Another very successful year for festivals in Croatia in 2017 saw many old favourites return and many new names appear on the calendar. The number of top quality – not to mention FUN – events means that Croatia is proving to be the festival destination in mainland Europe. There’s also something for everyone, whether you want a pop & rock event; a huge stadium festival with big name DJs; EDM; a boutique and laid-back festival by the sea; partying day and night in some of the best clubs in Europe…the list goes on!
Festivals in Croatia get many repeat visitors year after year – but if you’ve never been to an event, why not give it a go in 2018?
We’re in the process of updating this section for festivals in Croatia 2018, so keep coming back to see all the latest Croatian festival news!
Festivals in Croatia 2018
- INmusic Festival
Zagreb, 25th – 27th June 2018
Croatia’s largest open air festival, now in its thirteenth year, sees another excellent line-up – Queens of the Stone Age, David Byrne, Alice in Chains and more
- Hideout Festival
Novalja, island of Pag, 25th – 29th June 2018
Plenty of top names already on the bill for the eighth Hideout
- Obonjan
island of Obonjan (near Sibenik), 25th – 2nd September 2018
A full festival season on an eco-friendly island, with music, DJs, wellness, talks, workshops and much more
- Love International
Tisno, 27th June – 4th July 2018
Now an established player on the Croatian festival scene, the third Love International will have a brilliant line-up!
- Fresh Island Festival
Novalja, island of Pag, 10th – 12th July 2018
Hip hop’s finest names head to Zrce Beach for fun in the sun
- Seasplash Festival
Pula, 19th – 22nd July 2018
The sixteenth Seasplash will bring together an eclectic mix of musical styles and genres
- SuncéBeat
Tisno, 18th – 25th July 2017
Another week of revelry from the crew behind Southport Weekender
- Love Week Festival
Novalja, island of Pag, 21st – 27th July 2018
7 days of fun in Croatia’s party hotspot
- Soundwave Croatia
Tisno, 26th – 30th July 2018
The tenth edition of Soundwave will also be its last! Make sure you snap up tickets to help see the festival go out with a bang! - Ultra Europe
Split, 6th – 8th July 2018
Ultra Europe’s sixth year as an amazing line-up with top DJs – including David Guetta, Armin Van Buuren, Afrojack and more!
- Defected Croatia
Tisno, 9th – 14th August 2017
Previously Ibiza regulars, Defected return to Croatia for their third event showcasing the best of house music
- Sonus Festival
Novalja, island of Pag, 19th – 23rd August 2018
Sonus’s sixth year will see plenty of top techno and electro names
- Dekmantel
Tisno, 23rd – 27th August 2018
An intimate, late-season event in The Garden Tisno
- Dimensions
Pula, 29th August – 3rd September 2018
The little sister of Outlook (below), another top-notch electro festival held in the same stunning venue
- Outlook Festival
Pula, 5th – 9th September 2018
Ever been to a festival in a beautiful old fort? With an opening ceremony in a Roman amphitheatre? No?! Here’s your chance!
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’s some reviews of festivals held in previous years:
- 10 things a session in Croatia taught us (Mixmag, 19th September 2014)
- Festival Guide – Review: Barrakud Croatia 2014 (Platform, 25th August 2014)
- Garden Festival and Electric Elephant 2014: The DiS Review (Drowned in Sound, 27th July 2014)
- Not going to Glastonbury? Try Eastern Europe’s more affordable festival alternatives (Daily Telegraph, 23rd June 2014)
- Unknown Festival 2013 Review (1883 Magazine, September 2013)
- 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 Septemeber 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.
Started in 2000 as a protest against the political system at the time (and initially a dance music event), Exit has now grown considerably to become one of Europe’s top festivals. A whole host of big names appear each year – 2016’s line-up included David Guetta, Ellie Goulding, Bastille, The Prodigy, The Vaccines, Hurts and George Clinton amongst many, many others.
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!
