November 17, 2020 – After an absence of one season, Croatia music festivals return in 2021. Tickets for some of the biggest events are now on sale and, in today's media, it's suggested Croatia could even host 2021's Exit Festival as it is forced to move from Novi Sad, Serbia. Exit is the biggest music festival in the region.

At the Croatia music festivals site near Tisno, Murter island, 2020 was the quietest summer in almost a decade. Since 2012, the sprawling accommodation and beach complex has played host to Croatia music festivals running consecutively throughout the summer. Each attracting upwards of 5000 international visitors, summers on the beach at The Garden Tisno were one long party of dancing, drinking, partying and music. But, in 2020 everything fell silent.

As reported earlier in Total Croatia News, the festival hosts in Tisno took the opportunity to make improvements to the site in preparation for the return of events. That return is now almost certain to be 2021.

Tickets for the 2021 editions of all the major brands of international Croatia music festivals taking place in Tisno are already on sale. With the full calendar of 2020 Tisno festivals having been cancelled, many attendees have simply held onto their tickets. These tickets are now valid for 2021's rescheduled events. Dimensions, Hospitality On The Beach, Love International, Suncebeat, Outlook Origins, Defected Croatia and Dekmantel Selectors are the festivals already announced for summer 2021 in Tisno.

And far from being a modest return, could 2021 be Croatia's peak year as a host nation? In today's Jutarnji List, it is suggested that Croatia might become the new home for Exit Festival, usually held in Novi Sad, Serbia.

Provisions for workers within the events industry during the pandemic have been met differently across individual nations. In Croatia, the industry-wide crisis was highlighted earlier in 2020 by many famous event venues being lit in red. In Serbia, Exit Festival has incurred debts due to its cancellation and, according to Jutarnji List, the event is faced with losing its workforce due to a lack of financial support.

Exit Festival is the largest event of its kind in the region. It is currently held in Novi Sad, Serbia. In 2021, could it become one of the Croatia music festivals? © Exit Festival

One route available to the event organisers is relocating Exit. As its organisers already hold one of the successful Croatia music festivals in Umag, Istria, Jutarnji suggests that Exit could possibly move to Croatia. Before fans of Croatia music festivals get too excited at the prospect, it should be noted that Exit also hold successful events in Montenegro, which is also a very viable alternative host site. And, it should be remembered just how much Exit Festival puts into the local economy - Jutarnji report that, since Exit started, 200 million Euros in tourism has been gained by Serbia from this one event. The article also suggests that Montenegro values Exit 2021 being able to put a potential 30 million Euros into its budget, with the attached value of Montenegro tourism promotion being over one hundred million Euros. It is difficult to imagine such a cash cow so easily being allowed to leave Serbia without financial assistance to Exit being readdressed by Serbian authorities.

A fresh sense of optimism has emerged in recent days, as news of successful COVID-19 vaccines now places the end of the pandemic within sight. However, it could be autumn or winter 2021 before enough people are successfully vaccinated for us all to relax, especially when considering mass gatherings like music festivals. But, as was proved by Croatia music festivals in Sibenik during summer 2020, a template does exist for the successful hosting of large events and music festivals, regardless of the progress of vaccination by summer 2021.

The Martinska site for Croatia music festivals hosted over 10, 000 people at events during summer 2020, creating a template by which large scale events can successfully take place while adhering to strict epidemiological guidelines © Seasplash / Pozitivan Ritam

As reported in TCN at the end of this summer, the Martinska music festival site near Sibenik welcomed over 10, 000 festival-goers across their 2020 season. Adhering to the strictest epidemiological guidelines, the festival site recorded zero cases of COVID-19 from its attendees. Whether or not everyone has received a vaccination shot by next summer, and regardless of whether Exit Festival is among them, fans should confidently expect the welcome return of Croatia music festivals in 2021.


Organisers of the Suncebeat festival visit the Croatia music festivals site in Tisno during summer 2020 to see new improvements awaiting those who attend 2021's events

April 7, 2020 - At a time when it's usually actively promoting its music festival, Sea Star in Umag has instead turned its efforts to volunteering, and is asking festival-goers to lend a hand to their neighbor instead. 

"Times are not so miserable when the Super Neighbor knocks," reads the opening remark of a video created by the EXIT and Sea Star festivals to encourage young people to become actively involved in helping their fellow citizens, reports Glas Istre.

During the current coronavirus pandemic, and after the Zagreb area suffered from a series of earthquakes, volunteering, the festival organizers say, has once again proven to be one of the most urgent human needs and traits.

Instead of promoting the festival, which is usually the most intense at this moment, EXIT and Sea Star have decided to focus their efforts on the "Super Neighbor" campaign to help volunteer associations and initiatives, both locally and nationally in Croatia.

The Super Neighbor campaign will gather information on volunteering in one place, where and how to apply, and keep track of all the worthy volunteer actions and suggestions.

For many of our fellow citizens, helping to meet basic living needs has become crucial, and many volunteers are needed in Croatia to help older citizens go shopping, get medicines, or walk their pets and take out their trash. In Zagreb, the situation is even more difficult because the earthquake has permanently or temporarily damaged houses and apartments.

All volunteer posts that feature the hashtag #SuperNeighborhood in the description will be promoted through the social networks of the Sea Star Festival and through the Super Neighbor profile on social networks, which will always have more information and positive examples.

Everyone is invited to submit photos of their actions in order to involve as many citizens as possible to help those who need it most. Also, experiences from the field can be exchanged in this way to make it easier for others involved in this action to cope with social distancing, disinfecting and operational functioning.

According to the organizers, Exit Festival as a social project has been promoting sincere human values ​​for 20 years, announcing positive social changes and acting to convey love and freedom worldwide through various humanitarian, educational and cultural events, while the Sea Star Festival in Umag, as Exit's sister festival, has been following the same path for the fourth year in a row.

“Super Neighbour” is the sister of the same campaign that has been successfully operating in the territory of Serbia for the second week and is delivering good results, with a great response from young people to help older citizens.

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Sea Star music festival was held for the first time at Stella Maris in Umag this May. 

Summer music festival EXIT, one of the top ten music festivals in Europe and an award-winner which is held at the Petrovaradin Fortress in the city of Novi Sad, Serbia, will have a Croatian version next year. Held in Umag on May 26 and 27, Sea Star, Croatia’s EXIT Festival, has already confirmed The Prodigy, Urban & 4, and Kolektiv for the 2017 lineup.

The EXIT team, organizers of the award-winning EXIT and Sea Dance Festivals, have teamed up with creative industries and tourism in Istria to announce a new festival in the Croatian town of Umag.