Balkan Festivals and Cultural Events 2026: Month-by-Month Roundup

Travelers in 2026 are in for a treat across the Balkans. From winter masquerades to summer music festivals and cozy Christmas markets, each month offers unique cultural adventures.

We have curated a calendar of the top festivals, celebrations, and events in Eastern Europe so you can combine your tour with a unique cultural experience and make the best of your journey.

Let us know which events you would like to be included in your itinerary.

January 2026

Surva International Festival of Masquerade Games

When: January 16–25, 2026;

Where: Pernik, Bulgaria;

Price: Free (outdoor event).

Official site: surva.org

Dive into Bulgaria’s winter carnival, which is also centuries-old UNESCO-listed tradition, where thousands of costumed kukeri (mummers) wear fearsome masks and clanging bells to chase away evil spirits. Over two weekends, Pernik’s streets erupt in color and cacophony as around 6,000 participants from Bulgaria and beyond parade in an unforgettable contest of costumes and folklore.

👉 You can visit Surva Festival with us!

Rijeka Carnival

When: January 17 – March 5, 2026 (main International Parade: February 15);

Where: Rijeka, Croatia;

Price: Free.

Official site: visitrijeka.hr

Welcome to Croatia’s biggest carnival, often called the “fifth season” in Rijeka. For a month, this port city lives and breathes carnival spirit, with events culminating in a huge costumed parade on February 15, 2026. Expect everything from elaborate royal costumes to cheeky pop-culture spoofs, and floats accompanied by drumlines and dance troupes fill the Korzo promenade.

February 2026

Kurentovanje Carnival

When: February 7–17, 2026;

Where: Ptuj, Slovenia;

Price: Free (outdoor events).

During the carnival, Ptuj becomes the largest open-air ethnographic museum. This 10-day carnival is among the world’s most fascinating. It kicks off with the mystical Kurent Jump at midnight, when shaggy Kurent figures don bells by firelight to “drive away winter”. Throughout Kurentovanje, the medieval streets of Ptuj fill with traditional characters: from fur-clad Kurenti with big masks and cowbells, to plowmen, bears, and more.

Sarajevo Winter

When: February 7 to March 21, 2026 (Official opening on February 14);

Where: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina;

Price: Free;

Official site: sarajevowinterfest.ba

The Sarajevo Winter Festival is a vibrant, city-wide celebration of contemporary arts that turns Sarajevo into a lively meeting point for artists and audiences from around the world. The festival brings together programs across music, visual arts, film, theatre, literature, workshops, and more. The 41st edition is held under the motto “AI – Artificial Intelligence & IA – Intelligence in Art,” inviting bold, creative projects and fresh perspectives in a truly inspiring Balkan setting.

Mimosa Festival

When: February 13–28, 2026;

Where: Herceg Novi, Montenegro;

Price: Free (most outdoor events)

Celebrate the coming of spring Mediterranean-style at the sunny Mimosa Festival on the Bay of Kotor. Bright yellow mimosa blossoms decorate this coastal town for two joyous weeks. The festivities include a colorful flower parade where each group creates its own floral float covered in mimosa blooms.

March 2026

Summer Day Festival (Dita e Verës)

When: March 14, 2026;

Where: Elbasan (and nationwide), Albania;

Price: Free.

Shake off the winter blues with Albania’s largest pagan festival, “Summer Day,” celebrating the spring equinox and rebirth of nature. In Elbasan, the festival’s birthplace, the morning of March 14 sees crowds gathering to enjoy bonfires, live folk music, and children dancing with colorful ribbons. You’ll see people wearing red-and-white verore bracelets (similar to Bulgarian martenitsa) that are later tied to tree branches for good luck. Don’t leave without trying a Ballokume: Elbasan’s famous giant sugar cookie made especially for this day.

Belgrade Dance Festival

When: March 13 – April 8, 2026;

Where: Belgrade (various venues), Serbia;

Price: €10–€30 per performance (tickets required).

Official site: belgradedancefestival.com

Experience the grace and thrill of one of Europe’s top contemporary dance festivals. Over four weeks, this acclaimed festival brings renowned ballet companies and cutting-edge modern dance troupes from around the globe to Serbia. Shows take place in Belgrade’s grand theaters and cultural centers: one night you might witness a classic by a Stuttgart Ballet troupe, the next an avant-garde performance by a New York contemporary company.

Festival of Lights Zagreb

When: March 18–22, 2026;

Where: Zagreb, Croatia;

Price: Free;

Official site: festivalsvjetlazagreb.hr

Watch Croatia’s capital glow during this magical 5-night open-air light art festival. As spring arrives, Zagreb’s historic center transforms into an interactive illuminated playground. Stroll through the Upper and Lower Town after dark to discover over 30 installations: think colorful 3D projections dancing across classical facades, trees wrapped in twinkling lights, and imaginative light sculptures on squares and in parks.

April 2026

Za Križen Procession (Hvar Island Easter Procession)

When: Night of April 2–3, 2026 (Maundy Thursday);

Where: Jelsa & villages, Hvar Island, Croatia;

Price: Free (as observer).

Official site: zakrizen.hr

Experience an ethereal centuries-old ritual on Croatia’s sunniest island during Easter week. The “Za Križen” (Following the Cross) procession is a 500-year-old all-night pilgrimage that begins late on Maundy Thursday: six small towns each send a barefoot cross-bearer carrying a heavy wooden cross, leading torch-lit processions through 25 kilometers of darkness.

If you station yourself in Jelsa around midnight, you’ll see the local procession depart. It’s hauntingly beautiful to watch the line of flickering lanterns disappear into the night en route to the next village. By 7–8 AM on Good Friday, the processions return to their home churches, bells ringing triumphantly. As a visitor, you can quietly observe along the route or attend early-morning Mass after the finish.

Radovljica Chocolate Festival

When: April 18–19, 2026;

Where: Radovljica, Slovenia;

Price: €6 entry (day ticket).

Official site: festival-cokolade.si

Satisfy your sweet tooth in the most delicious way at Slovenia’s biggest chocolate event. The quaint medieval town of Radovljica (just outside Bled) becomes a chocoholic’s paradise for one weekend. Dozens of artisanal chocolatiers set up stalls in the old town, offering samples of truffles, pralines, hot cocoa, and more.

There are chocolate-making workshops for kids, live cooking shows where chefs whip up cocoa-based desserts, and even chocolate sculpture displays. All the while, live music and the aroma of melted chocolate fill the air.

Junii Brașovului Parade

When: April 19, 2026;

Where: Brașov, Romania;

Price: Free.

On the Sunday after Orthodox Easter, the historic Transylvanian city of Brașov bursts into celebration with the Pageant of the Juni (“Youth”). It’s like stepping into a folktale: about 200 men on horseback trot from the Scheii Brașovului quarter into Brașov’s old town.

As they parade through Council Square to the peal of church bells and cheerful shouts, onlookers applaud and snap photos of this living heritage event. Folk bands with fiddles and brass follow along, energizing the crowd.

May 2026

Stara Planina “Balkan Folk” Fest

When: May 7–11, 2026;

Where: Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria;

Price: Free to watch (participant packages available)

Official site: eaff.eu

Experience the Balkans’ traditional music and dance in a grand showcase at the foothills of Bulgaria’s Stara Planina mountains. This international folklore festival brings together hundreds of ensembles: from Bulgarian village dance troupes to Serbian brass bands and Romanian choir groups.

Even if you’re not a folk expert, the energy is infectious. Vendors sell handmade crafts, embroidery, and tasty local snacks (don’t miss a bite of banitsa pastry).

👉 Learn more about Bulgarian folk festivals

International Wildflower Festival

When: May 22 – June 7, 2026;

Where: Bohinj, Slovenia;

Price: Many activities are free; guided tours/workshops from €5–€15.

Official site: slovenia.info

Spring in the Alps means wildflowers galore, and Bohinj’s gorgeous valley throws a festival to celebrate the bloom. Over two weeks, you can join botanical guided walks through meadows painted with edelweiss and gentians, attend photography workshops focused on floral landscapes, and sample wildflower-infused local foods.

Tip: The nearby Savica Waterfall and Mount Vogel cable car are in prime season, so you can mix gentle flower-peeping with adventurous hikes.

June 2026

Rose Festival

When: June 5–7, 2026;

Where: Kazanlak, Bulgaria;

Price: Free for most open-air events (small fee for museum/rose fields tours).

Official website: kazanlak.com

Welcome to Bulgaria’s fragrant Valley of the Roses, where the century-old festival (est. 1903) honors the blooming of the precious Rosa Damascena oil rose. Festivities span two weeks, but the climax is the first weekend of June in Kazanlak.

Each morning, you can join rose-picking rituals at nearby fields. Back in town, don’t miss the Rose Queen beauty pageant and coronation, accompanied by folk concerts. The big highlight is Sunday’s Grand Rose Parade (June 7): a vibrant procession of folk dancers, musicians, and elaborately decorated floats rolling down Kazanlak’s main street.

👉 You can visit the Rose Festival with us!

Kala Festival

When: June 3–10, 2026;

Where: Dhërmi, Albania;

Price: €189+ (week-long music festival pass).

Official site: kala.al

Party all day and night on the Albanian Riviera at Kala, a boutique beach music festival that’s been turning heads in Europe. Picture this: golden sand coves and turquoise Ionian Sea by day, followed by open-air dance floors under the stars by night.

By day, festival-goers relax with yoga sessions, boat parties to secret bays, or simply float in the crystal-clear water with music in the background. As the sun sets, stages come alive along Dhërmi’s beach. You can literally dance barefoot in the sand or at quaint seaside bars.

Cherry Festival

When: June 26–28, 2026;

Where: Kyustendil, Bulgaria;

Price: Free.

Visit one of the most delicious food festivals in Bulgaria. Since 2008, the town of Kyustendil has been celebrating the Cherry Festival. During the cherry holiday, you can taste more than a hundred different sorts of sweet Bulgarian cherries, enjoy unique works of art created from cherries, participate in cherry-related games, and much more.

👉 You can visit the Cherry Holiday with us!

July 2026

Galičnik Wedding Festival

When: July 10–12, 2026;

Where: Galičnik, North Macedonia;

Price: Free (donations welcome)

Witness a wedding as if you’ve stepped into a time machine. Each year in the remote mountain village of Galičnik, a lucky couple is chosen for a Galichnik-style wedding, staged in full traditional fashion on the weekend around St. Peter’s Day (July 12). Hundreds of locals and visitors gather as festivities begin with the firing of a musket salute echoing through the valley.

Enjoy Macedonian traditional dances and music, admire embroidered clothes and intricate homemade gold jewelry. Even as an observer, you’ll feel like a guest at the union. Villagers might beckon you to dance or taste local rakia.

👉Learn more about rakia and other Balkan food and drinks

EXIT Festival

When: July 11–14, 2026 (dates TBC);

Where: Petrovaradin Fortress, Novi Sad, Serbia;

Price: €120–€150 full pass.

Official site: exitfest.org

Party at one of Europe’s top music festivals set in a colossal 18th-century fortress overlooking the Danube. By night, its moats and bastions turn into dance arenas and concert stages hosting 200+ artists across all genres. Rock, EDM, hip-hop, metal – you name it, EXIT’s got it.

What makes EXIT extra special is its friendly vibe and cultural mix; it began as a student movement for peace and, decades later, still carries positive activist energy. Novi Sad itself is delightful to explore by day: you can cool off at the Strand beach on the Danube or try ćevapi rolls in town.

Fašinada Boat Procession

When: July 22, 2026;

Where: Perast, Montenegro;

Price: Free (boat rides for a fee or watch from shore)

At sunset, a flotilla of rowboats decorated with flowers and laden with stones sets off from the baroque town of Perast toward the tiny island of Our Lady of the Rocks. Standing onshore or in a hired boat, you’ll witness a moving spectacle. Children and elders alike toss rocks into the water to “increase the island,” commemorating the legendary creation of this artificial island where sailors once vowed to build a church.

After the ritual, Perast hosts an evening of celebration: imagine slow promenades along torch-lit waterfront lanes, the aroma of grilled seafood in the air, and perhaps a bit of tamburica string music at a café.

August 2026

Guča Trumpet Festival

When: August 7–9, 2026;

Where: Guča, Serbia;

Price: Free (concerts are open-air).

Official site: guca.rs

Three days. One tiny Serbian town. Hundreds of wildly talented brass musicians. Welcome to Guča! This is Serbia’s legendary trumpet and folk music competition, often described as the Balkans’ craziest street party. The population of Guča swells as about 200,000 visitors arrive ready to eat, drink, dance, and soak up frenetic trumpet tunes. Non-stop performances rock the main stage, but you’ll also find impromptu brass bands roaming every lane.

DokuFest

When: August 7–15, 2026;

Where: Prizren, Kosovo;

Price: €20 festival pass (or €3–€5 per film).

Official site: dokufest.com

Experience the unparalleled charm of watching cutting-edge documentaries in an open-air cinema by a medieval fortress. DokuFest, now reaching its 25th edition, is an international documentary and short-film festival that has put the historic city of Prizren on every culture-lover’s map.

Untold Festival

When: August 6–9, 2026;

Where: Cluj-Napoca, Romania;

Price: €150–€200 full pass.

Official site: untold.com

Enter a realm of fantasy at Untold, Romania’s largest music festival and recently voted the world’s #3 festival. Each year, Cluj’s central park and stadium transform into a mythical universe. 2026’s theme, “UNTOLD ONE”, promises the “greatest experience ever crafted”, marking a new decade of Untold. The lineup spans EDM, pop, and live bands.

September 2026

Vinkovci Autumn Festival (Vinkovačke Jeseni)

When: September 12–20, 2026 (dates TBC);

Where: Vinkovci, Croatia;

Price: Free for outdoor events (small fee for some workshops).

Official site: vinkovackejeseni.hr

This is one of Croatia’s largest and oldest folklore festivals (60+ years running), a week-long celebration of traditional culture in the heart of Slavonia. The whole town comes alive with folklore ensembles. Around 70 groups from across Croatia and neighboring countries bring their colorful costumes, folk songs, and dances. You’ll see beaded shawls and gold-coin necklaces glinting on the ladies, and the gents in embroidered waistcoats and tall boots proudly performing age-old tamburitza music.

Cow Ball (Kravji Bal)

When: September 20, 2026;

Where: Lake Bohinj, Slovenia;

Price: €8 for adults, €2 for children;

Official site: tdbohinj.si

When alpine pastures turn to gold, Slovenes throw a party for the cows! The Cow Ball is a charming folkloric festival celebrating the return of herds and herders from Bohinj’s high meadows. It’s hosted in the scenic Ukanc meadow by Lake Bohinj, framed by the Julian Alps. Festivities start late morning as decorated cows, wearing flower crowns and ringing large bells, parade in led by herdsmen in traditional dress.

October 2026

Skopje Jazz Festival

When: October 15–18, 2026;

Where: Skopje, North Macedonia;

Price: €10–€20 per concert (festival pass ~€50).

Official site: skopjejazzfest.com.mk

This renowned festival (45th edition in 2026) brings an eclectic lineup of jazz greats and cutting-edge artists to North Macedonia’s capital. Evening concerts in venues like the Philharmonic Hall offer everything from American bebop and European avant-garde to African fusion and Latin jazz. Beyond the main shows, the festival’s late-night jam sessions at local clubs are famous.

Halloween at Bran Castle

When: October 31, 2026;

Where: Bran, Romania;

Price: 150 lei (≈€30) castle night tour, ≈€70 party ticket.

Official site: bran-castle.com

Spend All Hallows’ Eve in Dracula’s lair! Bran Castle, the legendary inspiration for Dracula’s castle, throws an epic Halloween bash that’s equal parts spooky, glamorous, and fun. The evening starts with a special night tour of the castle’s lamp-lit corridors and creepy chambers. You’ll wind through secret passages and even the eerie torture exhibit, as guides regale you with Transylvanian vampire lore. After the tour, the courtyard transforms into a Halloween party zone for adults.

November 2026

St. Martin’s Day Wine Celebration

When: November 11, 2026;

Where: Maribor, Slovenia & Zagorje region, Croatia;

Price: Free (wine tasting glasses ~€5)

November 11 (Martinje) is when Slovenians and northern Croatians famously “baptize” the new young wine. Across wine towns, this day is one big celebration. In Maribor, home of the world’s oldest grapevine, the Old Vine House hosts a public wine christening ceremony led by a costumed “Bacchus” and the town’s vinar mayor. Folk bands strike up cheerful tunes, and everyone raises a glass of this year’s first wine (usually a young white) as the city officials symbolically bless it.

Sibiu Christmas Market

When: Opening – November 15, 2026 (estimated);

Where: Sibiu, Romania;

Price: Free entrance (food, drinks, and activities are paid).

Official site: targuldecraciun.ro

The medieval Transylvanian city of Sibiu opens the Christmas season with one of Eastern Europe’s most enchanting holiday markets. The Grand Square (Piața Mare) becomes a glittering village of wooden huts, and the opening weekend is particularly festive. The air smells of gingerbread and cinnamon cozonac cake. Opening night often features a fireworks show or a 3D light projection on the Brukenthal Palace.

December 2026

Zagreb Advent (Christmas Market)

When: December 2026 – early January 2027;

Where: Zagreb, Croatia;

Price: Free entrance (food, drinks, and activities are paid).

Official site: adventzagreb.hr

Advent in Zagreb has been repeatedly voted Europe’s best Christmas market. The city transforms into a winter wonderland even before December arrives. Stroll through Jelačić Square as a massive Christmas tree and colorful stalls appear, then wander Zrinjevac Park under canopies of twinkling lights and lanterns. Dozens of wooden chalets offer mulled wine (kuhano vino), sausages, fritule doughnuts, and handmade gifts.

👉 Find out even more holiday magic via the Balkan Christmas markets.

Belgrade New Year’s Eve Street Party

When: December 31, 2026;

Where: Belgrade, Serbia (city center);

Price: Free

Cap off 2026 in one of Europe’s nightlife capitals as Belgrade throws an open-air New Year’s Eve bash to remember. As midnight approaches, tens of thousands converge on Knez Mihailova Street and the Republic Square, wrapped up in coats but warmed by excitement and rakia. The city organizes free concerts by famous Serbian rock and pop bands on multiple stages downtown. Street vendors keep the party fuel flowing with grilled meats and cups of hot vinjak (spiced brandy). The countdown is communal and loud: you’ll hear church bells, cheers in Serbian (“Srećna Nova Godina!”), popping champagne corks echo through the streets, and lots of fireworks.

To help you further, we’ve also prepared a guide on the best months to visit the Balkans and what activities are at their peak for each season.

 

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