Events

Antonja (January)
“Antonja – The exhibition of wine and olive oil of the Rovinj area” has been organised in January for many years by the Agrorovinj Association and the organisation committee in Rovinjsko Selo. “Antonja”, traditionally held on the occasion of the feast of Saint Anthony, patron saint of Rovinjsko Selo, is also the oldest wine exhibition in Istria. It is a competition and entertainment festival, an annual event that promotes and awards the best wines and olive oils.

Carnival in Rovinj and Carnival in Rovinjsko Selo (February)
During the children’s festival, the pageant of kindergarten and school children from the city area reaches the main city square. Rovinjsko Selo boasts a long carnival tradition, which includes visits to all households in Rovinjsko Selo that culminate in a big party at the community centre.

Walking to Health  (April)
This public health event promotes the importance of physical activity in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It is implemented in collaboration with the Public Health Institute of the Region of Istria and associations based in the Rovinj area. Year after year, the event attracts an increasing number of participants.

Encounters in Selo (April)
This long-standing event aimed at fostering the regional written word gathers poets from all parts of Istria and Dalmatia and promotes the panoply of vernaculars.

Šoljan’s Days (April)
Over the years, Šoljan’s Days have become one of the most outstanding literary and cultural events in Istria and Croatia, which endows Šoljan’s name with a special meaning seeing that the event takes place in a city mentioned in so many of his texts, so that both the author and his oeuvre endure as a remarkable component of Rovinj’s cultural identity.

Olympic Games for  Kids (April-May)
It brings together kindergarten children from the Rovinj area competing in the olympic disciplines adapted to their age, which increases the awareness of the importance of being actively involved in sports from an early age. The event is carried out in collaboration with kindergartens and the Sports Society.

Kids Firefighter Olympics (May)
Kids Firefighter Olympics is an event for kindergarten children where they show their skills in overcoming the exercise ranges specially designed to provide them with the opportunity to learn about fire protection through games and competitions. The event is carried out in collaboration with kindergartens and the Regional Firefighters Community.

Popolana (April)
Along with sports and recreation, this is also a charity event. In fact, numerous fundraising volunteers join in to gather money for the needs of the Association of People With Disability.

Regatta Rovinj-Pesaro-Rovinj (May)
This traditional regatta showcases a large number of yachts from Croatia and Italy that cross the Adriatic Sea over the course of five days thus connecting its east and west coast.

Regatta of Traditional Boats With Lug and Lateen Sail (June)
Rovinj’s Regatta of traditional boats with settee and lateen sail has been held each year in June since 2005 under the auspices of the Ecomuseum and in collaboration with the Maestral Yacht Club. The regatta was launched with the objective of renovating lug sails, supporting intercultural collaboration in the Adriatic and creating an event in Rovinj to celebrate its maritime culture distinguished by the batana vessel in a creative and lively manner for all   the inhabitants and visitors of Rovinj to enjoy.

Salsa Festival (June)
In collaboration with the SALSA ADRIA PRODUKCIJE company, dance club Los Mamberos initiated and co-organised this unique dance festival in the region – Croatian Summer Salsa Festival. Since 2005, the festival has traditionally taken place set against the breathtakingly beautiful backdrop of the Mediterranean city of Rovinj. As a special dance event in Croatia, the festival draws thousands of dance aficionados from the country and abroad, hence enriching both regional and national tourism supply.

Cultural Summer (June-September)
In collaboration with institutions, associations and the Tourist Office, the City annually organises a rich cultural summer aimed at enriching the tourism supply in the city, presenting  its traditions and fostering traditional culture. It comprises activities and programmes of various associations in collaboration with the Public Open University Rovinj, the programme on the Big Pier, Baromus Festival – baroque music festival, Summer Festival Rovinj – classical music festival, Brass Festival, Blitz Festival – festival of performative and visual arts, Italian Film Festival – Giornate del Cinema Italiano, Meetings in Rovinj – Appuntamenti Rovignesi, etc.

Summer Colony (July)
Summer Colony Rovinj was established in the early 1950s wishing to gather figurative artists in Rovinj, organise and host exhibitions, art conferences and similar events.

Grisia (August)
Undoubtedly the most renowned open air exhibition in Croatia and the most distinctive Rovinj’s cultural event. In the street with the same name – the backbone connecting the main city square with St. Euphemia’s Church – academy-trained artists, amateurs and children   exhibit their artwork for a numerous audience, socialise and anticipate the announcement of best works and valuable prizes.

Rovinj City Day and Feast Day of St. Euphemia (September)
A number of cultural and entertainment programmes and sporting events are held on the occasion of the festivity of the city and St. Euphemia. The town square hosts presentations of Rovinj’s sports clubs, the “From cape to cape” (“Od punte do punte”) race by land and by sea, the wine exhibition and numerous concerts.

Children’s Week (October)
The opening of children’s week traditionally starts with preschool and younger elementary school children gathering on Marshal Tito Square where they leave their messages for adults and receive gifts for their kindergartens and schools. Throughout the week, the youngest ones can enjoy various activities for children.

Days of Mirko Kovač (October)
Literary event held at the beginning of the month of October commemorating Mirko Kovač. Its guiding principle is critical thinking about the world around us in the spirit of tolerance and spiritual heritage bequeathed by Mirko Kovač. The purpose of the event is the popularisation of literature and literary conferences and promotion of critical thinking.

Meeting of Croatian Minority Writers with Writers in the Republic of Croatia (October)
Traditional professional and academic conference about literature between two homelands, linguistic and cultural permeation and standards of minority rights protection in Europe.

Rovinj Music Festival (December)
Festival of creative endeavours. The festival programme consists of two parts: competition and non-competition. The competition programme features emerging new authorial bands, while the non-competition programme presents the already established performers. The festival takes place at the end of December as part of the Christmas and New Year programme.