After an exciting summer festival season and an eventful autumn, the arrival of December brings Christmas atmosphere to the City. On Saturday, 1 December 2018 the lighting of the first Advent candle and Christmas lights switch-on will mark the opening of the 5th Dubrovnik Winter Festival, followed by a concert of one of the most popular Croatian singers - Petar Grašo, organised in collaboration with Star production.
The City of Dubrovnik, the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, and the Dubrovnik Summer Festival are already announcing the 5th Dubrovnik Winter Festival programme highlights, and the focus of the festival remains on big concerts on the world's most beautiful stage – Stradun. Prljavo kazalište, one of the most renowned Croatian rock bands, will perform there on 6 December, the Dubrovnik Defenders’ Day.
Traditional Christmas carols and klapa songs will be performed on weekends from Brsalje across Stradun to Gundulić Square, where visitors will enjoy live music programme and food from Christmas booths.
Christmas concert of the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra will be held at Hotel Valamar Lacroma Dubrovnik on 22 December, featuring numerous Dubrovnik musicians, tenor Domagoj Dorotić, who is well remembered for his excellent performance of Nessun dorma with the Slovenian Philharmonic at the 66th Dubrovnik Summer Festival Opening Ceremony, and leading Croatian soprano of the younger generation Martina Zadro.
The youngest citizens will traditionally enjoy Winter Tale, organised by the Dubrovnik Tourist Board, while those with a sweet tooth will enjoy charity Cake Party in Stradun.
The programme of the New Year's Eve Party in Stradun, organised in collaboration with Star produkcija, is already known. The Gypsy Kings, who are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the release of their debut album, will perform on 29 December. The following evening, on 30 December, Opća opasnost will perform their popular rock ballads in Stradun.
New Year's Eve Party for Children featuring young singer Mia Negovetić and Super Cover Band will take place before the spectacular New Year's Eve Party in Stradun on 31 December, featuring top Croatian singers Nina Badrić and Toni Cetinski. Top musicians on the world's most beautiful stage and impressive fireworks at midnight will ensure an unforgettable beginning of 2019.
After the spectacular New Year's Eve Party, the traditional concert of the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra will be held in Stradun at noon on 1 January 2019, while Klapa Rišpet will perform there later in the evening.
