Lent Festival

Seun Kuti and Egypt80, Jazzlent, Lent Festival 2023. Author: Blaž Črnič

Each June, the medieval Lent district along the Drava River, the historic squares, picturesque streets of the Old Town, and Maribor's majestic city park emerge as festival venues bursting with art, culture and creativity. With more than thirty years of tradition, Lent Festival is one of the oldest and largest open-air festivals in Central Europe. Every year, it welcomes thousands of visitors; almost every fourth Slovenian has visited it at least once. It celebrates the art, culture, and creativity of all genres for all generations, providing a space for discovery, learning, meeting and coexistence across various cultures. The festival transforms the city into a giant stage and a vibrant meeting point for artistic expressions. Lent is a member of the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA).

Programme

Established in 1993, Lent Festival is much more than just a series of events offered at the beginning of summer. It hosts four concurrent festivals, each offering visitors unique and unforgettable experiences. It is no wonder that Lent Festival is the county's largest festival! Everything from folk art to jazz music, street theatre to creativity, and more, is combined within this festival of festivals: Folkart, the International Folklore Festival (one of the most prominent and renowned folklore festivals in Europe and worldwide), JazzLent and Jazz Podium (featuring popular foreign and Slovenian jazz and jazz-related musicians), Street Theatre Ana Desetnica (a playful street theatre festival, bringing life to city streets and squares) and Art Camp (providing the most popular daily events of the festival for younger generations and families in the city park, brimming with creativity, culture, recreation, mingling and a joyful atmosphere).

Venues

More than twenty festival venues, stretching from the banks of the Drava River to the Maribor City Park, are only a few minutes' walk away. The genre-diverse and varied programme allows everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, to find something they enjoy. There are opera and ballet performances, theatre and dance shows, jazz concerts, classical music performances, world music showcases, singer-songwriter concerts, chanson and ethno music performances, folklore evenings, street theatre performances, film screenings, sports activities, and events and activities for children.

International folklore festival Folkart at Maribor's main city square, Lent Festival 2023. Author: Blaž Črnič