I am living breathing freedom.
HIROKO SAKAI
Crazy
Špancirfest Street Festival
When we think about it, there are actually only two types of people in this world – those who have already been to Špancirfest (and will return) and those who still have yet to visit! This ten-day colourful street festival, that wonderfully ends the summer season is a combination of so many intertwined experiences. A festival that depicts the famous cliché “something for everyone” really is a reality in Varaždin. Concerts, drama performances, street performers – in a nutshell, creativity in all its forms. Combine this with intriguing and playful programs for children, an endless list of exhibitors, a rich offer for foodies and a wide selection of craft beers – and still this would not be enough to cover everything that Špancirfest represents, as the list just goes on and on!
Špancirfest
Varaždin Courtyards Festival
One of the appealing symbols of the historical core of Varaždin are the large, wooden doors of its houses and palaces. Until recently, they acted as a separation between the public space of the street from the private, intimate space of the courtyard and entrance area – keeping everything comfortably hidden from prying eyes. The Varaždin Courtyards Festival has changed all that. Every year, on the first Saturday in July, numerous, unrevealed closed courtyards freely open their doors, transforming these, otherwise private spaces into musical stages, studios, restaurants or simply spots to relax that blur the line between public and intimate, host and guest. A warm day and a pleasant evening, a relaxed urban program and the optimism of early summer. Throw this all together for the perfect ingredients that guarantee a fun-filled or even a romantic get-a-way weekend in Varaždin.
Summer in Varaždin?
Rumour has it that summers away from the coast within the mainland have been known to be lifeless and boring. We cannot speak for other cities, but what we can do is confirm Varaždin certainly does not fall into any of these categories. From early June until the start of Špancirfest in mid-August, the city plays host to “little Špancirfest” otherwise known as Summer in Varaždin. Various concerts, outdoor theatre shows and film screenings, gastronomic events and a wonderful list of cultural and entertainment events, overflowing the Varaždin summer calendar, beautifully creating an exciting feel-good atmosphere.
BIERGARTEN
Sipping a cold beer in the shade of the beautiful main city park, with good music and great food is a recipe you can count on for a fun-packed summer experience. As an integral part of the wider Summer in Varaždin program, Biergarten is a world unto itself, both due to its location and atmosphere. Evidently, this mini-festival of indulgence is enough to earn Varaždin the reputation of being fun and lively, during the hottest season.
THE DRAVA JUMP
The Drava River is great for a swim. But if you join the many brave jumpers on Drava Jump Day, you will become part of an intriguing international event called The Drava Jump which draws attention to the preservation of rivers. The Drava Jump is not just a jump in the river. It is an all-day event in and around the river that includes various programmes.
Trash Film Festival
Year after year, as soon as the city recovers from the colourful Špancirfest street festival, Varaždin suddenly gets caught up in the crazy atmosphere of undoubtedly, the coolest film festival in Croatia. The Trash Film Festival celebrates the infinitely creative culture of amateur production of low-budget films with wide reach. Every year, the festival revolves around a theme with an accompanying program full of gigs, lectures, workshops and trash parties.
Performance Days
Varaždin Performance Days is the longest-running festival of its kind connected to performing arts in Croatia. A project launched by a group of Varaždin enthusiasts, who simply had the vision to activate public and indoor spaces, filling them with contemporary art. This gave birth to a festival that confirmed Varaždin as an ideal stage for performances, accompanied by a loyal audience.
The international flavour and vibe of Performance Days has been prominent from the very beginning and thanks to the great attention paid to the relevant and quality programme, this festival firmly holds a significant spot on the European map of contemporary performing arts.
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LAUGHTER WEEK Kerekesh Teatra
Laughter Week is the most popular, funniest and entertaining theatre festival in Croatia. During this ten-day event, dozens of laugh-out-loud performances take place on the stages of Varaždin and sprinkled across a number of surrounding towns and villages. As you can imagine, this shares a beneficial effect not only on the cultural aspect of the city but equally, on the mental health of everyone who feels ready for a well-deserved dose of laughter.
Laughter Week
KEREKESH TEATRA
Laughter Week is the most popular, funniest and entertaining theatre festival in Croatia. During this ten-day event, dozens of laugh-out-loud performances take place on the stages of Varaždin and sprinkled across a number of surrounding towns and villages. As you can imagine, this shares a beneficial effect not only on the cultural aspect of the city but equally, on the mental health of everyone who feels ready for a well-deserved dose of laughter.
