City of festivals
People come for the Špancirfest, but they always return happy
It began life its in 1999, as the first street festival in Croatia. In the meantime, it has become an absolute hit in Varaždin, and this year it turned 21. It is now of legal age in the United States as well.
The Špancirfest is its name and it is among the best summer tourist attractions that the baroque city in the north can offer. Moreover, in the two decades of its existence, the Špancirfest has become synonymous with Varaždin, its culture and hospitality, thus becoming the most important tourist brand.
Varaždin existed as a destination before, but only after the heyday of the Špancirfest did the city flourish in terms of tourism. This is logical because the Špancirfest, an inseparable part of Varaždin's spirit and identity, presents the city at its best - full of music, joy and visitors in the warmth of the last week of August.
Although the biggest, the Špancirfest is not the only tourist trump card. The biggest attraction of the city is the historic core itself - beautiful, valuable, preserved and restored. In addition, there are numerous other festivals, events and happenings that take place throughout the year, all of which together create the image of Varaždin as one of the most important continental tourist destinations.
It is especially interesting that those who come to Varaždin for the first time to visit the Špancirfest, eventually return to the city. They simply discover the beauty of the streets, the special atmosphere, as well as the rich offer.
Logically, then they want to enjoy the city without the festival bustle, so they return to Varaždin for a more intimate gathering. Geographic location of the city is great, it is well connected with Zagreb and the rest of Croatia, but also Europe, and the fact that it has a strong brand really opens the door for better tourist results. Seeing groups, families and individual visitors exploring Varaždin has long been a common sight, but in recent years the number of foreign visitors, especially those who come on their own, is really high.
The numbers prove how big the Špancirfest has actually become. Last year, more than 300,000 people visited the festival and the streets of Varaždin. And only during the ten festival days. Those who walk the picturesque streets of the baroque city for the first time during the festival may be surprised by its bustle and verve, but that's how it is on the continent. When it's celebration time, people really celebrate. And with warm and friendly hosts, the fun never ends.
The citizens of Varaždin will proudly say that they are already used to the crowds, as they watch the rivers of people occupying the entire historic core. The Špancirfest has grown over the years, and with it the number of visitors who fill the squares, parks and shops.
Every edition of the Špancirfest, in a way, jumps out of the frame of the previous ones. That is precisely way the festival has survived and grown, because it was ready for a change, innovation, for testing new directions and had courage, when needed. Therefore, it is very ungrateful and, in
fact, impossible to say which edition of the Špancirfest was the best.
However, no matter how attractive the Špancirfest is, people do not forget the city of Varaždin. What should they see once they return in a quieter time, not during the festival? The historic core is certainly worth enjoying, but not as part of a human festival river, but on your own.
Varaždin has been systematically developing its cultural and tourist offer for years, attracting an increasing number of visitors from Croatia and abroad. It is often refered to as the "city of festivals" which in a good way describes an important part of the offer.
In addition to the Špancirfest, the Varaždin Baroque Evenings festival is one of the most eminent of the kind in the world. Interesting festivals or some other events take place in Varaždin almost every month. Worth visiting are the "Laughter Week" theater festival in March, the "Multimedia Festival - MOP Špancirfest" in May, the "International Festival of Animated Film for Children and Youth"
at the end of May, the "Summer in Varaždin" from June to mid-August, the "Festival of Varaždin Courtyards" and "The Drava Festival" in July, the "Trash Film Festival" in September, the "Clicker Festival in October", the "Hunting, Fishing, Nature and Tourism" international fair, also in October.
In addition, Advent in Varaždin is an increasingly popular event that provides an authentic holiday experience, and there are many more events throughout the year. The City Museum, the Croatian National Theatre in Varaždin and the Kerekes Theatre with excellent programs.
Therefore, if you come back, you certainly won't be bored.