Karlovac prepares for its biggest Advent season yet

Following a summer filled with public events marking its 440 birthday, the city of Karlovac is preparing to hold its largest Christmas celebrations to date. The biggest new addition to their Advent manifestations this year be an all-new Christmas Village.

The success of capital city Zagreb's Advent season, which continues to receive international plaudits, has encouraged many Croatian cities to expand their Christmas offer. The city of Karlovac is no exception and the addition of the new Christmas village will see the city introduce a different section of its pretty centre into the seasonal shenanigans.

Karlovac's Advent has traditionally been held outdoors, on Dr. Franjo Tuđman promenade, with its last three years, in particular, having been particularly impressive visually. The new Christmas Village will be situated in the park around the Lopašić Monument, between City Theatre Zorin Dom and the Edison cinema.

Specific details of the Advent programme are due to be released in forthcoming weeks, but organisers have stated that there will be three main sections to the endeavour. The traditional programme will include things like folk dance, familiar seasonal foods and drinks, klapa singing and Christmas choirs and a more urban programme will engage teenagers and young adults with visiting bands and singers from the worlds of Croatian hip hop, rock and pop. The third section, of which the all-new Christmas Village is a part, is the Children's programme. The Christmas Village will be the host venue for evenings offering storytelling, theatre, children's choirs, folk dancing and street performers such as magicians.

Advent in Karlovac will run from December 14 to December 30.