Carnival and Croatia don't necessarily sound like a common combination. In many places in the south, Carnival was celebrated in a way at least as colorful as in this country. The most striking is in the port city of Rijeka. Here the proud residents rightly talk about the fifth season. Following the election of the Carnival Queen and the symbolic handing over of the key to the city by mayor Marko Filipović, the excitement in the university town is diverse – from masquerade balls to children's carnival to the highlight, the parade on Carnival Sunday (11 February) . So the entire city center comes under the sign of carnival. 10,000 masked people, organized into more than a hundred groups, parade through the city and delight up to 120,000 spectators – especially since Rijeka itself only has a population of just over 100,000.
The change takes eight hours
The spacious streets and pedestrian zones are perfect for this big event. The silly groups present striking choreographies and are sometimes accompanied by musical bands. Additional entertainment awaits visitors on several stages along the parade route. The festival lasts eight hours, starts at noon and ends after 8pm at the port of Rijeka.
The festival has long become internationally known. Last year's parade was attended not only by carnival groups from all parts of Croatia, but also from Italy, Hungary, Montenegro, Macedonia, India and Malaysia. While in Venice, Italy, or Ptuj, Slovenia, the focus is on classic masks with a long tradition, in Rijeka things have become modern and flashy since the revival of carnival celebrations in 1982. If you look around of the city, visitors are more likely to think of Rio's dance spectacle than Serenissima's masks.
Scary bell bearers
Only the Zvončari are remnants of times long gone. Dressed in sheepskins, with bells on their legs and waists and animal skulls in their hands, they resemble the local Perchten. They should put an end to winter and its demons. The bell bearers have been on Unseco's list of intangible cultural heritage since 2009.
The Zvončari are represented everywhere carnival is celebrated in Kvarner Bay and Istria. Between Shrove Saturday and Shrove Tuesday you can also find parades in Crikvenica, Opatija and Pula, as well as in the small villages of the Istrian countryside.
The carnival in Zagreb is comparatively small. The parade in the main square is one of the fixed points on the calendar. Traditionally, residents of the capital are drawn to nearby Samobor, which is all about children in masks.
Traditional in Dalmatia
In contrast to flashy Rijeka, Dalmatia relies on regional traditions. On the island of Pag, the traditional drama “Pag's Slave Girl” and the Kolo circular dance are performed. In Korčula, the program includes traditional sword dances in historical costumes and Lastovo's “Poklad” is one of the oldest carnival events in Europe – organized with a tight schedule that structures the days filled with dancing, sword displays and songs. In Dubrovnik, “Karnevo” is the final spectacle of the city's winter festival.
The highlight and end of the carnival in Croatia is the burning of a large straw doll, which was supposed to end the cold season. In Rijeka, “Pust” is blamed for all the city's sins, found guilty and set on fire in the harbor basin. With so much effort, a worry-free start to spring is almost guaranteed.