The festivities in Ljubljana will begin on Friday, 1 December 2023, with the traditional turning on of the holiday lights and the opening of the holiday fair. This year's New Year's decoration is titled »They Are Us«, calling for mutual respect.

Festive Ljubljana will be decorated with ten spruce trees, 89 green trees and a nativity scene made of straw. Again this year, the traditional part of the December program includes the St. Nicholas' Procession, the Magic Forest with creative children's workshops, the Christmas Concert in front of the City Hall, the Father Frost Parades and the Ice Queen, performances of street musicians and street theatre shows. A varied concert program will also enrich the festivities with local and foreign musicians performing in the city squares.

New Year's decoration with a message of mutual respect

This year's New Year's decoration is titled "They Are Us". As the author of the concept for the decoration, Urban Modic, explains, it reminds us that we too can be refugees tomorrow and calls for mutual respect. The central element in Prešeren Square, the flying saucer, also illustrates the peaceful and respectful meeting of different cultures. Many pieces of decoration depict the diversity and expansion of the universe and the origin of life. Some elements are comprised of the original restored sculptures of the Universal Ljubljana, while the new ones are also made mainly from recycled pieces of past installations as well as parts of disused public lamps and other equipment.

The old city centre will be decorated with over 50 kilometers of holiday lights, with 850 to 900 light fixtures and 48 lanterns made by Ljubljana elementary school pupils, who will decorate the trees in Star Park. The Jakopič Promenade in the Tivoli Park and the City Hall will also be festively illuminated.

Groves of green trees and ten spruce trees

Ten holiday spruces will decorate Ljubljana. The main one on Prešeren Square is 20 meters high, weighs 4.5 tons and is decorated with about ten kilometers of lights. It was donated to the City of Ljubljana by a citizen from Moste. Spruces will also be set up on Town Square and Levstik Square, Pod Trančo, near Figovec, at the Ljubljana Castle, in the atrium of the City Hall, on the street Mala ulica in front of the City Playground, on the road Slovenska cesta at the intersection with the street Trdinova ulica, and the Youth Work Brigades Square.

There will also be 89 green trees set up in several locations, which will be returned to nature after the holidays. Pupils of Ljubljana elementary schools and members of the Activity Day Centres for the Elderly in Ljubljana will help decorate the groves of green trees. In this way, Ljubljana Tourism wants to encourage intergenerational cooperation. Citizens of Ljubljana are also invited to decorate and are encouraged to use decorations they already have at home rather than buy new ones.

Nativity scene on the Gallus Embankment

A unique straw nativity scene with life-size figures, the handiwork of amateur artist Anton Kravanja, will be set up at the Gallus Embankment. It will be on display from 1 December to 7 January. A life-size wooden nativity scene will be set up at the Ljubljana Castle, which will be on display until 2 February.

Holiday fair

The holiday fair, which is the traditional centre of social events in the city at the end of the year, will be opened on 1 December at 10:00. Fair booths selling gifts and food will be located on Breg Embankment, Cankar Embankment and Gallus Embankment, Congress Square and Prešern Square, the street Stritarjeva ulica and at the intersection of the street Wolfova ulica and Congress Square.

In line with Ljubljana's sustainable orientation, culinary providers at the fair will again use sustainable packaging made of paper, cardboard and wood or biodegradable packaging. Each will offer at least one dish from the Taste Ljubljana range. Again this year, we asked all tenants of fair booths to give up plastic bags and replace them with paper or biodegradable ones.

Guided tours and a varied program

Guided city tours in December will also be festively themed. The experience of fairytale Ljubljana will be offered every day from 2 December to 7 January, starting at 17:00 in front of the Ljubljana Tourist Information Centre at Adamič Lundrovo nabrežje 2.
The complete program of December in Ljubljana can be found on the Ljubljana Tourism website.