Croatia’s sweetest village prepares for its biggest Štrudlafest yet

by croatiaweek
August 31, 2026
in Food & Wine

Štrudlafest

JAŠKOVO, Croatia – One of Croatia’s most distinctive food festivals is returning to the small village of Jaškovo near Ozalj this weekend, bringing two days of strudel, tradition, culture, outdoor activities and live music.

Štrudlafest will take place on 5 and 6 September 2026, with organisers promising the biggest edition of the festival to date.

The event will run from 10am to 10pm on Saturday and from 10am to 9pm on Sunday, with activities spread throughout the village.

Among this year’s new attractions is Dvorišće tete Marice, which will host workshops centred on traditional crafts, including pottery, decorating strudel plates, making traditional licitar hearts and jalba lace.

Štrudlafest

The space will also feature a Tesla Corner, organised in cooperation with the Nikola Tesla Experience Centre Karlovac.

Food remains at the heart of the festival, with a new competition searching for the best strudel in Croatia. Organised in cooperation with Pivovara Medvedgrad, the challenge will see competitors create both sweet and savoury strudels incorporating beer.

Štrudlafest

The programme will also celebrate Croatia’s culinary and cultural heritage. The Golden Grandma (Zlatna baka) competition, organised by the Zora Foundation, will be held alongside a presentation of a historic strudel associated with Croatian writer Dragojla Jarnević, in cooperation with the Karlovac City Museum.

Štrudlafest

Visitors will also be able to explore the wider Ozalj area through a range of outdoor activities, including guided Štrudla by Bike cycling tours, Štrudla by Kayak adventures on the Dobra river in Grdun and guided Štrudla Step by Step walking tours.

Other attractions include a ranch with Highland cattle, the long-established Žganjer restaurant and the traditional grain boat in Brođani.

In nearby Karlovac, the Aquatika freshwater aquarium is also joining the festival, offering visitors a discount on admission as well as a prize game.

Štrudlafest

The cultural programme will feature the largest number of folklore groups in the festival’s history, with performers including KUD Mura, KUD Izvor Rakovica and KUD Sv. Juraj Draganić, as well as groups from Zadar County and Slovenia.

Saturday’s programme begins with the official opening at 10am, followed by the Golden Grandma competition. The afternoon will feature beer and food workshops, the strudel-making competition, a Rally Kids Corner and the Štrudlomanijak picnic.

Štrudlafest

The evening will culminate in a concert by Croatian band Daleka obala.

Sunday will focus in part on younger visitors, with children’s activities and traditional village games, while the gastronomic programme will include a Nepal-themed food show, strudel and liqueur pairings and a presentation of Dragojla Jarnević’s historic strudel.

There will also be a look back at the festival’s famous three-kilometre-long strudel, with ambassador Vesna taking visitors through the story behind the record-breaking creation.

Štrudlafest

The festival will close with a performance by popular Croatian singer Laura koja pjeva, marking the first time a female performer has headlined the musical finale of Štrudlafest.

With food, traditional crafts, folklore, music and activities in the surrounding countryside, Štrudlafest offers visitors a different way to experience Croatia’s continental heritage.

Štrudlafest

The festival is supported by the Croatian National Tourist Board, Kupa Tourist Board, Karlovac County, the City of Ozalj, Žganjer restaurant and the Zora Foundation.