Varaždin also holds a reputation as a town of festivals. Although a name which seems unusual, it is based on facts. Almost every month (and even more often during summer), Varaždin hosts a quality festival that further enriches the lively and copious cultural offer of the town.
LAUGHTER WEEK of the Kerekesh Theatre
Laughter Week is the most visited, witty, and most entertaining theatre festival in Croatia. Over ten days, dozens of comedy performances take place on the stages of Varaždin and a number of surrounding towns and villages, with a beneficial effect not only enhancing the culture of Varaždin, but also on the mental health of anyone indulging in this bout of laughter.
The Varaždin International Animated Film Festival for Children and Youth is the only Croatian festival dedicated exclusively to the creativity of children and youth when it comes to animated films. During the festival, animated films by animators under 18 from all over the world compete for the VAFI award. Moreover, numerous events are organised with a partner country every year, such as workshops, lectures, accompanying screenings of animated films, and exhibitions in the historic town centre.
On the last weekend in June, Varaždin’s courtyards, often private and often secretive, open their doors so that they can be filled with a diverse, creative and relaxing program of the Festival dedicated especially to them.
A whole range of old, romantic courtyards in the historic centre host concerts, workshops, fashion shows, plays, flea markets, and much more. The Courtyard Festival is held in the midst of the Summer in Varaždin, which includes a plethora of day and night events.
There is widespread belief that summers inland lack excitement and fun. We can’t comment on other towns, but Varaždin certainly isn’t lacking in these areas. From early June until the beginning of Špancirfest, “small Špancirfest”, also known as the Summer in Varaždin, takes place. Concerts, open-air theatre performances, an outdoor cinema, various gastronomic events, as well as a number of other cultural and entertainment events create a real warm buzz that fills Varaždin’s summer schedule.
ŠPANCIRFEST
Kralj svih varaždinskih, ali i hrvatskih festivala, Špancirfest, pretvorio se u sinonim za svoj rodni grad. U nešto više od dva desetljeća postojanja, Špancirfest se prometnuo u pravu instituciju, festival koji po svojoj programskoj raskoši, duljini trajanja, broju posjetitelja i neizmjernom veselju koje donese, nema pandana u Hrvatskoj.
All year round, the people of Varaždin look forward to the last ten days of August. During the festival days, the streets team with people as dozens of concerts, performances by street performers, plays, exhibitions, workshops, and countless other events in town pull in over 200,000 visitors.
As soon as we recover from Špancirfest, we are suddenly immersed in the atmosphere of the craziest film festival in Croatia. The Trash Film Festival celebrates the infinitely creative culture of serious amateur film making, with small budgets – yet great achievements. Every year, the festival revolves around a theme, as well as an accompanying programme full of music, lectures, workshops, and trash parties.
INTERNATIONAL FLOWER EXHIBITION BAROQUE, MUSIC, FLOWERS
Every Baroque evening is accompanied by the International Flower Exhibition Baroque, Music, Flowers. Exhibitors look for inspiration in partner countries of the festival, and in addition to local and foreign professional florists and exhibitors, young florists also present their work in the unique space of the Old Town.
VARAŽDIN BAROQUE EVENINGS
The oldest, most famous and most significant Croatian classical music festival is the main cultural event in Varaždin in early autumn. Dedicated to baroque music – – the golden age when some of the world’s greatest composers created their works, the festival is largely held in above-ground Varaždin churches and at other historical sites with good acoustics, both in Varaždin and further afield.
Even if you are not a fan of classical music, you will definitely find something appealing at this festival. Baroque evenings also have an accompanying programme called Total baroque, with non-classical concerts and other events, such as exhibitions, literary promotional events and poetry recitals.
The primary goals of this well-recognized and quality event include the promotion of craftsmen, the presentation of a wide variety of their works, and word-of-mouth transmission of its rich historical heritage. Varaždin has developed as a crafts and trade town, with a constant spirit, as confirmed every year by the popularity of this festival.
VARAŽDIN CHRISTMAS MARKET
Varaždinski adventski festival mogao bi se nazvati i „Advent kakav je nekad bio“. Problem je samo što nekada ovako zanimljivih i programima ispunjenih događanja nije bilo. Ipak, u moru adventskih festivala diljem Hrvatske, varaždinski se trudi biti romantičan, raznolik, ali ne i pretjerano masovan. U nizu koncerata i drugih sadržaja, zimski uređenih i ulickanih mjesta za selfije te primamljivih mirisa iz brojnih gastrokućica, Advent u Varaždinu u srži je romantično događanje, bez nepodnošljivih gužvi, skrojeno za intimno uživanje i opuštanje u ljepotama zimskog Varaždina.
Varaždin is one of the few cities in the entire world that welcomes in the new year – running. Those who take part in the race claim that there is no better feeling than running accompanied by such joy and noise. If you love running, or if you wonder why others do it – experience Varaždin’s New Year’s Eve race at least once. Oni koji u utrci sudjeluju tvrde da nema boljeg osjećaja od trčanja praćenog veseljem i bukom. Spadate li među ljubitelje trčanja, ili Vas pak zanima zašto netko to radi, varaždinski trkački doček Nove godine trebali biste barem jednom doživjeti.
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