Rich Rijeka Carnival program announced: Children's parade gathers more than 6,500 little ones, followed by Platak, HKD and Molo longo
Rijeka enters the liveliest part of the carnival season on January 29, 2026, and the Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka and the partners of the Rijeka Carnival presented the schedule of events at the announcement conference, which will bring thousands of participants and visitors to the city in the coming weeks. The center of attention is the Children's Carnival Parade on Saturday, January 31, which this year will bring together 71 carnival groups with more than 6,500 children. The program, however, does not stay only on Korzo: the carnival energy continues on Platak with the Carnival Snowboard Session, in the Croatian Cultural Home on Sušak (HKD) through "Days of Laughter in the Carnival", and then moves to the Rijeka breakwater Molo longo with the Carnival run, before everything culminates with the International Carnival Parade on February 15 at noon.
The carnival calendar in Rijeka is traditionally built to bring together different generations and different "scenes": from children's groups and school workshops, through athletes and recreational players, to the audience that perceives the carnival as social commentary and satire. It is precisely this breadth that the organizers emphasize as the identity of the Rijeka Carnival: the same spirit of masking moves from the street to the snow, to the theater stage and to the running track.
If you are coming to Rijeka from other regions and plan to stay for more than one day, it is practical to check the
accommodation offers in Rijeka in time, because carnival weekends often raise interest for both one-day and multi-day visits.
Key dates and schedule: from the children's Korzo to the international parade
The organizers highlighted several points that make up the "backbone" of the program and which also serve as clear landmarks for visitors who want to put together an arrival plan.
- Children's Carnival Parade: Saturday, January 31, 2026, starting at 12 PM (Korzo and the wider city route).
- Carnival Snowboard Session: Sunday, February 1, 2026, starting at 12 PM (Platak).
- Days of Laughter in the Carnival: Wednesday, February 4, 2026 at 8 PM (play "Caveman", HKD on Sušak) and Wednesday, February 11, 2026 at 8 PM (comedy "Leek Caviar", HKD on Sušak).
- Carnival run (Kvarner Winter League "Igor Malešević"): Saturday, February 7, 2026, start at 9 AM (Molo longo).
- International Carnival Parade: Sunday, February 15, 2026, starting at 12 PM (Rijeka city center).
In the background of these "big" dates, numerous smaller events take place, but the listed manifestations form a clear story: the carnival is first seen in the children's parade as a symbol of continuity, then spreads to sports and theater, and everything culminates in the international parade as the biggest public spectacle of the season.
Children's Carnival Parade January 31: earlier start and more than 6,500 participants
The Product Development Manager of the Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka, Jelena Grubelić Kušeta, announced that the Children's Carnival Parade starts earlier than usual this year, at 12 PM. She emphasized that this is an event in which the youngest generations from Croatia and abroad participate and that at that moment Korzo becomes the "most colorful promenade" of the city. In organizational terms, an earlier start also means an earlier closing of parts of the route, so visitors are recommended to arrive before the start to avoid the crowds in the center and follow the parade more easily.
One of the highlights of the announcement was symbolic: the organizers see the children's masques as a guarantee that the custom is passed on. Behind this stands very concrete community work: schools, kindergartens and carnival associations usually prepare costumes, scenography and performances for months, and for many families the parade is also the biggest "neighborhood project" of winter.
According to the announced numbers, 71 carnival groups with more than 6,500 little ones are participating in the parade this year. The largest group comes from Srdoči: Srdočki školani present themselves with 505 participants under the mask name "I want RI, I want JE, I want KA: WE ARE RIJEKA!". Such large groups often determine the rhythm of the parade because they bring the most participants, and at the same time require the most logistics, from the formation of the column to the coordination of performances on the stages.
For visitors who want to stay in the city for the whole weekend or bring children to more events, it is useful to check
accommodation near Korzo and the center of Rijeka in advance, especially if you plan to combine the children's parade with a trip to Platak a day later.
Parade route and five stages along the route
The parade moves along the route: Riva Street – 111th Brigade of the Croatian Army Square – Adamićeva Street – Republic of Croatia Square – Korzo – Scarpina Street – Jelačić Square – Ribarska Street – Hinko Bačić Street – Grobnička Riva (to Exportdrvo). Five stages are set up along the route: on Republic of Croatia Square, on Korzo, in Scarpina Street, on Jelačić Square and in Exportdrvo. Such an arrangement allows the parade to be "distributed" through the city and for each group to get space for a short presentation, which is important for both the audience and the participants themselves.
Although it is a children's event, the scope of the event is large. For this reason, increased traffic regulation and pedestrian guidance are expected again this year, especially at the crossings between Adamićeva Street and Korzo and in the zones around the stages, where "bottlenecks" naturally occur. In such situations, the organizers and city services usually call for patience and respect for the instructions of the marshals, so that the parade can flow without interruption and to preserve the safety of the youngest participants.
Carnival Snowboard Session February 1: the carnival moves to Platak
The day after the children's parade, the carnival moves from the city center to a mountain environment. The Carnival Snowboard Session is held on Sunday, February 1, starting at 12 PM on Platak, organized by the Nine Snowboard Club. The event was presented in the announcement as a traditional manifestation that combines the carnival atmosphere and extreme sports and from year to year attracts both competitors and curious people who come to see masked snowboarders in a competitive format.
This type of program is particularly interesting because it "expands" the carnival outside of Korzo, but without losing identity: the costume and play remain present, only the surface changes. Platak is a natural choice because it is the closest Rijeka ski resort and a place that in recent years has been used more and more often as a stage for winter events for the local population and visitors.
If you plan to combine the city and mountain parts of the program, it is practical to look at
accommodation for visitors in Rijeka in advance and organize the weekend so that you spend Saturday on Korzo and Sunday on Platak, without unnecessary returns and haste.
Days of Laughter in the Carnival: theater humor as a continuation of carnival satire
The carnival in Rijeka also has its "indoor" stage. The "Days of Laughter in the Carnival" program continues the tradition of theater humor in the Croatian Cultural Home on Sušak, where carnival energy gets a different expression: instead of parades and costumes, the center is the text, acting and comedy.
Program organizer Jasna Birkić announced that two more theater evenings await the audience in February. On Wednesday, February 4 at 8 PM, the play "Caveman" is on the schedule, and on Wednesday, February 11 also at 8 PM, the comedy "Leek Caviar". In the context of the carnival schedule, these evenings often function as a break from the crowds on the street, but also as a reminder that the carnival is historically linked to humor, irony and social commentary, only in different formats.
For those who want to "catch" the theatrical part of the carnival program, it is most practical to secure
accommodation in Rijeka for several carnival days, because the show times overlap with other events in February.
Carnival run February 7: Molo longo as a running track in carnival rhythm
The sports part of the program continues on Saturday, February 7, when the Carnival run is held on Molo longo as part of the Kvarner Winter League "Igor Malešević". The start is at 9 AM, and the organizer is the Rival Triathlon Club. Club president Miroslav Marić announced surprises and prizes for participants and called with the message "Come, run and be what you want", which emphasizes that it is an event that equally counts on a sporting motive and on carnival creativity.
Molo longo is an extremely grateful location in such a concept: the Rijeka breakwater is wide, clear and already established as a city promenade, so runners and recreational players can move along the sea, while simultaneously being followed by fans and accidental passers-by. In a carnival atmosphere, this often means costumes on the track, music at the start and a finish zone that reminds more of a gathering than a strict competition.
If you come to the city primarily for the race or want to stay for the evening programs, check the
accommodation along Molo longo and the port of Rijeka to make the morning arrival easier, especially on days when traffic in the center is increased.
International Carnival Parade February 15 at 12 PM: the grand finale of the "fifth season"
All the above is an introduction to the International Carnival Parade, which will take place on Sunday, February 15, starting at 12 PM. This is the central event of the Rijeka Carnival, which traditionally brings together carnival groups from Croatia and abroad, and the city then becomes a large open-air stage. With allegorical floats, choreographies and satirical messages, the parade has profiled itself over the years as the reason why visitors come to Rijeka specifically in February, outside the usual summer season.
For caterers, traders and tourism workers, that weekend is often the most intense winter period, so the logistics of the city are adapted: the number of marshals is increased, movement corridors are secured and services are coordinated. The audience, on the other hand, gets the "fullest picture" of the carnival: from tradition and local motifs to international guests and contemporary themes that are turned into costumes and scenography.
Whoever wants to experience both the children's and international parade, and at the same time have enough time to tour the city, usually seeks
accommodation offers for carnival weekends in Rijeka several weeks in advance, because February 15 is in practice the date that gathers the most guests.
Partners, sponsors and organizer messages: carnival as a joint project of the city
The announcement conference was also an opportunity to highlight the roles of partners and sponsors. PIK Rijeka representative Ana Stojić announced that the long-term sponsor has prepared sweet refreshments, donuts, for the participants this year as well, a detail that often proves important in carnival logistics: thousands of children and companions spend hours on the street, and a small sign of attention raises the atmosphere and facilitates the organization.
The program was concluded by the Queen of the Rijeka Carnival Pia Vujović and the Master of the Rijeka Carnival Sandi, emphasizing that they are particularly looking forward to the dancing and joy on Saturday, January 31, at the Children's Carnival Parade. They also addressed a thank you to everyone who participates in the preparation of costumes, from parents and teachers to carnival enthusiasts, with an invitation to citizens and guests to come to Korzo and "feel the masked energy" which is experienced in Rijeka as part of the city's identity.
Broader context: carnival as a winter motor of the city and public space of freedom
In the program announcements, the City of Rijeka and the Tourist Board pointed out that the Rijeka Carnival has been shaping the identity of the city for more than four decades and that in carnival time Rijeka becomes a space of freedom, satire, creativity and openness. This framework explains why the program is entered with such a range of content: the carnival is not just one parade, but a multi-layered event that simultaneously activates city districts, cultural institutions, the sports scene and the tourism sector.
In practice, this is also seen on the "map" of events. The children's parade shows how rooted the carnival is in schools and kindergartens; the snowboard session shows how the manifestation can be adapted to contemporary sports; theater evenings return the focus to humor as a fundamental carnival determinant; and the race on Molo longo confirms that the carnival can move into recreation without losing meaning.
For visitors, this means one thing: in the next few weeks Rijeka offers a program that can be "assembled" according to interests, regardless of whether you come for children, sports, theater or the big international parade. And for the city, it means visibility and traffic outside the season, with a reminder that the carnival is not just a date on the calendar, but a joint project in which public space is turned into a stage.
Sources:- City of Rijeka – report from the announcement conference and details about the Children's Carnival Parade (number of groups and participants, route, stages, dates, statements of participants) (link)
- City of Rijeka – announcement of the Rijeka Carnival 2026 and messages from city and tourism leaders about the meaning of the carnival (context and framework of the manifestation) (link)
- Visit Rijeka – official announcement of the International Carnival Parade 2026 (date and starting time) (link)
- Platak – post about the 15th edition of the Carnival Snowboard Session (date, location, organizer and description of the event) (link)
- Visit Rijeka – announcement of the Carnival run (date, time, location and organizer) (link)
- MojeKarte.hr – schedule of plays as part of the program "Days of Laughter in the Carnival 2026" (dates and times) (link)
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