On Friday, 30 November 2018, the festive lights were turned on and the holiday fair opened marking the beginning of the festive December in Ljubljana. A varied programme in the beautifully decorated old city centre is going to keep us entertained up to 6 January next year.

Festive lighting

The author of the decorations this year with the title Coming Closer is again artist Zmago Modic. In his words the decorations include shooting stars of the universal Ljubljana and other significations with a special emphasis on coming together and aspiring towards the symbiosis between lives on the planet. The decorations are comprised of enriched elements from previous years.

The brand new decorative elements are placed above Prešeren Square, the Three Bridges, Stritar Street, and partially above the City Square and the Ciril Metod Sqare. They are enriching the Petkovšek Enbankment, Trubar Street, Mala ulica Street, Wolf Street, Vega Street, the French Revolution Square and the Slovene Street at the Ursuline Monastery and the intersection of Slovenska Street and Gosposvetska Street (Ajdovščina). A novelty is also the light connection between the Breg Embankment and the Gallus Embankment spanning across the Ljubljanica River.

Opening of the festive fair

With the turning-on of the lights the festive fair opened which traditionally becomes the centre of social events for a month. At the Breg Embankment, Cankar Embankment, Congress Square and Prešeren Square there are 50 gift and food stands. This year a food stand moved from the Breg Embankment to the Gallus Embankment joining two other food stands which were already set up at this location last year. This year the festive December has expanded to a new location, the Petkovšek Embankment, where three fair stands from the Breg Embankment have moved.

Stands selling gifts on the Breg Embankment and the Petkovšek Embankment are open from 10:00 until 22:00, and on Fridays and Saturdays one hour longer. The food stands are open from 10:00 until 24:00, except those on the Breg Embankment which close an hour earlier.

The festive fair within the framework of the December at the Ljubljana Castle is again held in the Ljubljana Castle Courtyard. There are gift and food stands set up for visitors.

In line with Ljubljana’s sustainable orientation culinary providers are using sustainable packaging made of paper, cardboard or wood, that is, biodegradable packaging. And each caterer is offering at least one dish from the Taste Ljubljana repertoire.

Traditional features of the December programme are the St. Nicholas Fair at the Prešeren Square, the St. Nicholas Procession, the Magical Forest – creative workshops for children, performances of organ-grinders, the Christmas Concert in front of the City Hall, five Father Frost Processions with his entourage, street theatre performances, the music programme in city squares and the New-Year’s celebration for children in Congress Square at 16.00. The open-air New-Year’s Eve celebration is going to be held at four locations and at midnight five-minute fireworks from the Castle Hill are going to light up the city.

The fireworks projectiles are compliant with EU legislation (CE certificate) and made exclusively out of paper, that is, degradable materials. In case of fog, increased cloudiness or strong winds audible fireworks with low flying rockets are going to be used.

Music programme in city squares

From 14 December to 1 January, within the framework of the music programme numerous Slovenian and foreign musicians are performing on stages in the New Square, Congress Square, City Square and the French Revolution Square: Jan Plestenjak, Nina Pušlar, Petar Grašo, Danijela, Čuki, Plavi Orkestar, Victory, Rok´n´Band, Nika Zorjan, Slon in Sadež, Elvis Jackson, Katalena, Čedahuči, Big Band Šentjur, Maraaya & Jazzilaz, Šank Rock, MI2 and others.

Guided holiday city tours

Guided tours of the city also have a festive character in December. From 1 December until 6 January, visitors can enjoy the fairy-tale Ljubljana with a tour starting every day at 17.00 from the Ljubljana Tourist Information Centre at Adamič Lunder Embankment 2.

And nobody will get cold during a guided tour with a cup of mulled wine and a gingerbread biscuit.

Visitors’ safety

Responsible for safety during festive events are police officers from the Police Directorate Ljubljana, the Police Station Centre, and the Municipal Police Department of the City of Ljubljana. Visitors are advised to be vigilant and protect their property as this way possible thefts can be easily prevented.

A very high number of visitors attend December events in Ljubljana, therefore we kindly ask you to remain patient in traffic. Leave on time for the city centre and consider using the fastest means to get there. You are advised to park in P+R parking areas on the outskirts of the city and take a city bus to the city centre.