Festive events 2022

At the most beautiful time of the year, a wide range of events for all tastes will take place in Ljubljana. All of them will not be revealed just yet - but to begin with, let we throw you a few Christmas candies.

Christmas Lights Switch-On

The festive lights will be switched on in the traditional way on the Friday before the first Advent Sunday, that is on 25 November at 17.15. The wonderful light decoration of the city, with the slogan “The General Mind // spirit of community”, is the work of Urban Modic.

After a short cultural program and a performance by the children's choir of the Waldorf Elementary School, visitors to Prešeren square will count down the seconds until the moment when Ljubljana will dress up in a festive attire.

In the morning, fair booths will open in the squares and embankments of the Ljubljanica river with an offer of selected products, suitable for the upcoming gift giving (home products and handicrafts, works of young designers, Slovenian delicacies, etc.), as well as catering booths and stands which will become central stages of social scene in Ljubljana for more than a month. The holiday fair will be open until January 8, 2023.

Enjoy the festive activities

Nativity scenes made of straw will be set up on the Gallus Embankment. A special feature of these traditional Christmas cribs or nativity scenes is that the figures, crafted by Anton Kravanja, are made life-sized.

In addition to a chain of lights 50 kilometres long, Ljubljana will be decorated with ten spruce trees and 79 “Green Trees” on Wolfova, Čopova, Stritarjeva and Trubarjeva streets; these are Christmas trees that will be returned to nature after the holidays. Help in decorating the little “Green Trees” forest on Wolfova Street will come from pupils of Ljubljana primary schools, and Turizem Ljubljana invites the people of the city to decorate the little forests on Stritarjeva and Čopova streets and to become part of the story of the festive Ljubljana. We ask you not to buy new ornaments, but to bring ones you already have at home.

Numerous seasonal activities and an attractive range of concerts will draw visitors to the exquisitely decorated old town centre throughout December.

We will be continuously updating the programme, so be sure to keep checking in.