September 11, 2022 - Although the east of Croatia lives and breathes hedonism all year round, there is a moment every year when it shines really, really brightly. For the fourth year in a row, during the two-day festival of hedonism, the Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board will offer to the world the best of Slavonia and Baranja in one place. On September 30 and October 1, HeadOnEast is taking place in Osijek!

As proclaimed by the County Tourist Board, Hedonism is in the east!

The three-day entertainment event, aptly named "HeadOnEast" or simply - Hedonist, invites all pleasure-seekers to head east. You will enjoy, as befits true hedonists, the best that Slavonija and Baranja have to offer.

Dubravka Petric / Pixsell

During those days, the old Fortress in Osijek amazes with numerous themed passages and streets, unique content and imaginative activities, along with the smells of the region's best gastronomic delicacies. All this rests on the presentation of the rich offer of Slavonia and Baranja - from well-known events to a diverse cultural offer. Discover how to live hedonism to the fullest and be inspired by the flavours, colours and beauty of this region.

Davor Javorovic / Pixsell

All clear! Hedonists, there is no surrender - except surrender to pleasure.

This year, it carries the "royal" title because the main program will take place in the parks of King Petar Krešimir IV and King Tomislav. In addition to the art of light, the mandatory parts of this year's HeadOnEast traditionally include other types of art, wine, beer and all kinds of gastronomic delicacies. An excellent music line-up will be in charge of spicing it all up. This year's list of hedonists includes Fluentes, Gelato Sisters, Z++, Massimo, Daleka Obala.

Davor Javorovic / Pixsell

Up to date information about the event and the program can be followed in detail at visitslavoniabaranja.com, Facebook page Visit Slavonija Baranja and Instagram profile visit.slavonija.baranja.

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

September 1, 2022 - Autumn in Croatia is possibly the most beautiful time of the year. The air begins to cool down, leaves begin to turn brown, life returns from the beaches to the streets. One of the bast parts is the festivals in September that take place all over Croatia, from Ilok to Dubrovnik.

Journal lists seven out of many festivals worth visiting. These events will take us on a cultural journey along and across Croatia. 

Split Film Festival

The International New Film Festival will be held in Split from September 1 to 9, 2022. After last year's 'online edition', this year we will have the opportunity to watch films live again in the Karaman cinema. The twenty-seventh edition of the festival will once again show films in the feature and short international competition. The audience will have the opportunity to get to know the new films in the Croatian program, and a detailed overview of all screenings is available here.

Milan Sabic / Pixsell

Dimensions Festival

On Thursday, the jubilee 10th edition of the Dimensions Festival starts, with which we traditionally say goodbye to the summer at The Garden resort in Tisno. The famous electronic music festival takes place from September 1 to 5, and for its jubilee, a real treat of a line-up is coming. You can check it out at this link.

Dusko Marusic / Pixsell

Ogulin Fairytale Festival

This traditional cultural and tourist event will from September 9 to 11 make Ogulin a center of entertainment, good mood, fairy-tale creativity and a cultural program for children, youth and adults. This is an ideal opportunity for the whole family to spend quality time together and go to some of the festival scenes around the city with appropriate names - Regoč, Đulin vrt, Neva Nevičica, Stribor, Potjeh, Kosjenka and Domaći (characters from the fairytales of famous Croatian author Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić). The detailed program of the festival can be found here.

Ogulinski Festival Bajke

Four River Film Festival

Karlovac will host the 15th edition of the Four River Film Festival from September 6 to 10. It is an international festival intended for high school films. Along with it, the 27^th Youth Film Festival will take place, which will feature works created by young people aged 14 to 20. The festival program can be found here.

Kristina Stedul Fabac

Vinkovačke Jeseni (Autumn in Vinkovci)

September also brings the 57^th edition of Vinkovačke Jeseni. Our tradition will shine in full glory from September 9 to 18, when the sounds of the tamburica will resound in Vinkovci, and the gathered guests will have the opportunity to see what lies beneath the golden Slavonian sun in early autumn. Detailed information about the event celebrating traditional culture is available here.

Dubravka Petric / Pixsell

Goulash Disko

From September 14 to 18, the island of Vis will host a special music festival - Goulash Disco. It is a festival that gathers artists who can be classified under the heading of underground music. In the description of the festival, it is pointed out that it combines "positive music, virgin nature and collective incredibleness". You can check the program of this year's edition of the festival here.

Zeljko Lukunic / Pixsell

International Puppet Theater Festival – PIF

The impressive 55^th edition of the International Puppet Theater Festival will be held in Zagreb from September 16 to 22. During the seven days of the festival, we will have the opportunity to enjoy twenty professional and amateur puppet theaters and troupes, which perform shows for children and adults. The entire program of the oldest and largest international puppet theater festival in Croatia is available here.

PIF

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

August 20, 2022 - Another Špancirfest in Varaždin has kicked off. This year's is the festival's 24^th edition, and the organisers are expecting three hundred thousand visitors.

As Poslovni reports, On Friday 19^th August, the 24^th Špancirfest began in Varaždin, which is one of the longest-running Croatian summer events. Over the space of ten days, it brings more than five hundred programs, concerts, street performances, plays, dance and other contents, reports HRT.

Photo: Matija Habljak (Pixsell)

The soul of Špancirfest, which will last until August 28, are the street performers who will come to Varaždin this year from all over Europe. The street performer list is made up of mobile performers, among whom there will be drummers, costumed performers, stilt walkers, etc.

The musical part of Špancirfest will offer its audience a diverse program on four main and several smaller stages on the streets and squares of the historic core of the city. An essential part of the Festival is the theater program at Villa Bedeković.

Director of the Varaždin Tourist Board, Jelena Toth, told Hina that more than 500 different programs will be held as part of Špancirfest in the next ten days on the outdoor stage of Varaždin's historic city center. The program is diverse and expects a large number of visitors. Toth reminded that last year the official number of visitors was 230 thousand, and in 2019, before the pandemic, it was 300 thousand.

Photo: Matija Habljak (Pixsell)

"We hope that this year we can approach the figure of 300 thousand again. Of course, a lot depends on the weather. We really did our best to organise Špancirfest, to equip the space, and to design quality content", said the director of the Varaždin Tourist Board, noting that the only thing that is not within their control is the weather.

All festival programs will be held outdoors, while tickets only need to be booked for the programs at Villa Bedeković.

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

August 7, 2022 – September in Croatia is just the most beautiful time. For the best possible experience, in Virovitica-Podravina County they decided to make it wine month. Wine Not?

According to Press 032, the most anticipated wine event Slavonia and Podravina, Wine Not!? will once again gather lovers of wine, fine snacks, unique environment, art, and untouched nature on the famous Noble Route. The festival was announced in Orahovica, in the Patkoš boutique winery on the slopes of Krndija and Papuk.

The pink nocturne in noble dress in the unique Janković Castle on September 3 is the best introduction to as many as six exclusive wine events. A completely different experience awaits wine lovers on September 11 at a picnic in the beautiful Jankovac park forest of the Papuk Nature Park. Wine and art will be discussed on September 17 at Wine&Art in the Pejačević Castle in Virovitica, and on September 22 it’s all about Graševina in Dravska Priča in Noskovci. On September 24, a wine marathon will be held in Orahovica, followed by Wine and Poetry on October 1 in the Interpretation Centre – Petar Preradović's House.

Pexels (Taryn Elliott)

“I am extremely happy that after last year's events, more winemakers want to get involved in this beautiful story. Three criteria are decisive for the selection of wines to be tasted at the six wine events – top quality, all wines must be from the area of ​​Virovitica-Podravine County and, of course, they must be available on the market”, noted the well-known oenologist Ivana Nemet, ambassador of the event Slavonia and Podravina, Wine Not!?

“In recent years, Orahovica has been developing in the direction of wine tourism. In our area, the green Silvanac produces excellent results, and we have become known in the wine world for that variety. I am happy that in addition to the famous PP Orahovica winery, we also have beautiful small boutique wineries with excellent wines that attract an increasing number of wine lovers to our city”, said Saša Rister, mayor of Orahovica, at the presentation of this year's manifestation Slavonia and Podravina, Wine Not!?

Martina Jakelić, director of the Virovitica-Podravina County Tourist Board, which in cooperation with the local tourist boards organises the six wine events, pointed out that this year's manifestation brings together important points on the Noble Route.

“For everyone who wants to be a part of this beautiful wine story, it is important to note that the number of places is limited, the registration fee for participation per event is HRK 100, except for the Wine Picnic in the Jankovac Forest Park, which will cost HRK 150, and the registration fee includes the rental of a picnic basket for two people. Registration forms and more information about the event can be found on the website of the Virovitica-Podravina County Tourist Board”, said Martina Jakelić.

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

July 29, 2022 – think of Croatia in the summer. Fun in the sun, refreshment in the shade, perfect swimming temperatures, and a sandy beach. All that followed by a night out at a film festival, craft beers and some quality rock music in the forest. Dalmatia or Istria? Surprise surprise, and once again, welcome to Vukovar! We got your weekend sorted.

This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the Bara Film Association as the organisers of Klein Short Film Festival are bringing something unique and exciting to the venues, pubs, and parks of Vukovar. The event of the weekend from the 29^th until the 31^st of July combines short films and good music for the perfect summer atmosphere.

The program for the competition section of Klein Film Festival (photo credit: Klein)

Kicking off on Friday at 20.30 at the City Museum, this international film and music festival presents a variety of short feature, animated, and documentary films. The films were split into two main categories – competition and accompanying programs, with 16 and 35 films, respectively. The category of competition films will feature pieces produced in the last two years, while the accompanying program will consist of representative pieces produced before 2020. The venues include the City Museum and the Serbian Cultural Centre in Vukovar, as well as the Đorđe Očić House in the village of Dalj. The organisers underline that the main focus of the festival is the idea, along with its consistent realisation in the film. The name of the festival is an homage to Hugo Klein, a theatre professor, theorist, and psychiatrist who was born in Vukovar.

As for the music portion of the festival, there will be something for everyone. The pub Kibic Fenster is opening its back terrace for mini-concerts, while the park forest Adica will host some big names. On Friday, Sinj’s own Mort will be there to remind us that punk is not dead, on Saturday it’s Repetitor, and to round it up, Atheist Rap from Novi Sad will play on Sunday. All concerts start at 22.30.

The main sponsors of Klein Film Festival include the City of Vukovar, SDF (Serbian Democratic Forum), and HAVC (Croatian Audiovisual Centre), and the association also expects international support. Bara Film is a young cultural association of audio-visual artists who hope that this ambitious project will help further support and enrich their work.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

March 25, 2022 - Does it look like your summer will involve staying in Zagreb, whether it’s due to work or a tight budget? Well, we've got you covered with our Zagreb summer guide covering a range of fun yet affordable activities, including a number of free festivals in the town. 

An option that is both cheap and relaxing is to visit one of the town’s major parks such as Jarun or Bundek. Both have spacious grassy areas in both sun and shade, perfect for outdoor picnics, in addition to long tracks for running, rollerblading, or biking, as well as a skate park. There’s also the pebbly beach and the nearby cafes at Jarun, which give an almost seaside feel. Just bring your snacks and drinks, your bike or skates, and some company, and you're all set. And at Bundek, you can catch the Pop Up Summer Garden from mid-August to September, featuring creative art and floral installations paired with live music performances, cocktails, and gourmet food. There’s also one in the Tuškanac forest, for those closer to there. 

If you're based in the town centre and are after something more local, look no further than the upper town area. The Strossmayer promenade has its free, annual Ljeto na Strossu (Summer on Stross) festival, starting in early June. It features a diverse range of outdoor events, from concerts to al-fresco bars, to market stalls and some more unusual happenings - check out the best mongrel-dog show. 

Just nearby, there’s Ljetno kino Gradec, the open summer cinema at the Gradec plateau, showing regular screenings of both new and classic movies, complete with a stunning setup of outdoor lights. Reservations must be made beforehand, and prices range from 20kn per seat to 80kn per table for 4 people, which is overall pretty affordable depending on how often and with how many people you plan to go. 

Also at Gradec, there is the Baš Naš Gourmet & Music festival. Usually, in mid-June, this free festival brings a great summer rooftop bar atmosphere, with its outdoor concerts and DJ sets at a stage located at the highest point in Zagreb, adorned with colourful umbrellas and lamps, chill zones, and a garden oasis. You’ll spend your time admiring this colourful, summery view as you enjoy top-quality cocktails and the best local gourmet food Zagreb has to offer.

And while you’re in the upper town, check out the Art Park located just under Strossmayer, next to the bottom station of the Zagreb Funicular. All year round it is considered an outdoor street art gallery and a popular “hangout” spot, with a great atmosphere and a view overlooking the Zagreb town centre. During the summer, it is as their social page describes, a “city park turned into a magic chill spot for art lovers”. In 2019, ground-breaking art collective Pimp my Pump teamed up with street art studio Lapo Lapo and brought the Art Park project to the larger Ribnjak park (located east of the Zagreb cathedral), resulting in an open space for workshops, movie screenings, outdoor concerts, ping pong tournaments, drawing sessions, yoga classes and more. Entry is free and the park is open every day, throughout both the summer season and the whole year. Moreover, it is a child- and dog-friendly space, so bring over the whole family, as there is something for everyone to enjoy.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

February 24, 2022. This project of interpreting the sacred repertoires of Medieval music in Europe, whose artistic director is Katarina Livljanic, celebrates 25 years since its first performance in Paris on February 22, 1997. Introducing Ensemble Dialogos.

The Ensemble Dialogos was founded in 1997 and brings together singers and instrumentalists from different backgrounds and countries to revive the European musical traditions of the Medieval and Renaissance repertoire.

Katarina Livljanić has directed the vocal Ensemble Dialogos from the beginning. She is a singer and musicologist and is one of the most important international specialists in medieval chant performance. Born in Zadar, she decided to become a medieval music performer very early, training at the Zagreb Music Conservatory before moving to France to study voice and musicology. She is currently a professor at the Schola Cantorum in Basel and Maître de conferences in medieval music at the Sorbonne University in Paris, where she codirects a medieval music performance Master programme.

Her passion for this musical genre has turned her commitment into an authentic international success. For her work in this field, she was decorated for cultural achievement in 2002 by the president of Croatia and was awarded in 2016 the title Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.

Through the research of Katarina Livljanić, Dialogos programs allow worldwide audiences to (re) discover unknown repertoires, with a particular interest in the South Slavic world. The past is brought to life through a musical language based on medieval sources, prayers, traditional melodies, and polyphonies. The Ensemble has performed in several European countries and in the most important early music festivals in Europe, the United States, Canada, North Africa, and Latin America. The Ensemble has also won several international awards thanks to their projects and performances, which combine new musicological explorations with innovative interpretations, a theatrical dimension, and expressive musicality.

Katarina Livljanić’s most recent solo project is a musical theatre production entitled Judith, based on the masterpiece by the 16th-century Croatian poet Marko Marulić and inspired by Gregorian and Glagolitic sources of Dalmatia, as well as the oral tradition. 

Judith is a seventy minutes-long story told through music, in which Katarina Livljanić deserves equal respect and admiration both as an author and as a performer.  At the centre of the stage is the narrator-singer, who, with clear diction, a wide range of vocal nuances, and pure intonation, shows exceptional acting skills.

Photo: Benedicte Karyotis

Faithful companions in Judith are Norbert Rodenkirchen on transverse flute and doubles and Albrecht Maurer on viela and lyric, whose accompaniment is based on improvisation.

The year of the 25^th anniversary of the Ensemble’s foundation, there will be several occasions to witness their original performances in Europe and beyond. Surely next summer, we will see Katarina Livljanić busy with the artistic direction (together with Jurica Šoša) of the Musical Evenings at St Donatus, which is one of the oldest Croatian music festivals and one of the most important music stages in Europe in the chamber and early music.

Let us not miss the opportunity to be overwhelmed by their energy and innovative talent and discover these often underestimated musical explorations.

Lifestyle: For more, check out our lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 24 Sept 2021 - The ninth Kvarner Fiumare festival of the sea and maritime heritage and the Rijeka Boat Show, featuring nautical and boat equipment, opened in Rijeka on Friday.

The Fiumare festival, taking place at several venues in downtown Rijeka, will be open until 29 September while the Rijeka Boat Show will run until 26 September at the Caroline of Rijeka pier.

The Rijeka Boat Show's theme is "The City is the port, the port is the city", and visitors can see new small vessels made in Croatia as well as world brands and nautical and fishing equipment.

"Rijeka's potential has been recognised by the world's largest groups - the attractiveness of the marina in Porto Baroš has been recognised by the Lürssen Group, the world's biggest producer megayachts. The Zagreb Pier future container terminal has been recognised by Maersk, the largest shipping company in the world. That means that in the next three to four years, Rijeka will definitely change its face as seen from the sea," Mayor Marko Filipović said.

The Fiumare festival will feature lectures, exhibitions, interactive workshops, rowing demonstrations, presentations of historical events and a fair of autochthonous products from the Kvarner region.

For more on travel, CLICK HERE.

ZAGREB, 16 May 2021 - The Zagreb Book Festival (ZBF) will be held from 24 to 28 May at the Urania venue in Zagreb, and the seventh edition of the ZBF will be held under the slogan "I want your story!".

This year's festival features Jul Maroh, Nebojša Lujanović, Vedrana Rudan, Korana Serdarević, Monika Herceg, Boris Jokić, Dino Pešut, Ece Temelkuran, Robert Torre, Zoran Ferić, Sena Puhovski, Barbara Matejčić, Rujana Jeger  and some other writers.

Since its founding in 2014, the Zagreb Book Festival has been designed as an annual literary event with the clear goal of encouraging reading and critical thinking.

"After six successful editions, it has become an unavoidable point on the cultural and literary map of Zagreb and beyond," the festival says on its web site.

This year's program includes an international project called "Every Story Matters" which "raises awareness of the role of literature, especially for children and youth, in building an open democratic society. Although European society implies diversity, it is not in fact reflected in all its segments: literature and the book world are still quite homogeneous in many respects."

For more news about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

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April 28, 2021 - Starting this weekend, the Lošinj Gastro Weekend 2021 prepares a real treat to the visitors of 14 restaurants on the island.

A beautiful island setting of Lošinj, and delicious food next to the Adriatic - all a regular feature of the annual gastro weekend which starts this week and continues until the end of May.

As Losinj Tourist Board website VisitLosinj.hr announces, fourteen restaurants from Osor all the way to Mali Lošinj will each weekend have a special offer based on a specific product.

Starting with this Friday, April 30 to Sunday, May 2, the restaurants will have lamb specialties in which the local meat will be offered to satisfy your taste buds.

The next is asparagus weekend (May 7-9), followed by fish dishes (May 14-16), Medditaranian herbs dishes (May 21-23), and finally the Antic cuisine (May 28-30).
Artatore, Baracuda, Bocca Vera, Bora bar, Borik Mediterranean Bar, Deveron, Diana Steakhouse, Eki, Lanterna Grill Mare, Silvana, Silver Bay Televrin, and Veli žal are the restaurants.
Turizmoteka.hr also covered the story and warned readers to reserve their place in the restaurants to enjoy this lovely culinary spectacle.

„In these moments, the cooperation between every actor in the destination is extremely important to overcome the negative effect of corona crisis as fast as possible. This festival is an ideal opportunity for visitors to meet Lošinj through local specialties. Come and enjoy!“, said Mali Lošinj mayor Ana Kučić, writes Turizmoteka.

"It is our wish to bring our guests almost all gastronomy pleasures the Island of Vitality is known for“, said Dalibor Cvitković, president of Lošinj Tourist Board, referring to the island's nickname.

Learn more about Croatian islands on our TC page.

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