures. Namely, according to him, these are not large groups of people, and since they come from a relatively closed circle, they can be easily controlled.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

As Morski writes on the 15th of April, 2019, the Mediterranean Festival of Books, a book fair with a sales and festival nature will be organised by the Association of Publishers and Bookstores of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK) and under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Split-Dalmatia County and the City of Split, will be held from the 8th to the 12th of May, 2019.

A record 100 exhibitors will be offering discounted books with up to seventy percent off, with around 10,000 titles to choose from.

As always, entrance is free and during the five days of the festival, you will be able to see the latest publications covering a space of more than two thousand square metres in the large hall of ŠC (Arena) Gripe, and there are also three other stages where the Mediterranean Festival of Books program will take place.

In addition to the well-known Bookvarij and Mali Bookvarij locations where children's workshops, panel discussions and a professional program will be held, the evening part of this event related to all things books will also be located at the "Cukarin" hospitality facility in Gripe.

Fifty program activities have been prepared, and the expectation is for as many as 35 promotions of the latest works of some award-winning and acclaimed authors to take place.

Among other things, this year's Mediterranean Festival of Books program will include panels consisting of prominent lecturers who will talk about important local topics, and there will of course be a multitude of workshops for the youngest among the festival's visitors on offer. Numerous promotions for new children's editions are also being planned.

All information and a detailed oveview of the Mediterranean Festival of Books 2019 program with its workshop schedule is available here, as well as having been published on the event's official Facebook page and on Instagram.

The Mediterranean Book Festival is being organised with the support of numerous partners such as the Split Tourist Board, Split University, Split Student Centre, the Split Sports Facilities public institution, Hotel Zagreb - Split, Cukarin Gripe, Slobodna Dalmacija, Europlakat, Mandis, CineStar, Barcaffè, CedevitaGo, and Kala.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more.