Events in Zagreb (Highlights by Season)

Zagreb’s best events change the whole city mood. If your dates are flexible, plan around one: winter Advent, spring light installations, or summer festivals.

• If you’re coming for a headline event (Advent / Festival of Lights), book accommodation early.
• Build a plan that still works without the event — then treat the event as the evening highlight.
• Use parks and cafés as your “reset” between installations, concerts, or crowded squares.

Zagreb’s Advent is one of Europe’s most famous Christmas-market seasons, spreading festive stalls, lights, and pop-up events across central squares and parks.

The Festival of Lights brings projections and installations to streets, parks, and squares — especially in and around the historic center.

INmusic is Zagreb’s biggest international open-air music festival, held at Lake Jarun — a perfect excuse to pair city days with lakeside evenings.

• Animafest Zagreb (animation): a long-running, internationally known festival (typically in June).
• Zagreb Film Festival: a key autumn highlight for cinema lovers (typically in November).

If you like building a trip around an “evening plan,” ZFF is perfect: film screenings, a city-at-night vibe, and daytime cafés and museums to balance it.