Month: July 2023

Ever since the initial beginnings of Špancirfest, the special magic of the festival has always been the vibrant street program, as the streets, squares and street performers become the true soul of this festival. The all-day city feel-good-vibe and special charm has always been created by the carefully selected artists, who capture the attention of street audiences with their innovative and creative artistic performances. Interestingly, many debuted their first performances in Croatia at Špancirfest.

This year’s special anniversary edition warmly welcomes no less than fifteen artistic company groups with more than 75 artists from various European countries ready to perform across the city streets. As a visitor to the festival, you can expect more than 70 artistic street programs including a guaranteed special highlight – the Siren Orchestra, from the French company Mécanique Vivante, performing in Croatia for the very first time.

Over from Italy, the festival welcomes the fabulous family of performers, La Famiglia Mirabella. Combining playful performances up in the air, with acrobatics and juggling, all with bundles of emotions – this will no doubt grab everyone’s interest and intrigue. Frenchman Nicolas Bras will play as many as 18 different instruments, creatively made all from recycling various materials. Have you ever seen glowing robots on stilts? This is exactly
what the Global Drummers are all about – ready to share an amazing drumming surprise.

Those who know Špancirfest well, will already be familiar with the popular stilt-walkers from the Stolen Art group, who this year, come to us from the depths of the sea. Although they are aquatic creatures, they are just as charming on land. Equally, experience their friends – performers known as Special Conquest jumping high on spring-loaded stilts, followed by the indispensable member of this interesting trio with his strange vehicle, creating small cosmic flashes.

A special feature of this year’s festival is the large-scale production of the People Power Partnership dance-theatre project. This intriguing four-year European project unites 104 young dancers aged from 18 to 25 from 11 countries, and Špancirfest welcomes 32 dancers from Great Britain, Portugal, Germany to Varaždin. Together with the creative team, the young dancers will create a spontaneous performance on the spot that will transform into a multimedia spectacle, and with their premiere performance on the first day of the festival at Kapucinski Square, truly warming-up the festival atmosphere.

Artistic programs along the streets performed by numerous performers really become a truly magical experience, and many would say the signature of this festival, complemented by a rich cultural heritage that creates the perfect backdrop for the most beautiful outdoor stage.

This year’s special 25th edition of the Špancirfest Street Festival brings more than 200 music programs, across two large stages together with several smaller stages and along the streets and squares of the entire historic core. On the Old Town PAN Stage, audiences can expect 12 concerts in 8 days and at the Villa Bedeković Stage, powered by Kaufland, 3 fabulous concerts. Every day of the festival expect beats and rhythms everywhere you go – from the Food & Party Zone in the Old Town and Miljenko Stančića Square, to „Kreativnica“ in Uska Street and in the music camp on Varazdin’s main square known as „Korzo“. Add this to the almost 100 concerts of Hero’s Street and about 40 programs as part of the LOOP Music Clinic in Gajeva Street, you can understand why the musical rhythms play a real part of this vibrant colourful street festival.

Get ready for three memorable performances on the beautiful stage of Villa Bedeković, with a special evening atmosphere under the starry-night-sky. On 18.8, the first evening of the festival, the Slovenian talents of Perpetuum Jazzile perform on stage, one of the world’s largest vocal ensembles, whose members imitate drumming beats, various percussion instruments as well as those from nature – all simply with the sound of their voice. Group Cambi, known for the hit “Zaljuben”, will entertain an audience on 19.8 with the Mediterranean version of their pop repertoire. This year’s festival edition on 27.8 beautifully closes with the concert “Nothing Else Matters”, prepared by the talented students and professors of the Varaždin Music School in cooperation with the association nuSynergetic.

This performance will feature some of the most famous compositions and interpret them in a classical way, bringing them closer to a wider audience. Don’t miss some of the all-time hits of Metallica, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Guns ‘n’ Roses and Nirvana in a unique performance by upcoming young musical talent. The Villa Bedeković Stage, which is also the only paid stage at this year’s Špancirfest, features six comedy theatre plays, created by the Kerekesh theatre and their guests. Tickets for concerts and performances are on sale for 10 and 12 euros through Eventim or at the official points of sale.

Music truly flows through Špancirfest at every step of the festival. Notably, this year showcases so many famous DJs performing at the Sunset on Miljenka Stančić Square, on Kapucinski Square as part of the Špancir Burger Festival and at “Kreativnica” in Uska Street. The tasty flavours and
fun at the Food & Party Zone bring the rhythms of retro music, and equally, introducing world music back to Špancirfest. Mario Kovač and the Elvis Real Tribute Band will take us all back, reminding us of the greatest hits of the king of rock, Elvis Presley, together with everything to get us in the party mood, by the dance queen of the 90’s, Ivana Banfić. Flow into the reggae rhythms with the popular band One Dread then time for a touch of World Music by the Hungarian Gypsy Jazz attraction Besh o droM. Enjoy the Belgian-Spanish-French-Italian quartet Rumbaristas, who entertain European and global audiences with their innovative expression, or why not feel inspired by new sounds from the Balkans with modern arrangements showcased by the band Balkan Zoo, intriguingly combining elements of Roma music with colourful flamenco.

As you stroll through the colourful city streets, make sure you step over to Hero’s Street, where you can discover young, talented up-coming musicians showcasing their skills. Equally, there is the unavoidable LOOP Music Clinic, which offers a fantastic list of 40 music programs including
performances by Ivana Galić & SoulBeat, Yogi Lonich and Gadjo Manouche.

Although performers on the main PAN Stage at the Old Town have already been previously announced – let’s take another peek of what’s to come: one of the biggest rock bands, Franz Ferdinand from Scotland come to Varaždin for this special 25th edition, preceded by the young and increasingly popular Slovenian indie rock band Joker Out. The list of fantastic performances continues featuring TBF, Silente, Buč Kesidi, Neno Belan & Fiumens & Brass Experience, Parni valjak feat. Igor Drvenkar, The Croatian Pink Floyd Show, BluVinil, Fran Vasilić, Cold Snap and Crna kronika. Remember, entrance to all the above-mentioned concerts is absolutely – FREE.

Among the 200 musical programs featured at this year’s Špancirfest, there really is something for everyone as you absorb the atmosphere for an unforgettable musical journey.