From February onwards, the Balkans 2026 events calendar is chock-a-block, from winter masked carnivals and spring folk customs to summer music festivals on Adriatic beaches.
Our top tip? Travel either side of a festival to balance the cultural buzz with the calm of a hike in the mountains, a kayak along the coast, or a stay in a seaside village after the crowds disperse.
Here’s our calendar of the best Balkan festivals in 2026. We’ve included our nearby tour ideas for inspiration, so you can turn a culture break into a longer journey through this spectacular region.
See also: Top Active & Sporting events in the Balkans in 2026
Festivals and events in Croatia in 2026
Rijeka Carnival
When: 15th February 2026
Where: Rijeka
Rijeka’s pre-Lent carnival rivals Venice for spectacle, but with more noise, fur, and pagan energy. Performers dress as zvončari (bell ringers) in sheepskin and animal masks, swinging huge bells to chase away winter. The city hands its keys to a temporary carnival mayor, a queen is crowned, and a giant masked parade fills the town with colour and theatrical floats. Farmers bring olive oils, cheeses, wines and cured meats from the surrounding hills for visitors to sample.
After revelling in the glory and chaos of the carnival, allow us to take you south down the Croatian coast on our 7-day Southern Dalmatia multi activity holiday for kayaking, hiking, beaches and more.
Mali Ston Oyster Festival
When: March 2026 (date tbc – usually St Joseph’s Day)
Where: Mali Ston
Perfect for seafood lovers. This small coastal town celebrates its prized European flat oysters with plenty of wine and music. March is perfect shoulder season — with fewer crowds, cooler days and a great excuse to linger on the Pelješac Peninsula after the festivities subside. Even better, walk “Europe’s Great Wall of China” (pictured). So, why not extend your visit to the gorgeous and under-the-radar Mali Ston on our 7-day multi activity holiday?
Ultra Europe Music Festival
When: 11th-13th July 2026
Where: Split
One of Europe’s biggest electronic music festivals lands in Split each summer. Global DJs, huge crowds and late nights make this a high-energy Adriatic experience. Recover afterwards by slowing down in a fishing village or out on the water. Trade the cheap festival beer for quaffable Dingač wine and work on your tan as you sea kayak to secluded islands.
Zen Opuzen Street Art Festival
When: July 2026
Where: Opuzen
A must for street art enthusiasts, skilled creators from around the world descend on the town of Opuzen in the Dubrovnik-Neretva county to paint the town red… and green, and blue, and yellow, and every colour really (see zenopuzen.com for details). Art aside, Opuzen is a pleasant little Croatian town to explore, known for its fortress and tangerine production.
Do all of this and more when you book our 7-day Southern Dalmatia guided holiday
Festivals in Albania in 2026
Shkodër Carnival
When: 20th-22nd March 2026
Where: Shkodër
Did you know most of Venice’s masks are made in Shkodër? It’s all thanks to Albanian artisan Edmond Angoni, who set up the Venice Art Mask Factory in 1996 and now produces more than 20,000 hand-crafted masks a year before shipping them to Venice, Rio and even Hollywood. In Shkodër, a masked carnival has been going strong since the 1990s. The carnival blends medieval costumes, parades through the old bazaar, music and masked balls, building on a local tradition of door-to-door performers known as surretënit, who used to be rewarded with doughnuts and dried fruit.
Come and meet the artisans on Lake Shkodër then head up into the mountains on our exciting North Albania adventure.
Kala Music Festival
When: 3rd-10th June 2026
Where: Dhërmi
Sun, sea and electronic beats on the Albanian Riviera. Kala festival combines beachside parties with clear, azure water and relaxed daytime vibes. Either side of a week of dancing the night away, allow us to take you off the beaten path to a quieter side to Albania. Head up north to hike the Theth to Valbona pass in the Accursed Mountains and devour a slap up lunch at a pioneering agritourism establishment on our North Albania adventure.
Whether you explore with us before or after Kala, our trips provide the perfect contrast to the Albanian Riviera’s increasingly popular resorts.
ZA Fest
When: July 2026
Where: Albanian Alps
An atmospheric folk festival in the heart of the mountains. ZA (meaning “voice” or “sound”) celebrates Albania’s folk traditions, nature and creativity with live music from regional artists and local food. Think misty peaks and soulful performances under the stars.
It’s set in Theth (pictured) and the surrounding villages, from where we launch our favourite hiking routes as part of our North Albania adventure.
See all of our Albania adventure holidays
Festivals in Montenegro in 2026
Kotor Carnival (Mardi Gras)
When: 3rd-25th February 2026
Where: Kotor
Expect to be handed a glass of wine and hear the welcoming phrase “Abrum!” when Kotor holds its masked Mardi Gras carnival, inspired by its former Venetian occupiers (1420-1797). Local people use the carnival to poke fun at politicians and public figures, building elaborate floats to make their point.
Venetian-style masks can be bought in several costume shops around town. The main masquerade ball and parade kicks off with a feast of seafood and Montenegrin wine and culminates in a kaleidoscopic parade and bonfire by Boka bay.
Mimosa festival
When: 13th-28th February 2026
Where: Herceg Novi
Many cultures mark the arrival of Spring with blossoms and flowers, but the coastal town of Herceg Novi takes things to another level with its vibrant Mimosa festival. Bunches of the bright yellow flower fill the town and line the window boxes. Along the Riviera, wine, fresh sardines and other fish dishes are served. The town gets together to process through the streets, each group with its own floral float. There is even a swimming championship, an archery & shooting cup and car races.
Fašinada Festival
When: 22nd July 2026
Where: Perast
Rooted in Perast’s maritime heritage, the Fašinada festival in Perast (part of Boka Bay) is centered around a remarkable water procession of boats laden with stones, flowers and flags known as “fašinade”. The tradition dates back to first Venetian explorers of the 15th century who sank large stones in the bay to create an artificial island on which to build a church to thank the Madonna for their discovery of Kotor bay, and to ask that she keep them safe at sea. The church is called Our Lady of the Rocks, and a local tradition continues of tossing stones into the bay each time a sailor or fisherman returns safely from sea. Beyond the water procession, the Fašinada Festival also features art and craft exhibitions, live tamburice music and special seafood dishes.
Boka night
When: August 2026 (date tbc)
Where: Kotor
Bokeljska Noć is a summer festival featuring a lantern-lit parade of decorated boats, live music and parties in Kotor old town. People from the Boka bay area decorate their boats for months in advance and the best wins a prize. Behind the old town, a steep, stone staircase ascends to a fortress. It’s from here that you can get an even better view over the bay with its illuminated boats making trails of light in the dark water. The boat parade culminates in spectacular fireworks over the Bay of Kotor.
Petrovac Jazz Fest
When: 2-7 September 2026
Where: Petrovac, Montenegro
A fun, multi-day jazz festival by the seaside of local and international talent. Petrovac is a charming seaside town with white sand beaches of tiny pebbles. It’s conveniently close to our Lake Skadar base, Villa Miela, and a place our guests love to go to soak in some Adriatic charm for a day.
See all our Montenegro holidays
Festivals in Serbia in 2026
Saint Tryphon’s Day
When: 14 February 2026
Where: Serbia & Montenegro
In Serbian tradition, Saint Valentine vies for attention with Saint Tryphon on February 14, a patron saint celebrated by farmers and winegrowers who gather every year at the start of the grape-growing year. Expect vineyard blessings, tastings and the symbolic welcoming of spring.
Guča Trumpet Festival
When: August 2026 (date tbc)
Where: Guča
Another musical affair, quite different to the last one we mentioned, the legendary Guča Trumpet Festival is a unique cultural event which celebrates traditional Serbian brass music. It is loud, joyful and chaotic in the best possible way and a deep dive into rural Serbian culture.
It takes place in Guča, around two hours’ drive south of Belgrade, the start and end point of our Serbia adventure holiday, in which there are plenty more cultural moments.
Pirot Flattened Sausage Festival
When: February 2026 (date tbc)
Where: Pirot
We love this one. Pirot’s famous flattened sausage is pressed daily with a glass bottle and spiced to a local recipe. The festival celebrates this curious delicacy alongside regional wines and produce — with Stara Planina National Park right on the doorstep, one of the stops on our new 7-Day hiking holiday in Serbia.
See all our Serbia holidays
Festivals in Kosovo in 2026
Sunny Hill Festival
When: August 2026 (date tbc)
Where: Prishtina / Bernice
Organised by British-Kosovan pop star Dua Lipa and her father, Sunny Hill Music Festival in the capital features international artists and has, unsurprisingly, become the biggest music festival in Kosovo. Again, 2026 details are yet tbc, but if 2025 is anything to go by (Shaun Mendes, FatBoy Slim and Anyma headlining), it’s sure to be epic.
Want to extend your stay in Kosovo? Just meet us at the start point in town and we’ll whisk you away for a week of adventures in Kosovo’s national parks and historic towns.
Prizren DocuFest
When: August 2026 (date tbc)
Where: Prizren
Celebrating 25 years in 2026, this documentary and short film festival has become a surprising breakout hit over the years. Screenings spill into historic courtyards and riverside venues, with the Shar Mountains rising behind the town, which lead over the mountains to North Macedonia.
Book now: Undiscovered Kosovo Activity Holiday
Festivals in Macedonia in 2026
Ohrid festival
When: 11th-15th August 2026
Where: Ohrid town, Lake Ohrid
‘The Pearl of the Balkans’ UNESCO World Heritage site of Ohrid plays host to choirs, orchestras, folklore, and modern dance groups from around the world.
North Macedonia Activity Holiday COMING SOON…
Festivals in Bulgaria in 2026
Meadows in the Mountains
When: July 2026 (date tbc)
Where: Polkovnik Serafimovo
One of Bulgaria’s best-kept secret festivals for a few years, this immersive event blends alternative music, art installations, sustainability workshops and spiritual practices in the misty Rhodope Mountains.
See all of our Bulgaria adventure holidays
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