October 2, 2022 - Osijek is too much fun. The 4^th largest city in Croatia and the regional centre of eastern Croatia lives the good life. The IT scene is booming, new things keep popping up, and cultural events are ever-present. The autumn months are especially exciting. During the day, you can still chill in the sun by the Drava, and in the evening, walk through one of Osijek's many parks, picking up wild chestnuts. Or you can enjoy them as a snack if you buy them roasted from the legendary carts. And on late September / early October weekends, now traditionally, you don't even need to ask what everyone is doing. Just Head On East.

This festival, as the name suggests, celebrates hedonism in the east. And does it shine brightly here. The organisers included the Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board, the Osijek-Baranja County, the City of Osijek, and many of the city's institutions - schools, libraries, museums, and associations. It felt like all of Osijek just came together to create an unforgettable experience. And we don't say that lightly.

The organisers thought of everything and made sure to accommodate all ages and personal definitions of hedonism. Whether that is food, fine wine, beautiful art and light installations, or good music, you could spend the entire weekend living in Osijek's royal parks. 

This year's theme was a royal one, with the main venues being the royal parks of Osijek, i.e., the parks carrying names of kings and queens. Our favourite was the one that hosted the Kingdom of Wine or KraljeVINA (wordplay in Croatian: Kraljevina = kingdom, and vina = of wine). Fun fact, with 17 parks (surpassing the number of squares), Osijek is known as the Green City or the City of Parks. And Head On East utilised that to create an atmosphere of warmth, familiarity, and joy, yet excitement for something new at every step. 

From early morning on Friday until late at night on Saturday, something was happening. Workshops and theatre for the little ones, cook-offs and culinary classes at the market, art, education, wine tasting, local food, craft beer and gin, and live concerts. What impressed us the most was the thoughtful planning and organisation of the locations and events, which made heading on east dynamic and entertaining in a way you wouldn't necessarily think about. The parks felt like a little kingdom each but were all connected by the central theme, hedonism. And though something else was happening at every location, and all the events and crowds made it busy, the route was logical and made it easy to enjoy every aspect.

The light installations put up along European Avenue made the night simply magical. The fact that not only you could walk into the Museum of Fine Arts and look around while listening to a live jazz concert in its backyard but also try your hand at contributing to a painting while having a glass of local wine would probably make anyone suddenly start appreciating art that much more.

To quote Ivana Jurić, the director of Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board, we invite you to come and experience the east of Croatia more. Head On East and discover what it's all about!

Photos are courtesy of Visit Slavonija Baranja Facebook page (Marko Banić / Osijek-Baranja County Archive).

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

September 27, 2022 - We are counting the days until the fourth edition of HeadOnEast. This spectacular event delights even the most demanding hedonists who will seek happiness this weekend in the east of Croatia. Yesterday in the Osijek-Baranja County, the entire program of this now traditional festival was presented.

SiB writes, "HeadOnEast is not only becoming recognisable in Croatia, but beyond. Both as a festival, and as a brand of eastern Croatia that visitors can enjoy all year round. In cooperation with the Tourist Board, Osijek-Baranja County will present the best of everything it has to offer during the two-day festival created four years ago, during the Croatian Tourism Day in the east of Croatia," said prefect Ivan Anušić. This year's HeadOnEast takes place on September 30 and October 1 with the support of the City of Osijek. So hurry up to book a good party in the city on the Drava, because according to the tourist numbers, the accommodation capacities are almost full. After two pandemic years, Osijek-Baranja County saw record numbers, just like in 2019.

"HeadOnEast truly offers the best that we have, and that's why this festival has become recognisable in such a short time. I thank the Osijek-Baranja County for its excellent organisation because Osijek also records excellent tourism results, to which such festivals certainly contribute," said Dragan Vulin, deputy mayor of Osijek.

In the most beautiful parts of the city of Osijek, the festival of hedonism wearing royal clothes will shine at several city locations. During two days, they will become kingdoms with the majority of events taking place in the parks of King Petar Krešimir IV and King Tomislav Park, and King Držislav Park.

Festival programme, Visit Slavonija Baranja

"Every true hedonist enjoys life like a king. That's why we're starting the event at Kraljica Pija, where a royal breakfast for hedonists awaits us in cooperation with our partners HAPIH and the Regional Centre of Competence of the Hospitality and Tourism School in Osijek, followed by the Cooking show "The best fish are in the east" with fresh ingredients from our market," said Ivana Jurić, director of the Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board.

We will continue with the classics in Sakuntala Park and the Avenue Theatre, in one of the most beautiful parts of the city, the Art Nouveau European Avenue. The program then moves to the City and University Library, where we will discuss new books and play in the royal playroom. Across the street, at the Museum of Fine Arts, we have a rich music program, and all of that as darkness falls is accompanied by the Houses of Light in European Avenue and the main HedOnEast zones.

In Kraljevina (the Kingdom), we will drink top wines, and in the King's Park, we will play the royal game with our partner associations Dokkica, Breza, and Đola - making cloaks, crowns, and swords, everything that a real kingdom must have. This part is dedicated to children because they are the kings of the game.

"Beercuz also waits with craft beers, Labos with brandies, gin and domestic whiskeys, and the unmissable street food. An evening walk under the lanterns awaits us on both days, followed by a rich music program. From Nera & Updown, Filip Pavić and the Jazz Quartet, Fluentes, Gelato Sisters, Meritas, Massimo, DJ Vladimir Božić, Croatian Funk Delegation, Surogat, Ida Prester and Lollobrigida, Daleka Obala, to Z++. Saturday morning is booked for the antiques fair and another Cooking show, "Where do the black pigs go," at Kraljica Pija, as well as several playrooms, story rooms, and exhibitions in several locations," Jurić added.

Along with the City of Osijek, the Tourist Board of the City, the Croatian Tourist Board, the Cultural Centre, the Market, HAPIH, the Museum of Fine Arts, the City and University Library, the Hospitality School, the associations Đola, Breza, and Dokkica, and Adverta, there are new partners who have recognised the value of this event. Croatia osiguranje and Ledo will support this year's royal HeadOnEast.

Osijek is about to become a big stage that will fill all the senses, even for the biggest hedonists, on September 30 and October 1. During the two-day festival, it will summarise to its visitors all the hedonistic benefits of the Osijek-Baranja County that you can experience 365 days a year.

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