February, city centre
Ljubljana's traditional Shrovetide Carnival includes a procession through the streets of Ljubljana and a programme of entertainment for children and adults. The carnival procession consists of groups of traditional and other themed carnival figures from Slovenia and abroad.

More information: Ljubljana Tourism

April, various venues
The annual Exodos festival brings together contemporary theatre and dance artists from around the world.

More information: Zavod Exodos production company

• Exodos website

May, Slovenska cesta road
The annual Secondary School Graduates' Parade, which features a quadrille dance performed by secondary school graduates in the streets of Slovenian cities and, in recent years, also in the streets of several cities and towns in Slovenia's neighbouring countries, entered several editions of the Guinness Book of Records as a world record breaking synchronous dance.

More information: Ljubljana Tourism

May, Križanke Summer Theatre (Poletno gledališče Križanke) and other venues
Druga godba, a festival of ethnic, world and, to a lesser extent, contemporary jazz music, ranks among Europe's best festivals of slightly alternative music difficult to fit neatly into musical categories.

More information: Zavod Druga godba event management company

• Druga godba website

Summer months every odd year, International Centre of Graphic Arts (Mednarodni grafični likovni center) and other venues
The Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts is the world's biggest and one of the most renowned events of the kind. During its more than 50-year history it has received huge acclaim from artists, experts and public alike.

More information: International Centre of Graphic Arts

• International Centre of Graphic Arts - website

June or July, city centre streets
The Ana Desetnica festival features large numbers of street artistes, clowns, circus performers, jugglers, tightrope walkers, fire eaters, musicians, provocateurs, dancers and actors from Slovenia and abroad.

More information: Ana Desetnica

• Ana Desetnica - website

From the second half of June to the end of August, old city centre
Summer in Ljubljana Old Town is a festival traditionally livening up summer evenings in Ljubljana with mainly free classical music concerts held in the picturesque settings of the old city centre.

More information: Imago Sloveniae

• Imago Sloveniae - website

From July to the second half of September, Ljubljana Mini Theatre (Mini teater Ljubljana) and other venues

Mini Summer is a festival intended for children and those feeling an affinity with art for children.

More information: Ljubljana Mini Theatre

• Ljubljana Mini Theatre - website

July and August, various venues
The Ljubljana Festival, traditionally held in the summer, presents a wide programme of events featuring highly regarded artists of various disciplines from around the world. Each year, it includes from 70 to 80 events attended by an audience of around 80,000 people from Slovenia and abroad.

More information: Festival Ljubljana event management company

• Ljubljana Festival - website

July and August, the courtyard of the KUD France Prešeren arts and cultural centre
Since its foundation in 1991, the Trnfest international summer festival has been offering a varied programme of events featuring Slovenian and international artists in the fields of music, theatre, dance, film, fine arts and photography.

More information: KUD France Prešeren

• KUD France Prešeren - website

July and August, Zvezda park (Kongresni trg square)
Each summer, the Dream Festival presents a wide programme of free open-air events including concerts of ethnic, jazz, folk, rock and other styles of music, literary readings, children's events, theatre performances and puppet shows.

More information: Založba Sanje publishing house

• Založba Sanje - website

Second half of August, Old Power Plant (Stara elektrarna) and other venues
Each year, the Mladi levi festival brings together performing groups and solo artists renowned for their unique creative approaches to theatre and dance.

More information: Zavod Bunker production company

• Zavod Bunker - website

End of August, Trnovo Bridge and Eipprova ulica street
During the Emona Promenade festival, Ljubljana's Trnovo Bridge and Eipprova ulica street turn into an open-air theatre and a promenade of creativity full of artists from around the world. The young and the old can try their hand at various circus skills and entertainment games. Admission to all events is free.

More information: KUD France Prešeren arts and cultural centre

• KUD France Prešeren - website

September, Ljubljana Castle (Ljubljanski grad), old city centre and other venues
The programme of Ljubljana's Medieval Days traditionally includes medieval-costumed performances, a festival of medieval and Renaissance music and a medieval market.

More information: Mini teater Ljubljana theatre

• Mini Teater - website

September every even year, Ljubljana Puppet Theatre (Lutkovno gledališče Ljubljana) and other venues The international Puppets festival brings together puppet troupes from around the world and presents a programme of puppet shows for children and adults.

More information: Ljubljana Puppet Theatre

• Ljubljana Puppet Theatre

September, various venues
The Ex Ponto international festival focuses on contemporary theatre productions dealing with socially relevant themes. It is accompanied by exhibitions, dance performances, multimedia projects, film screenings, concerts, etc.

More information: Kulturno društvo B-51 cultural society

• Ex ponto - website

October every even year, Architecture Museum of Ljubljana (Arhitekturni muzej Ljubljana)
BIO is a prestigious biennial international exhibition of industrial design products, visual communication pieces and design concepts.

More information: Architecture Museum of Ljubljana

• BIO - website

October, various venues
The City of Women festival is dedicated to contemporary female artistic creativity, particularly the socially conscious part of it. Each year, festival selectors prepare a programme of events relevant to a particular theme from the fields of art, culture or society.

More information: Društvo za promocijo žensk v kulturi society for the promotion of women in culture

• City of Women - website

November, Cankarjev dom cultural and congress centre and other venues
The LIFFe festival offers an insight into the very best in European and international film production.

More information: Cankarjev dom cultural and congress centre

• LIFFe - website

December
The main, competition section of the Animateka festival includes short animated films produced in eastern and central Europe. Other festival sections and retrospective screenings feature animated films from around the world.

More information: Kinodvor/Animateka

• Animateka - website

December, old city centre
In December, the festively decorated old centre of Ljubljana hosts a varied programme of events intended for people of all ages and tastes. Every year, the festive atmosphere culminates in the New Year's Eve celebrations held in the city's three main squares.

More information: Ljubljana Tourism