The anniversary 10th Dubrovnik Winter Festival begins on Saturday, December 2, 2023, when the decorative holiday lights turn on, and, along with the grand opening of the enchanting festival on Stradun St., the legendary Croatian rock band Prljavo Kazalište will hold the first of many festival concerts. This year’s rich music, entertainment and gastronomic programme will offer an array of magical events for all citizens and visitors of Dubrovnik, with special emphasis placed on the Children's Winter Festival. The highlight of the entire Festival, which will last until January 6, 2024, will be a spectacular New Year's Eve in the company of one of the greatest living musical legends of the region – Zdravko Čolić who will be performing in the craziest night of the year.
During December and January, numerous music stars will also take the stage on Stradun: Gibonni, Tomislav Bralić and the Intrade Klapa [klapa is a traditional vocal ensemble], Šufit Klapa, Đelo & Gelo band, the tribute band Queen Sensation, popular groups Detour and Nipplepeople, 4 Tenors, and Jelena Rozga. The Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra will hold a Christmas concert on December 22 and a New Year's concert on January 1 at noon in front of the Church of St. Blaise, while classical music concerts in the Rector’s Palace and in the Bunić-Kaboga Summer Villa will round off the programme, satisfying everyone's musical tastes.
Welcoming in the most beautiful time of the year, the city will shine in its winter finery, decorated with over one thousand two hundred lights and decorations and a thousand meters of decorative laurel that will adorn the city facades. More than 50 trees will be illuminated, and more than thirty large and small Christmas trees will bring the warmth of the holidays to every neighbourhood.
The festival programme will be held on many attractive locations throughout Dubrovnik, and as in the previous years, the children’s North Pole Station will be set in Luža, as well as the special programme, this time entitled Baš Baština, in Lazareti. The Colourful Winter in Uvala is being prepared in the Lapad Bay, featuring the popular train and ice rink and this year, an ice rink will be also placed in the city's largest suburb, Mokošica. The Children's Winter Festival opens with Santa Claus arriving from Lapland, and continues with meeting Santas on Motorcycles on Stradun, numerous performances and plays, of which the enchanting Nutcracker produced by the Marin Držić Theatre stands out, culminating with the Children’s New Year's Eve Party on Stradun and the Ante Gelo band performance.
The anniversary DWF also includes Advent on Vojnović St. with a music programme – from Vojko V to Jole and many other popular performers. In addition to the traditional programme at the holiday stands, restaurateurs joined forces to prepare additional music events on Bunić Square. In the former TUP factory in Gruž, a special programme for teenagers was created called Tip top TUP - Winter Holidays.
Along with performances by the Linđo Folklore Ensemble on Saturday mornings and carols on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve days, the traditional songs will also be sung by the youngest participants of the festival’s workshops and heard from the Cabrio-bus which will be touring the city and spread a good atmosphere at every step. A series of free guided tours about the Dubrovnik carol, which is on the List of Protected Cultural Properties of the Republic of Croatia, are also organized. The citizens of Dubrovnik and their guests will also enjoy the two-day visit of the Croatian National Theatre Split with the play Silent Night based on the text by Miljenko Smoje and Ivica Ivanišević, directed by Goran Golovko.
The gastronomy offer will be enriched by the beloved Cake Party and the performance of Mia Dimšić, as well as the Cod Fish Days, organized by the City of Dubrovnik Tourist Board in collaboration with Dubrovnik restaurateurs who will be serving this traditional holiday delicacy. Visitors of the Winter Festival will also enjoy the specially designed and decorated Photo Points, which will capture unforgettable memories through photographs of the winter Dubrovnik.
The city administration provided all citizens and visitors with free transportation by Libertas buses on city routes in the afternoon and at night to enable as many people as possible to attend the Dubrovnik Winter Festival. Also, the price of the DU Pass, a ticket to Dubrovnik's most important attractions, has been reduced from 35 to only 15 euros, and the ticket prices to the city walls as well.
More information about all events will be available on the website and social media of the Dubrovnik Winter Festival, the official Android and IOS application and the City of Dubrovnik Events Calendar.
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The Dubrovnik Winter Festival is a project by the City of Dubrovnik, public institutions in culture, the City of Dubrovnik Tourist Board, and public companies, which organise a variety of cultural and entertainment programmes during the Advent season and ahead of the new year on dozens of locations in the historic city centre as well as in and around other parts of the city, offering a wide range of events for citizens and visitors of all ages. Students from the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Dubrovnik are also participating in this year's festival. The project is realized with the support of Coca-Cola.
The anniversary 10th Dubrovnik Winter Festival is also supported by the Adriatic Luxury Hotels, Ruđer Bošković Airport – Dubrovnik, OTP Bank, Lero Hotel, RAO and many others, to whom we would like to thank.