A Summer of festivals in Ljubljana

Festival events range from prestigious cultural events featuring world renowned artists, such as those held as part of the Ljubljana Festival, to street concerts, street theatre performances, and children's events.

Thirteen festivals not to be missed this summer

Flow Festival Ljubljana

26-28 June, Tobačna mesto, an abandoned factory complex
Flow Festival Ljubljana, listed by the British daily newspaper The Guardian as one of the top 10 hottest new additions to Europe's festival season, will not only bring together a star-studded line-up of music artists to please the ear (Pet Shop Boys, Róisín Murphy, Metronomy, and more than 50 other artists), but will also offer a programme of top quality accompanying events aimed to please all the senses by combining everything that makes Ljubljana special.
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June in Ljubljana

12-21 June, Kongresni trg square
The June in Ljubljana festival, held on a large stage in the middle of Ljubljana's central Kongresni trg square, offers a wide and varied programme of free events ranging from children's events in the morning, light entertainment in the afternoon, and a diverse cross section of artistic creativity in the evening, from opera and ballet to electronic dance music, this year performed by Clark (UK).
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Lighting Guerrilla

22 May-26 June, various venues
The Lighting Guerrilla festival presents a programme of innovative light installations set up in Ljubljana's streets and parks and a number of galleries. This year's edition of the festival, whose headline theme is 'In the Dark', is an artistic exploration of the relationship between light and darkness, both in the literal and metaphorical sense.

Ljubljana Festival

28 June-28 September, various venues
This year, the Ljubljana Festival will be held for the 63rd time, which makes it one of the oldest summer festivals in Europe. Bringing together the biggest names in classical music, opera, and ballet from around the world, it offers the summer's most prestigious cultural events. Its programme also includes theatrical productions, musicals, and concerts of quality pop music.
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Imago Sloveniae: Summer in Ljubljana Old Town

12 May-24 August, various venues
Each year in the summer, the heart of Ljubljana city centre is vibrant with events held as part of the Summer in Ljubljana Old Town festival. Classical music, jazz, and world music concerts by artists from home and abroad are set against the perfect backdrop of medieval Ljubljana.

Ana Desetnica

1-4 July, city centre
Street circus performances, unusual and often bizarre installations, and street theatre shows whose spectators may all of a sudden find themselves in the role of performers  this is what you can expect from the Ana Desetnica festival, which gives Ljubljana an air of unrestrained otherness.

56th Ljubljana Jazz Festival

1-4 July, Cankarjev dom cultural and congress centre
This is another festival boasting a long history and a strong international line-up. In its early days, the Ljubljana Jazz Festival presented orchestral jazz from the former Yugoslavia, whereas today it brings together the biggest names in contemporary jazz from around the world. Make sure not to miss them.
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Metelkova Summer Stage

Summer months, Metelkova mesto alternative culture centre
The open-air stage of the Metelkova mesto alternative culture centre is where most of Ljubljana's underground music events are held in the summer. On summer nights, it hosts rock, punk, metal, hip-hop, and electronic music artists and DJs from Slovenia and beyond.

Film under the Stars

2-25 July, Ljubljana Castle
In the picturesque courtyard of Ljubljana Castle, under a starry sky, the Film under the Stars festival presents screenings of recent international hit films. Apart from the most successful films of the last cinema season, Ljubljana's most beautiful open-air cinema also hosts Ljubljana film premieres.

Young Lions

21-30 August, Elektro Ljubljana's Old Power Station, other venues
Each year at the end of August, the young lions of contemporary performing arts get together in Ljubljana to present their work at the Young Lions festival. Apart from showcasing daring approaches to contemporary theatre and dance, the festival offers an opportunity for socializing in the city's public spaces and is an open platform for exchanging ideas, building friendships, and starting collaborations.

Trnfest

August, KUD France Prešeren cultural centre and its courtyard
The annual Trnfest festival, held in the residential area of Trnovo, at a popular cultural centre with a large open-air area, is a festival where people mainly go to enjoy relaxed socializing. It presents events in all areas of the arts, including children's events and concerts by local artists, and offers the best grilled corn on the cob in town.

Emona Promenade

End of August, Trnovo area
The Emona Promenade is a week-long annual festival of creativity for children and adults held along a street hosting an open-air theatre and a diverse programme of events including, among others, circus performances, creative workshops, puppet shows, and dance performances.

Imago Sloveniae: Nights in Ljubljana Old Town

27-29 August, historical city centre
Nights in Ljubljana Old Town, with its packed three-day programme of events, is a festival that traditionally rounds off the Summer in Ljubljana Old Town festival and closes the city's summer festival season. A large number of events, featuring mainly world music flavours, jazz sounds, and dancing in the street, are held simultaneously at different venues.