The party returned in 2022 – more or less – as festivals in Croatia resumed last year after you-know-what. 2023 should be an even better celebration with numerous events in many wonderful locations along the Croatian coast (and inland) – just take a look below!
Festivals in Croatia 2023
- Sea Star Festival
Umag, 19th & 20th May 2023
Part of the ‘Exit family’ of festivals, this event normally kicks off the festival calendar each year - Mystic Mountain Festival
Rudopolje, 19th – 25th June 2023
An intimate week-long event that’s part-music festival, part nature retreat! - Gates of Agartha
Cave Romane near Pula, 23rd & 24th June 2023
A brand new event for 2023 in a stunning location – a former Roman quarry!
- Hideout Festival
Zrce Beach, island of Pag, 25th – 29th June 2023
Now in its eleventh year, one of the most popular festivals in Croatia - Dropzone
Zrce Beach, island of Pag, 3rd – 6th July 2023
Hard dance in Novalja’s beachside clubs - Bear Stone Festival
Donje Primislje (near Karlovac), 7th & 8th July 2023
Something completely different – desert/stoner rock in the beautiful Croatian interior! - Hospitality on the Beach
Tisno, 4th – 11th July 2023
Drum and bass heaven
- Ultra Europe
Split, 7th – 9th July 2023
Ultra Europe’s ninth edition will surely feature some BIG names on the bill - Love International
Tisno, 12th – 18th July 2023
Celebrating its sixth edition, Love International will be its usual amazing self in 2023 - Seasplash Festival
Sibenik, 20th – 23rd July 2023
The 21st – and final – Seasplash; head down to Sibenik to see this festival off in style - SuncéBeat
Tisno, 20th – 27th July 2023
Another week of revelry from the crew behind Southport Weekender
- Day & Night
Zrce Beach, island of Pag, 24th – 27th July 2023
Top DJs in the main clubs of Zrce Beach - Outlook Origins
Tisno, 27th July – 1st August 2023
Outlook returns to its Dalmatian origins once again - Membrain Festival
Sibenik, 3rd – 6th August 2023
All about bass culture - Defected Croatia
Tisno, 3rd – 8th August 2023
Previously Ibiza regulars, Defected return to Croatia to showcase the best of house music
- Barrakud
Zrce Beach, island of Pag, 6th – 10th August 2023
Techno in the clubs of Zrce Beach - Mo:Dem
Primislje, 7th – 13th August 2023
A psychedelic rave with stunning art and visuals in the forest - Flamingo Republic
Zrce Beach, island of Pag, 14th – 17th August 2023
Total exuberance in Zrce Beach’s clubs - Sea Dance in Exile
Malinska, island of Krk, 17th – 19th August 2023
A festival that’s moved location from Montenegro to Croatia this year ((hence the name)
- Sonus Festival
Zrce Beach, island of Pag, 20th – 24th August 2023
Sonus’s celebrates its tenth year in 2023; another crop of top techno and electro names will be performing - Dekmantel
Tisno, 24th – 28th August 2023
An intimate, late-season event in The Garden Tisno - Summer Peak
Zrce Beach, island of Pag, 26th August – 2nd September 2023
Rounding off the season in Novalja - Dimensions
Tisno, 31st August – 4th September 2023
In its 11th year, Dimensions rounds off the season in Tisno - Goulash Disko
Komiza, island of Vis, 13th – 17th September 2023
A super-chilled and very fun festival on the lovely island of Vis - Flows Festival
Ugljan, 13th – 17th September 2023
Electro music in an intimate setting – only 200 attendees – on the gorgeous Ugljan
Reviews of Festivals in Croatia
Unsurprisingly, almost all of the festivals that are held in Croatia are very highly regarded and well-reviewed by the music press. Here are some reviews of festivals held in previous years:
- 10 things a session in Croatia taught us (Mixmag, 19th September 2014)
- Not going to Glastonbury? Try Eastern Europe’s more affordable festival alternatives (Daily Telegraph, 23rd June 2014)
- Croatia’s new Unknown festival ‘unique’ says co-founder (BBC Newsbeat, 7th September 2013)
- Dimentions Festival 2013 Review(Skiddle, 16th September 2013)
- Review: Garden Festival 2013 (Skiddle, 18th July 2013)
- Europe’s Best Summer Festivals, which includes FOR Festival, Garden and Terraneo (Forbes, 12th June 2013)
- ‘Knee deep in mud at an English festival? Give me Spain any day’ (Guardian, 26th May 2013)
- Festivals guide 2013 listings: European (Guardian, 11th May 2013)
- Is Croatia Europe’s best festival destination? (Guardian, 10th May 2013)
- Croatian holiday? The festivals are looking fine (InTheMix, 17th January 2013)
- Soundwave Festival (The Independent, 25th August 2011)
- Review: Electric Elephant 2010 (Skiddle.com, 29th September 2010)
- Croatia – the Dalmatian Coast and Garden Festival (Scotland on Sunday, 24th August 2010)
- Garden Festival (The Guardian, 18th July 2010)
- T-Mobile INmusic festival: LCD Soundsystem, The Flaming Lips and Billy Idol rock Croatia (Metro, 28th June 2010)
- A Massive Attack of music in Croatia (BBC 6 Music, 24th June 2010)
- How Croatia splashed on to the music festival map (on The Garden Festival – The Guardian, 3rd May 2009)
Other Festivals
The very well-known Exit Festival is held in the neighbouring country of Serbia and is an amazingly fun event to attend – and perfect for combining with a holiday in Croatia.
First held in 2000 as a protest against the political system at the time, Exit has now grown considerably to become one of Europe’s top festivals.
Held in the impressive Petrovaradin Fortress at night-time (festival hours are 9pm to 6am each day), many head to Exit as a chance to experience an incredibly fun – not to mention eclectic – foreign festival in a cheaper setting.
Check out the Exit Festival website for more details on the event. Visit Croatia attended the 2009 Exit Festival – read up on my experiences, as well as hints and tips that may be useful to you!
The team behind the Exit Festival have also expanded to host multiple festivals in different countries in this part of the world. As well as the Sea Star Festival in Croatia (see above), there’s the Sea Dance Festival in Budva, Montenegro and the No Sleep Festival in Belgrade, Serbia – amongst others.