Advent celebrations in Zagreb to begin on 28 November

This year, however, will be entirely different due to the coronavirus pandemic

Zagreb is getting ready to usher in this year’s iteration of its Advent event – but its 2020 edition will be entirely different compared to previous years due to one probably obvious reason, namely the coronavirus pandemic.

Christmas in times of corona

The first light on this year’s Advent wreath will be lit up on 28 November at the Zagreb Central Square. Over the next few weeks tons of events and festivals will take place in the Croatian capital under the slogan “Advent in Zagreb – Feel the Light”. The events organised by the municipality will be held until 1 January and will include 10 different festivals and more than 70 concerts.

And while the event will take place in a reduced capacity, officials are happy that they have at least managed to organise it this year. With more than 50 Advent events already cancelled across Europe, Zagreb’s attempt to keep up with tradition despite the circumstances certainly stands out.

The steps taken by the local government of Zagreb that have allowed the organisation of the event were necessary, according to the city’s mayor Milan Bandic. Mainly the changes concern the scale of the festivals and concerts which have been drastically reduced in order to accommodate government regulations and social distancing measures as well as the scrapping of the traditional Ice Park on Tomislavac.

Furthermore, due to the pandemic, officials expect that far fewer people will be visiting Zagreb for the holidays this year. More specifically, they estimate that tourist numbers will be at 30% compared to last year’s numbers. Nonetheless, the local government is happy with what it has accomplished and with the fact that Advent activities will be present in all 17 districts of Zagreb bringing the seasonal joy to all corners of the Croatian capital.