Established in 1993, the international Lent Festival is among the largest open-air festivals in Europe and the most massive festival of its kind in Slovenia. Each year it presents around 300 different cultural performances and events on different stages, including various styles of popular music, opera, rock, ballet, jazz, classical music, street theatre, chanson, folklore and revivalist folk, theatre, busking music, events for children, dance performances and musicals, children workshops and also sport events. It is a festival of cacophony of sounds and quantity, easy going festivities and smoky barbecues, but also occasion for quality performances at more hidden intimate venues.
The festival regularly attracts around 500,000 spectators, dispersed during 3-weeks long event at over 23 venues, improvised stages and reshaped old spaces at the banks of the Drava river.
The Festival is a member of the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) and the Association of Slovene Festivals (SloFA)
Programme
Among the internationally acclaimed musicians and domestic music groups which performed at Lent were: Ray Charles, James Brown, B.B. King, Cesaria Evora, Afro-Cuban All Stars, Living Colour, Maceo Parker, Alfredo Rodriguez group featuring Tata Guines, Brad Mehldau, Jesus Alemany, Sierra Maestra, Solomon Burke, Zlatko Kaučič, Bradko Bibič & The Madleys, Paquito D'Rivera, David Sanchez,
The Festival also includes the Maribor component of the Ana Desetnica International Street Theatre Festival and stand-up comedy performances by Slovene and Croatian comedians, the Jazzlent and the vivid Folkart International Folklore Festival, Maribor from which Lent Festival actually evolved.
During past years JazzLent stage has gained more attentive and elaborate programming with attractive international and domestic musicians.
See also
External links