Dubrovnik Winter Festival presented

Dubrovnik

The program of the 8th Dubrovnik Winter Festival was presented in today in Dubrovnik. 

Starting on Saturday, November 27, with the lighting of the first Advent candle and the turning on of holiday lighting that will create a magic atmosphere for the next 40 days in the city, there will also be a concert by Neno Belan & Fiumens in front of the Church of St. Blaise at 8 p.m.

The program of this year’s Festival was presented by the Deputy Mayor of the City of Dubrovnik Jelka Tepšić and the Director of the Tourist Board of the City of Dubrovnik Ana Hrnić. 

The centre of events returns to Stradun where the people of Dubrovnik and visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy six concerts.

On December 11, in front of the church of Church of St. Blaise, one of the longest-running local groups, Magazin, will perform, whilst on December 29, Marko Škugor will sing. 

On the last day of 2021, starting at noon, Dubrovnik bartenders will prepare New Year’s cocktails in front of the City Café, and on New Year’s Eve popular local group Silente and also Vatra will perform a concert with a spectacular fireworks display set to take place at midnight.

Traditionally, on January 1, a waltz will be danced on Stradun with the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra providing the music, and on that occasion soloists Maja Grgić, Lucija Pećar and Tanja Ruždjak will also perform with the orchestra conducted by maestro Marc Tardue, while for the evening party on the first day of the new year on Stradun klapa Rišpet will perform.

“A large stage will not be set up on Stradun because we cannot completely control the number of visitors, so the concerts will take place on the steps, ie the plateau in front of the Church of St. Blaise. The space for visitors will be surrounded by fences, and EU COVID certificates at the entrance to the space will be controlled by security guards,” explained Jelka Tepšić.

The charity concert for the Covid ward of the Dubrovnik General Hospital will be held on December 6, at the Valamar Lacroma Hotel. Music diva Tereza Kesovija, klapa Ragusa and Ženska klapa FA Linđo will perform accompanied by the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra (DSO) under the direction of conductor Ivan Hut. 

Under the direction of maestro Huta, the DSO will traditionally perform at the Dubrovnik Christmas Concert, which will be held on Sunday, December 19, also at the Valamar Lacroma Hotel. On that occasion soprano Valentina Fijačko, tenor Roko Radovan, vocals Goran Karan, Lucija Pećar and Nikoleta Ivanković will take the stage with them. As for the concerts on Stradun, entry will be possible upon presentation of the EU digital COVID certificate.

From 16 to 19 December, the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, in cooperation with Dubrovnik restaurants, will organise the traditional “Bakalar (Cod) Days” when visitors can taste the holiday gastronomic delicacy prepared in various ways.

The director of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board also emphasised that numerous promotional activities have started, especially focused on the domestic market, but also the markets of the region. “It is important to note that the connection of Dubrovnik this year is better than the previous one. We have direct flights with Barcelona and Istanbul, and the Festival will be presented in London these days,” said Ana Hrnić.

Dubrovnik Winter Festival

Saturday mornings will traditionally be marked by the performance of the Folklore Ensemble Linđo with free tourist sightseeing tours organised by the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, while Saturday afternoons will be reserved for a free, thematic guided tour called “Golden Age of Dubrovnik” organised by the Marin Držić Home.

For the kids, a diverse and large part of the festival program is dedicated to them. On Friday, December 10, the North Pole Station will open its doors in Lazareti, and Lapad Bay will be enriched this year by the “Colorful Winters” program as well as the Advent train, which will run its small passengers for free every day from 10 am to 4 pm. This year there will be a visit by Moto Mrazova, who will arrive on Stradun on December 26. 

Last year’s novelty Pop-up Kolenda bus will operate again and Dubrovnik kindergartens and primary schools will once again decorate the windows of our city as part of the Marin Držić Home project “Advent Calendar on Stradun”. 

There will also be a “photo point” location under the Advent wreath on Luža and one in the atrium of the Rector’s Palace.

Dubrovnik cultural institutions have prepared a variety of content adapted to all ages, from exhibitions, lectures and workshops to performances, so the Marin Držić Theatre will perform in November and December, the favorite “Nutcracker” in the version of Lada Kaštelan, which premiered in co-production with the ballet department school of Luka Sorkočević, and directed by Paolo Tišljarić.

More information can be found on the Dubrovnik Winter Festival official website.