The tenth jubilee Dubrovnik Winter Festival will be bigger, more diverse, and widespread than ever before, with the official program starting this Saturday, December 2, 2023. The festivities commence at 7:00 PM with the lighting of the first Advent candle in front of the cathedral. Following this, a ceremonial procession takes place at 7:30 PM on Stradun, and at 8:00 PM, one of Croatia's longest-standing rock bands, Prljavo Kazalište, will take the stage on the main platform!
Photo - Dubrovnik Wunter Festival
Special emphasis is placed on activities for the youngest participants, and the Children's Winter Festival offers something for everyone! Advent programs start early in the morning, and the weekend and the entire first week will be marked by a series of workshops, concerts, performances, and tourist-themed tours. A highlight is the ice rink in Lapad Bay, accessible to visitors every day from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM (except on December 24th and 31st when it operates from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and closed on December 25th and January 1, 2024). One of the main attractions is the Christmas fairy tale with Santa Claus, who, along with his cheerful helpers, arrives on snow sleds from Finland directly to the Rector's Palace at 3:00 PM, organized by the Dubrovnik Tourist Board!
On Saturday morning, thematic tourist guides "Dubrovnik Carols" in Croatian and English will commence, organized by the Dubrovnik Tourist Board. Free tours will start at 9:30 AM (English) and at 12:30 PM (Croatian) in front of the Tourist Information Center (TIC) at Pile Gate. The Natural History Museum in Dubrovnik will host the Natural Christmas Workshop at 10:00 AM, followed by the Christmas sales exhibition of HDLU Dubrovnik at 11:00 AM in Luža. To make Saturday morning in the city unforgettable, at 11:30 AM, FA Linđo will perform in front of the Church of St. Blaise.
"The Dragons and Balloons above Lapad" is the first thematic program in the Colorful Winter in Lapad Bay, featuring a workshop of model airplanes by Aero Club Nimbus (Esperanza Café) at 11:00 AM, followed by a performance by the Cultural and Artistic Society Osojnik (stage near the fountain) and a puppet show "Aster Dubrovnik: The Imaginary Mouse" (stage near the fountain). The rich program concludes at 2:00 PM with a kite-flying event for children and youth by Aero Club Nimbus (beach in Lapad Bay), and the Advent train will run from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM!
The employees of the Department of Education, Sports, Social Welfare, and Civil Society have organized numerous events for children and youth in the Bay as part of the Colorful Winter. From 3:00 PM, Christmas decorations will be made of plaster under the guidance of the parish Caritas, at 5:00 PM, there will be a painting workshop "Christmas Fairy Tale" led by Art Studio Kantunić, and at 6:00 PM, the first Advent candle will be lit, followed by a performance by the choir of the Parish of the Most Holy Savior with Mokoška Carols and the Cultural and Artistic Society Osojnik.
The play "Queens," directed by Livija Pandur, who is also the author of the text along with Tibor Hrs Pandur based on Shakespeare, will be performed at the Marin Držić Theater at 6:00 PM, right before the official opening ceremony of the 10th Winter Festival!
Ice Rink in Lapad - Photo - Dubrovnik Winter Festival
Sunday, December 3, will start with a festive stroll around the city at 11:00 AM with the vocal group "Pučki pjevači." At the same time, the play "The Devil with Golden Hair" based on the Brothers Grimm will be performed on the Main Stage at the Marin Držić Theater in the production of Aster Dubrovnik. The North Pole Station is an unavoidable place in Luža, and Kinematografi Dubrovnik have prepared a magical program, as always. From 2:30 PM, enjoy a creative afternoon called "Boot Full of Wishes" and the animated synchronized adventure "Wish," which will be projected at 4:30 PM. Santa Claus's Christmas fairy tale from Lapland will be at 3:00 PM in the Rector's Palace, and Dubrovnik Heritage ceremonially opens the children's Advent "Heritage at Its Best" in Lazareti at 4:30 PM with the arrival of Santa Claus. The play "The Imaginary Mouse" performed by Aster Dubrovnik will continue in the same spirit, and the program will be rounded off with a dance party featuring Mickey and Minnie at 8:00 PM.
The Museum of Modern Art will present the beautiful Nativity Scene at 6:00 PM, and at the same time, on Bunićeva Poljana, entertaining activities and gastronomic offerings will begin, organized by catering establishments. The Merđan Trio will be the first to perform, and the caterers from Bunićeva Poljana have prepared a series of performers day by day until the end of the festival.
Monday, December 4th continues in the festive spirit, and at 3 PM, the Christmas fairy tale of Santa Claus from Lapland will be repeated in the Rector's Palace, followed by a festive gathering with Vicko Dragojević organized by the Dubrovnik Libraries at 5 PM in the branch of the National Library City. Vicko will talk about the tradition of caroling in the Dubrovnik region and, of course, sing with the youngest.
On Tuesday, December 5th, the Society "Our Children" organizes the welcoming of St. Nicholas in front of the Church of St. Blaise at 12 PM, and everyone is invited to be part of the gathering on Stradun! Dubrovnik Libraries in the Lapad branch organize a storytelling and art workshop for children called "Towards Christmas" at 6 PM, while in the monastery of the Minor Friars at 8:30 PM, the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra will perform on the occasion of the holiday of St. Nicholas and the Day of Dubrovnik Defenders. Conducted by Slobodan Begić, the orchestra will be accompanied by mezzo-soprano Laura Hladilo Kocković, the choir "St. George" of the Croatian Navy, and the mixed choir Libertas. Admission is free for all interested.
On Wednesday, December 6th, educational tourist-themed tours "Dubrovnik Carols" will be available to all Dubrovnik citizens and guests, organized by the Dubrovnik Tourist Board. Free tours will start at 9:30 AM (English) and 12:30 PM (Croatian) in front of the Tourist Information Center at Pile. The convertible bus and the cheerful 69ers will spread joy and song throughout the city from 10 AM to 1 PM on the same day, and St. Nicholas will visit joyful children in the Rector's Palace, bringing sweet oranges provided by the Dubrovnik-Neretva County! At 5 PM, the Dubrovnik Children's Choir will perform Christmas songs and traditional carols, with the participation of actors Hrvoje Sebastijan and Izmira Brautović in the roles of St. Nicholas and Krampus. The evening performance on Stradun at 8 PM features the popular Tomislav Bralić and klapa Intrade, who will delight the audience with their well-known hits!
Thursday, December 7th, will bring together all interested parties in the Rector's Palace at 12 PM, and the Dubrovnik Museums will organize an exhibition from the collection "Ships in Photos and Postcards from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century." Thursday will be marked by the opening of another ice rink, specifically in Mokošica at 6 PM, and working hours are every day from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM (on Christmas Eve from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, closed on Christmas, on New Year's Eve from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and on New Year's Day from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM). Advent on Bunićeva Poljana offers excellent entertainment from 6 PM with DJ Speed.
Friday, December 8th, begins with workshops by the Dubrovnik Children's Choir led by Paola Dražić Zekić and Sanja Dražić. About sixty children aged 5 to 12 will be able to attend at 4 PM in the Bunić - Kaboga summer residence, organized by the Dubrovnik Heritage with the theme "Great Heritage in Little Hearts." Shortly after that event, at 5 PM, the nativity scene workshop begins in the gallery, organized by the Museum of Modern Art under the guidance of Ivona Šimunović and Dubravka Tullio.
Thematic guidance "The Golden Age of Dubrovnik," organized by the Marin Držić Home, begins at Pile (next to Amerling's Fountain) exactly at 5:30 PM. The presentation of the picture book "The Story of the Hedgehog Jugash" at 6 PM in Lazareti is by DuList and is intended for children in Croatian and English, marking the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the water polo club Jug and in anticipation of the centennial of the first match on Porporela. On the same day, starting at 6 PM on Bunićeva Poljana, the music and gastronomic program continues, featuring Trio Laus.
The program of the first week of the jubilee 10th Dubrovnik Winter Festival will be rounded off with the opening of the exhibition by artist Lena Kramarić, titled "Open Space," starting at 7 PM in Zlatarska 1. The Natural History Museum Dubrovnik at 7:30 PM also opens a significant exhibition that was created in partnership with the Marin Držić Home, titled "Držić's Animal World." At 8 PM, Matija Ferlin will take to the stage of the Marin Držić Theater with the play "Now I'm Lucky," and also at 8 PM on the stage in front of the Student Center Dubrovnik, the beloved Vojko V will be on stage as part of Advent on Vojnović.
To ensure that as many people as possible come to all the programs of the Dubrovnik Winter Festival in the easiest way, the city administration has provided free transportation by Libertas buses on city lines in the afternoon and evening hours for all citizens and guests. Also, the price of the DU Pass, a joint ticket to the most important attractions in Dubrovnik, has been reduced from 35 to only 15 euros, and it is accompanied by the reduced price of the ticket for the city walls.
More information about all events will be available on the Dubrovnik Winter Festival website, official Android and IOS applications, and on the Calendar of Events of the City of Dubrovnik.
