Enjoy the late summer and Stari Grad on Hvar with DANI U VALI!

Come and experience our town when Stari Grad Bay transforms into a beautiful postcard filled with traditional boats. In addition to enjoying the culinary delights of the Dalmatian marenda tradition and concerts by Petar Grašo and Klapa Cambi, DANI U VALI will offer exhibitions, maritime workshops, and the renowned evening boat parade, “Dance of Sails and Lights.” Experience the authentic spirit of the Mediterranean and the unique charm of life by the sea.

This traditional festival celebrating boats, the sea and seafarers will be held for the sixth time from 17 to 20 September 2026, organized by the Stari Grad Tourist Board, the City of Stari Grad, and the Association for the Promotion of Croatian Maritime Heritage, Cronaves.

The partner country of this year’s DANI U VALI festival is Italy, represented by the Arzana Association from Venice, which will present its maritime heritage both at sea and on land. They will be just one part of a fleet of around 50 traditional vessels arriving through associations dedicated to preserving Croatian maritime heritage, joined by similar vessels from other countries. Traditional boats and the people who preserve and care for them will sail in from all along the Adriatic to present Croatian maritime and cultural heritage, as well as traditional crafts and culinary, fishing, boatbuilding and nautical skills in Stari Grad.

Participants will showcase the beauty of these boatbuilding and nautical skills through promotional sailing and rowing excursions, programmes, exhibitions and workshops. The festival will begin with a ceremonial parade introducing all participants, while its spectacular finale will once again be the renowned nighttime parade, “Dance of Sails and Lights.”

This year’s DANI U VALI festival will also offer several concerts on the legendary Tvrdalj Square, delighting visitors who choose to spend the weekend from 17 to 20 September in Stari Grad on the island of Hvar. The headline performances will be by Petar Grašo and Klapa Cambi. On Thursday evening, they will be preceded by a concert by the Terca ensemble from Split, with Coro Arzana as their special guest.

It is important to emphasize that the cultural and entertainment programme will be rich throughout all four days of the festival and carefully tailored to the character of this unique event. The educational activities will be particularly focused on children, with special emphasis on fishing and other maritime skills, as well as traditional sports.

A festival village will be set up in Velo Podloža Square and on Riva, where two of Stari Grad’s sister cities — Samobor and Rugvica — will be presented. Visitors will have the opportunity to taste a variety of traditional dishes, drinks and other local products.

This year, DANI U VALI will feature an expanded gastronomic programme and culinary offering, promoting the “Dalmatian Marenda” project launched by the Tourist Board of Split-Dalmatia County under the leadership of director Ivana Vladović. Throughout the festival, Stari Grad’s restaurants and hospitality establishments will prepare authentic local cuisine for guests and participants, using traditional Dalmatian ingredients and offering it at affordable prices — taking you back to a time when life was simpler and deeply connected to the sea.

The Mayor of Stari Grad, Vinko Vranjican, emphasized how pleased he is that DANI U VALI has been recognized by Split-Dalmatia County, the Tourist Board of Split-Dalmatia County, the Croatian National Tourist Board and the relevant ministries of the Republic of Croatia as an exceptional event of importance for the effective promotion of Croatian tourism and maritime heritage.

Žaneta Roić, Director of the Stari Grad Tourist Board, highlighted the exceptional contribution and enthusiastic participation of associations and boat owners from Istria all the way to southern Croatia. Their skills and experience, which they pass on to younger generations, represent one of the most valuable aspects of the festival. She also expressed her gratitude to the CRONAVES Association for its outstanding contribution to organizing the events at sea.

Plamenko Bavčević, President of the Cronaves Association, said that visitors can expect around 50 traditional boats, and, if weather conditions at sea are favourable, as many as 60 vessels from all across the Adriatic. He also highlighted this year’s partner country, Italy, from which around 20 members of the Arzana Association from Venice will take part. Among them are boatbuilders, crew members, musicians, poets and chefs.

With its sixth edition, DANI U VALI continues to capture the charm of similar events dedicated to the sea and the Mediterranean way of life held throughout other Mediterranean countries. Guests who secure their accommodation in Stari Grad in time will have the opportunity to immerse themselves, both on land and at sea, in the world of seafarers and their traditional boats — discovering authentic maritime cuisine, music that celebrates the sea, and the timeless pleasure of life by the water.

CONTACT PERSONS:

Žaneta Roić, Director of the Stari Grad Tourist Board, mob 0915236071
(cultural and entertainment, gastronomic and concert programs and events)

Plamenko Bavčević, President of the CRONAVES Association, mob 0913352015
(program of maritime traditional and cultural maritime heritage, knowledge and crafts)

Thursday, 17. 9. 2026.
Arrival of boats during the day
11:00 Opening of the Festival Village and “Friendship Squares” – presentation of the associations “Arzanà” from Venice, the Association for the Preservation of Neretva Heritage Opuzen and the association “Croatian Wooden Boats – CWB” on the New Riva and the friendly cities of Samobor and Rugvica, on Velo Podloža Square and the Riva.
16:30 “Valom na vesla i jedra” – presentation of traditional rowing and sailing by members of the association Arzanà from Venice, a cutter of the Croatian Navy, a Neretva boat and a caulking workshop Bokovac from Bar in Montenegro.
20:30 “Voices of the Adriatic” – a full-length concert by the vocal ensemble Terca from Split, guests: trio Voci dell’Arzanà from Venice, Trg Tvrdalj

Friday, 18. 9. 2026
09:00 – 20:30 Exhibition and presentation of traditional boats participating in the festival, programs and workshops in the Festival Village and on the Friendship Squares
10:00 City Library
• Ars Halieutica Cultural Institution – “Four Decades of Global Promotion of Croatian Maritime Heritage”
Lecturer: prof. emeritus Joško Božanić
• Association for the Preservation of Neretva Heritage Opuzen – “A Ship in New York”, documentary
Introductory presentation: Milojko Glasović
11:00 “Obojimo Valu” – children’s art workshop, Festival Village, Novo Riva
11:00 Exhibition “High Tide”, professional guide in English – Stari Grad Museum
11:00 – 14:00 “Jedra u Vali” – promotional sailing in traditional boats
17:00 Parade, festival parade of all participants, Riva
17:15 Opening ceremony of the festival, Trg Tvrdalj
17:30 Review of the traditional fleet
18:00 “Jedra u kraju” – sightseeing of traditional boats and socializing with their crews.
18:00 Competition in preparation for “Dalmatian Brunches”, Terra Arhaica stage on the New Riva
18:00 Folklore Society Starogrojčica and Friends, KUD Jelsa and KUD Šaltin, younger groups, Trg Tvrdalj
18:30 “Italian Afternoon” – Festival Village, Arzanà Association, Venice, Riva
18:30 Helmsmen’s meeting before Saturday’s traditional boat regatta, theatre atrium, Stari Grad
20:30 “Stari Grad to Friends of the Sea” – Klapa Cambi, full-length concert, Trg Tvrdalj

Saturday, 19. 9. 2026.
08:30 Holy Mass for Sailors, Parish Church of St. St. Stephen’s Cathedral
09:00 Sailing of the replica of the historic galley Karaka from Dubrovnik
09:00 Meeting of helmsmen ahead of the traditional boat regatta, theatre atrium, Stari Grad
09:30 Equipping traditional boats for the regatta
09:00 – 20:30 Exhibition and presentation of traditional boats participating in the festival, programs and workshops in the Festival Village and Friendship Squares
10:30 “Jedra Staroga Grada 2026” – start of the traditional boat regatta, Novo Riva
11:30 and 17:00 “My Little Boat” – children’s boat-making workshop, Festival Village, Novo Riva
18:00 Exhibition “Tide”, expert guidance in Croatian – Stari Grad Museum
18:00 Ceremony awarding prizes to the winners of the regatta and awarding certificates and certificates of appreciation to associations, helmsmen and crews participating in the festival, Trg Tvrdalj.
19:00 Equipping of traditional boats for the night parade, departure at 19:45
20:30 “Dance of Sails and Lights” – night sailing with a special drama program, musical accompaniment and light effects, Stari Grad bay
21:00 Petar Grašo – full-length concert, Trg Tvrdalj
22:30 “Days in Bay 2026.” – after party, Trg Tvrdalj

Sunday, 20. 9. 2026.
08:00 – 09:00 “Coffee before departure” – Sailor’s Club, Caffe bar Espresso
09:00 – 12:00 Departure of the festival fleet and return of the boats to their home port