Zadar Events, Things to Do and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Zadar, Northern Dalmatia, Croatia)

All nationwide events are celebrated in Dalmatia and there are plenty of things to do for tourists holidaying in Zadar. Something of interest happens most months, although the summertime is the best time to be here, to enjoy the best of the offerings. This is when the Zadar Dream International Festival of New Theatre and Performance Art takes place - a major tourist magnet.

Additional notable events include the Zadar Theatrical Summer from June to August - which has a variety of concerts all over town, the Garden Festival in early July - in nearby Petrcane, and the Full Moon Festival (Night of the Full Moon) in August - when torches and candles light up the quays. If you are here in February, then the Carnival is one not to miss, while in October, Independence Day stands out.

Zadar Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

January

• New Year's Day (Nova Godina) - January 1st, a public holiday all over Croatia and a fun day in Zadar, with various parties and feasts happening around the city, including along the Riva promenade
• Old Christmas - early January, Eastern Orthodox Christians observe Christmas according to the Julian calendar

February

• Carnival - mid-February, this two-day carnival is a nationwide event with a procession and various activities, which are always enjoyed by tourists

March

• RAF Amateur Film Festival - head over to Zagreb for this important March film fest, which sees local and national filmmakers (including from Zadar) trying to win a prize for best short movie

April

• Easter Week (Uskrs) - Easter is celebrated with vigour all over Dalmatia, including in this city, with all sorts of activities between Palm Sunday and Good Friday

May

• International Workers' Day (Medunarodni Praznik Rada) - May 1st, a public holiday in Croatia
• Previously Statehood Day - May 30th, the former day of declaration of independence from Yugoslavia, which is now a minor holiday in Croatia

June

• Day of Anti-Fascist Resistance / Anti-Fascist Struggle Day (Dan Antifasisticke Borbe) - June 22nd, a national holiday in Croatia marking the outbreak of resistance in the early 1940s
• Statehood Day (Dan Drzavnosti) - June 25th, celebrating the proclamation of the declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1990. This is a public holiday all over Croatia, with traditional music and parades
• Zadar Theatrical Summer - late June to August, featuring music, dance and stage performances at the Square of the Five Wells (Trg Pet Bunara), at the Courtyard Providurove Palace and at St. Dominic Church

July

• Garden Festival - early July, with two weekends of fun and eating at the nearby village of Petrcane. First held in 2006, this dance / music fest has quickly grown to become one of Croatia's most noteworthy and generally lasts for three or four days, being hosted by Barbarella's nightclub. Expect lots of dance music, as well as various activities around the beach bars
• Musical Evenings at St. Donat's - July / August, Zadar's foremost church stages concerts over summer evenings in July and August, beginning at 21:00. The Church of St. Donat hails from the 9th century and has excellent acoustics, plus it is also a good chance to have a look around

August

• Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day (Dan Pobjede i Domovinske Zahvalnosti) - August 5th, a public holiday remembering the liberation of Croatia from the Serbs
• Night of the Full Moon - lights are turned out along the coast for the full moon (Noc Punog Miseca) and the quays are illuminated by candlelight, accompanied by singing, dancing and eating. During the August Full Moon, the quays are transformed into floating markets, while there are also numerous stalls selling local delicacies
• Assumption of Mary (Velika Gospa) - August 15th, a public holiday in Croatia
• Zadar International Festival - mid-August, full title - the Zadar Dream International Festival of New Theatre and Performance Art, taking place on the peninsula in the Old Town, with fine art shows and theatrical performances. Expect all manner of theatrical-related happenings around the main plazas and parks in this part of the city

September

• Strings Only - mid-September to early October, featuring a fortnight of concerts at the Church of St. Donat and Punta Skala school, with young string and guitar players

October

• Children's Festival of Zadar - a full two days of events for kids in the city at the Sports Centre, including various sports, art workshops, and music and dancing for everyone
• Independence Day (Dan Neovisnosti) - October 8th, celebrating the day on which Croatia achieved its full independence from Yugoslavia in the early 1990s
• Choral Festival - with lots of choir recitals in the Church of St. Donat and other prominent local churches, held each year in October

November

• All Saints day (Dan Svih Svetih) - November 1st, resident Christians honour departed friends and family members by dressing up, cleaning graves and taking part in processions by candlelight

December

• Christmas (Bozic) - all through December, many celebrations are held throughout the month leading up to Christmas day on the 25th, such as St. Nicholas' Day on the 6th
• St. Stephen's Day (Stefanje) - December 26th, a public holiday in Croatia