New Year’s Toast 2026 in Novi Vinodolski: thousands on the squares, a noon celebration and a December that gave the town winter momentum

This winter, Novi Vinodolski once again confirmed that on Kvarner there is a place where the New Year is welcomed differently – at noon, outdoors, in the heart of the town. On Wednesday, 31 December 2025, the centre of Novi Vinodolski was once again filled with song, dancing and good energy, and the 13th edition of the Zdravica Novoj event attracted around five thousand locals from Novi, guests and tourists. According to available reports, the crowd also included ten buses of organised visitors from Croatia and abroad, further confirming that the event has long since expanded beyond local boundaries and increasingly functions as a recognisable winter postcard of the town.

Unlike classic midnight celebrations, Zdravica Novoj builds the atmosphere of a daytime festival: visitors gather without haste, families come with children, and the squares become a meeting place for generations. Anyone who arrived in Novi just for a one-day trip got content “in one package”, and those who wanted to stay longer found it easier to plan their stay because the events are located right in the centre. Many guests, precisely for that reason, look for accommodation offers in Novi Vinodolski within walking distance of the main locations.

This year, the event was part of the broader December programme Novi Advent, which in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve also brought ice skating, concerts and activities for different age groups. Zdravica Novoj was conceived as the dot on the “i” – a festive yet relaxed farewell to the old year, with a shared countdown and a toast, without the obligation that the celebration must take place only late at night.

A programme from 10 a.m.: music on two squares and constant momentum in the centre

The programme started as early as 10:00 and lasted until late afternoon, so visitors could choose their pace – from a morning coffee and the first toast to an afternoon get-together. The music segment was organised at two central locations: on Ivan Mažuranić Square, the groups Trend and Face took care of the atmosphere, while on Vinodol Law Square the crowd was set dancing by Trio Family. The two-stage schedule proved practical for crowds as well: some people stayed by one band, some “circulated” between the squares, and that very mobility gave the event liveliness and the feeling that the whole town had turned into a stage.

According to field reports, the weather was colder but suitable for staying outdoors, especially after the bora wind that hit the coast the day before. Such a combination is typical for late December on Kvarner, but in Novi Vinodolski it often means a clearer, fresher atmosphere in which people gladly linger in the centre, especially with warm drinks and the aromas of food. With lots of photos and short “walks” between points, the town already felt like a living stage from the morning – with an occasional familiar face from neighbouring places, but also with guests who came for the first time to “see the noon celebration” that people talk about year after year.

Gastronomy as a hallmark: goulash, sausages and the “New Year’s mug”

One of the recognisable features of Zdravica Novoj is the combination of hospitality offers and the involvement of local associations. Alongside the offer at three Advent huts, the hunting societies Gradina and Košutnjak – Novi prepared hunting specialties – primarily goulash and sausages – which, given the winter temperatures, proved to be a perfect hit. Part of the drinks offer and the organisation of mulled wine was handled by the association Ružica Vinodola, providing red and white mulled wine as a “safe choice” at events like this.

Special attention was drawn by the package offer priced at 10 euros – a “New Year’s mug” with a coupon, with which one could consume mulled wine without limit and eat one meal at the hunters’ stand, i.e., goulash or a sausage. Sales were organised at several points in the town centre to reduce waiting, and the hunters’ stands and wine pouring were placed at separate locations. Such a system ensured smooth flow even at moments when the number of visitors visibly increased, especially ahead of the noon countdown.

For hospitality businesses and the associations involved in the programme, an event like this has added value because it brings an audience that often comes from nearby towns and municipalities and then returns even outside the holiday season. Some visitors decide to stay overnight as well, especially when the calendar includes other activities, so in that context people often look for accommodation for Zdravica Novoj visitors – from apartments in the centre to stays in quieter parts of the town and its surroundings.

A children’s corner on Frankopan Square: free ice skating and creative workshops

This year as well, the organisers emphasised the family character of the event. On Frankopan Square, a children’s corner was set up where the youngest had free ice skating and an animation programme. Children made time capsules with New Year wishes, had face painting and socialised with mascots. According to the programme, popular characters Stitch and Angel also appeared among the mascots, who, as usual, were a magnet for photos.

The sweet part of the offer was complemented by members of the Novi Vinodolski Pensioners’ Association, handing out doughnuts and juices. Exactly such details, involving local associations, give the event a recognisable tone of community: visitors feel that the event is built from within, through the engagement of the town, associations and volunteers, and not only through classic production. In addition, set photo spots allowed visitors to take memories of the celebration home, which further strengthens the “story” that continues after the event through photos and recordings.

The key moment at noon: the countdown and wishes for 2026

As 12:00 approached, the town centre filled up even more. The noon countdown remains the key moment of Zdravica Novoj – a short, symbolic “switch” into the new year in which music, toasting and congratulations come together in one place. The mayor of Novi Vinodolski, Tomislav Cvitković, addressed the crowd, sending wishes for all the best in 2026. The atmosphere was enhanced by accompanying effects – coloured smoke and bubbles – which fit especially well into photos and recordings created in the noon light.

For some visitors, that very format – a celebration in the middle of the day – is the main advantage. There is no midnight rush and no need for a late return home, yet there is still a sense of ceremony and a “real” start to the new year. That is also why audiences from the wider region come to Novi Vinodolski, including organised groups. It is also practical that the central locations of the event are within walking distance, so visitors can plan the day without complicated logistics. Those who decide to extend their stay often look for accommodation in Novi Vinodolski near the event, so they can, without haste, combine the toast, a walk along the waterfront and the rest of the holiday programme.

Novi Advent and the town’s recognition: a top-five placement in the small towns category

In recent years, Zdravica Novoj has been fitting ever more clearly into the broader concept of winter events in the town. Novi Advent brings activities through much of December, and the toast itself is the final, most visited part of the story. The town and the Tourist Board aim to build a programme that is both attractive to guests and acceptable to the local community – dynamic enough to draw an audience, but “warm” and substantial enough for people to return.

That Novi Advent has visibility beyond the local circle is also shown by its placement in the selection by the portal gradonačelnik.hr. According to the published results of the Most Beautiful Advent selection, Advent in Novi Vinodolski was ranked among the top 5 in the small towns category. Such results are usually seen as confirmation that the invested effort is visible from the outside as well – through visitors’ impressions, the quality of decoration and the diversity of content. In practice, that means an additional boost for the next season: more interest, more enquiries and greater motivation to further develop the programme.

What Zdravica Novoj means for the town: community, promotion and winter tourism

Socially, Zdravica Novoj functions as an event that gathers and connects. Families, friends, associations and visitors meet on the squares, and the role of local stakeholders – from hunting societies to associations and hospitality businesses – is visible in every segment. Economically, an event like this creates additional turnover in hospitality and services and encourages short but numerous visits, which are especially important for the winter months.

At the same time, the event builds the destination’s identity: in the winter period, Novi Vinodolski presents itself not only as a “quiet” place for seaside walks, but as a town that offers an event with a clear signature. Welcoming the New Year at noon is not a mass spectacle comparable to big cities, but that is precisely where its strength lies – it creates an atmosphere in which it is easy to participate, without distance between the audience and the programme. This format is especially attractive to families and visitors who want a festive mood without night-time crowds, yet still with the feeling of a shared moment.

With music on the squares, the aromas of hunters’ goulash and children’s laughter from the ice rink, Novi Vinodolski on 31 December 2025 once again showed how tradition can be combined with a modern winter programme. Judging by the turnout, the noon celebration and the photos that flooded social networks, Zdravica Novoj remains one of the events that, at least for one day, turns the town centre into a place where the new year is shared, immediate and – most importantly – among people.

Sources:
- Tunera.info – report from the 13th Zdravica Novoj (number of visitors, buses, programme and atmosphere) (link)
- Novi Vinodolski (official town website) – programme announcement and organisational details of Zdravica Novoj (timetable, performers, gastro offer, children’s activities) (link)
- Gradonačelnik.hr – results of the Most Beautiful Advent selection (placement of Advent in Novi Vinodolski among the top 5 small towns) (link)
- Novi Vinodolski (official town website) – post about Novi Advent’s participation in the Most Beautiful Advent selection (competition context and voting method) (link)