Slovenia Events and Festivals

New Years Day: Slovenia puts on a good show for the New Year, especially in the major centres like Ljubljana and Bled. Special concerts, winter fairs and fireworks are common elements during this festive time of the year.

Prešeren Day: also known as Slovenian Cultural Holiday, February 8 marks the death of the great Slovene poet France Prešeren. As he is generally considered the premier Slovene artist, this national holiday was created to honour the Slovenian culture as a whole. The day is marked with cultural festivals in most towns, so you can expect to find something special planned no matter where you are.

The Kurentovanje Carnival: each year the town of Rtuj hosts one of the most prominent traditional events in Central Europe. The spectacle opens with a procession of traditional Slovene masks believed to chase away the cold winter and bring back spring. After dark, the town lights up and numerous theatre and art performances take place. On the final day, a lively parade bounces through town full of participants from all around central Europe.

Festival of Argentine Culture: believe it or not, all things Argentine are hugely popular in Slovenia. Every year the capital Ljubljana holds a festival to celebrate the culture of Argentina. The Cankarjev Dom Cultural and Congress Centre is the site of photo exhibitions, films and a series of musical concerts from Argentina.

Tango Festival: fast on the heels of the Argentine Cultural Festival is this one focusing exclusively on the tango. Fans and renowned performers from all around the globe converge on Ljubljana to watch some the greatest names in tango dancing showcase their talent. Competitions and workshops fill the capital for these days as every turns tango.

Druga Godba Festival: Ljubljana’s annual international festival of alternative and world music is one of the capital’s premier music events. The emphasis is on music that doesn’t make it into the mainstream. Performers from Africa, India, Asia and other obscure nations show their traditional forms of music in the Cankarjev Dom Centre. You probably have never heard any of the names on the schedule, but the quality is always topnotch.

Mini Summer Puppet Festival: the dramatic Ljubljana Castle makes the perfect setting for the capital’s annual puppet festival. This is a huge hit with families and kids as expert troupes from all over Eastern Europe come to Slovenia to entertain and showcase their distinct variations on the ancient art of puppetry.

Jazz Festival Ljubljana: helping to keep the summer cruising along is the annual jazz festival at the Cankarjev Dom Centre. This event is bigger and more popular than you’d imagine, attracting some of the best jazz musicians and their crews from America, Europe and Africa. You can count on catching some quality jazz from groups you may never have heard of before.

Bled host Blejski Dnevi (Bled Days): the big yearly event in the lakeside town of Bled is this summer extravaganza. Musical concerts from a range of genres are scheduled at outdoor venues, accompanied by food, drinks and special fairs. At night fireworks light up the sky, ending with a delightful scene as thousands of candles float across Lake Bled. Excellent accommodation can be found at Grand Hotel Toplice.

International Music Festival Bled: this highly regarded music festival features some of the best classical music troupes from around Slovenia and Europe. The scenic backdrop of Lake Bled is the ideal spot for a few days of great music and a genteel scene.

Ljubljana Summer Festival: Slovenia’s largest annual cultural event shifts the capital Ljubljana into overdrive as dozens of international performers flock to the city to enjoy the last days of summer. The fun carries on for six weeks, featuring some of the most famous opera, ballet and symphony orchestras in the world. Around 60 events are planned for this superb festival.

Kamfest: for three weeks, the Kamnik Cultural House runs this great cultural event with the goal of keeping the medieval town centre alive and kicking. The whole event takes place in the ruins of an ancient castle atop Mali Grad hill. The scene is fantastic as around 25 different events ranging from rock concerts to classical chamber music fill the air of the Old Town.

Cow Ball: one of Slovenia’s quirkier festivals happens each fall in the town of Bohinj to celebrate the return of the cows after a long summer in the highland pastures. With scenic Lake Bohinj at the centre, fun events with an old-fashioned air are planned for several days. Cows are decorated and paraded around the lake, and dozens of stalls sell tasty food, cheese, milk and various crafts. Folk music, dancing, and lumberjack competitions are the kinds of things to expect at this down-home event.

Ljubljana International Film Festival (LIFFe): Slovenia’s premier annual film festival brings the best international cinema to the capital Ljubljana. Most of the screenings are held at the Cankarjev Dom Centre’s Linhert and Kosovel Halls, but the city’s other theatres such as the Komuna Cinema also host films.

Break 2.4 Festival: with the aim of giving Slovenia’s young emerging artists a chance to show their stuff, this energetic festival provides an excellent look at the future of Slovene art. Several venues around Ljubljana hold exhibits, workshops and lectures, and in most cases the art is cutting edge and innovative.

Christmas: cities like Ljubljana and its Old Town are decked out for this festive international holiday. Expect to see pleasant, warm scenes as you wander around the capital and a series of special music concerts.

Independence Day: every year on the 26th of December, Slovenia commemorates the day that its people overwhelmingly voted for independence from the Yugoslav Federation. A few civic events take place, but most people just enjoy the day off of work.