Split Events, Things to Do and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Split, Central Dalmatia, Croatia)

Split has a fun line-up of festivals and tourists can be sure of things to do whatever the month. Being a coastal destination with a noted harbour, the city puts on a variety of boat shows and sailing festivals throughout the year, including the Split Olympic Sailing Week in March and the Croatia Boat Show in April.

The city also hosts an array of concerts, plays and operas, along with pop music events and much parading - often along the Riva promenade. The Split Summer Festival is one of the main events and has concerts at Diocletian's Palace, while independence is celebrated with verve in October. Between June to September, a mixture of evening entertainment is staged all over the Old Town, with many festivities being centred around the Peristil plaza.

Split Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• New Year's Day (Nova Godina) - January 1st, those who don't have headaches from the night before can enjoy a variety of celebrations in the Old Town and down at the beaches on the first day of the New Year
• Epiphany (Bogojavljenje) - January 6th, a Christian feast day and Croatian public holiday
• Old Christmas - January 7th, the Julian calendar sees Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrating Christmas later on into the New Gregorian Year

February

• Split Carnival - mid-February, a fun two-day event with a range of activities that tourists can get involved in, including a mask-wearing procession at night, dancing in the streets and lots of dressing up

March

• Split Olympic Sailing Week - mid-March, enjoy a week of sailing competitions in March, where men and women compete up and down the coast, sailing their yachts in various races

April

• Croatian Theatre Festival (Days of Marulic) - late April, celebrating renowned playwright, Marko Marulic, son of Split. The day involves theatre troupes from around Croatia competing in a variety of productions
• Split Guitar Festival - late April, sees guitarists from countries around the world take up master classes, with concerts all over the city
• Croatia Boat Show (CBS) - an annual event set up by Vicenco Blagaic, a Croatian entrepreneur, with fun competitions involving boats at the harbour

May

• Labour Day / International Workers' Day (Medunarodni Praznik Rada) - May 1st, a public holiday throughout Croatia
• International Flower Fair / Flower Show - the basement of Diocletian's Palace is the focus of this floral event, where florists compete for best display
• St. Domnius Day / Feast of St. Duje - May 7th, St. Duje Day is also known as Split Dat and honours this patron saint with a huge procession, many games and a number of ceremonies, together with much singing and dancing
• Corpus Christi (Tijelovo) - late May / June, annual religious celebrations held 60 days after Easter

June

• Anti-Fascist Struggle Day (Dan Antifasisticke Borbe) - June 22nd, a public Croatian holiday officially known as the Day of Antifascist Resistance
• Statehood Day (Dan Drzavnosti) - June 25th, a public holiday remembering the declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991
• Days of Radunica - late June, a revived event in Old Town Split observing the traditions of St. John and St. Peter, held throughout the central streets and squares
• Festival of Popular Music - late June, one for the youngsters is this extravaganza of pop music, featuring known and up and coming Croatian pop stars

July

• Split Summer Festival - mid-July to mid-August, this is one of the biggest events in the city, with a variety of open-air concerts, operas, plays and ballets all around the city, with venues including the Peristyle Square and the basement of the Diocletian's Palace
• Jazz Festival - late July, heralding the arrival of the summer concert season, attracting an impressive line-up of renowned jazz musicians and performers

August

• Homeland Thanksgiving Day - August 5th, remembering the day Croatia was liberated from the heavy hand of Serbian forces
• Assumption of Mary (Velika Gospa) - August 15th, also known as the Feast of the Assumption
• Days of Diocletian - a multi-day event in Split observing the city's Roman origins with parades, music and much feasting

September

• Split Film Festival - mid-September, lasting just over a week and featuring the best of film in Croatia, along with numerous avant-garde producers and the awarding of prizes. This popular film fest focuses on the latest international movies, whilst showcasing lots of typical art-house films

October

• Independence Day (Dan Neovisnosti) - October 8th, there is much flag-waving in Split and elsewhere on this day, which remembers when Croatia attained independence from Yugoslavia
• End of Ramadan - late October, marking the end of the month-long days of fasting by Muslims the length and breadth of the country

November

• All Saints' Day (Dan Svih Svetih) - November 1st, Christians in Croatia honour departed friends and family by visiting graves and lighting candles

December

• Christmas (Bozic) - with many events happening throughout December, including celebrations on St. Nicholas Day (December 6th) and Christmas Day on the 25th