Zadar gears up for a star-studded New Year’s celebration

Zadar

Zadar is preparing for a vibrant and music-filled New Year’s celebration as top Italian tribute performers bring some of the world’s biggest pop-rock names back to life on the Advent stage at Trg Petra Zoranića.

The festivities will stretch across two days, blending global rock legends with beloved Italian pop hits.

The highlight of the programme is The Rockstar Show, a high-energy multitribute act known across Italy and Europe for its faithful recreations of iconic rock artists from the 1980s and 1990s.

Beginning at 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, Zadrans and visitors can expect a full-scale production complete with costumes, staging, and vocals inspired by giants such as Queen, Kiss, Tina Turner, Bon Jovi, Europe, Ozzy Osbourne, AC/DC and Guns N’ Roses.

According to the group’s manager, Dragan Balaban, authenticity is at the heart of the performance.

“This kind of show is very popular in Italy, where performers are true stars,” he explains. “The Rockstar Show features three singers who fully transform into the artists they portray, capturing their look, style and stage charisma.”

Balaban emphasises the distinction between cover bands and tribute acts. While covers may simply perform well-known songs, tribute groups strive to recreate the full experience.

“Tribute groups like The Rockstar Show or Tribute to Lady Gaga sound exactly like a studio recording,” he says. “They offer a complete visual and musical spectacle.”

The celebrations will begin earlier in the day with a special performance dedicated to Lady Gaga.

Art Pop – Tribute to Lady Gaga will take the stage in the late morning, delivering a show marked by striking costumes and a performance style closely mirroring the pop superstar.

“The impression is truly authentic, as if you were at a real Lady Gaga concert,” Balaban notes.

Italian performers have long been popular in Croatia, particularly in Istria, and their YouTube performances show enthusiastic audiences wherever they appear.

Balaban is confident Zadar will enjoy the same energy. “It is a top-class spectacle that leaves no one indifferent. Fans of 80s and 90s pop-rock will be thrilled, as those years marked a real musical renaissance.”

Italian Pop the Night Before

The festivities begin a day earlier, on 30 December, with an evening dedicated to Italian pop classics. Under the banner “Sarà perché ti amo”, more than twenty Italian singers will perform melodic and well-known canzone hits from recent decades as well as timeless favourites.

“These songs are familiar to our ears, even if we don’t always remember all the lyrics,” Balaban says. “They are catchy, recognisable and full of the spirit of Italian music.”

Additional New Year’s Eve Entertainment

Alongside the main celebration at Trg Petra Zoranića, Zadar Market will host its own New Year’s Eve event. From 9 p.m., Zadar SLR Showcase will bring an electrifying atmosphere with top local DJs. The Selected, Loveroom, and Ritmika collectives will unite to deliver a pulsating electronic set to welcome 2026.

Both events are organised by the City of Zadar and the Zadar Tourist Board, and admission is free.