Rijeka enters the carnival finale: the weekend of February 6th to 8th brings sports under masks, neighborhood redutes and a charity party in Exportdrvo
Rijeka in February once again lives its “fifth season” – a period when the city recognizably surrenders to masquerades, neighborhood customs and events that combine tradition, fun and togetherness. A few days before the central carnival Sunday, the Rijeka Carnival 2026 program enters its densest phase, and the weekend ahead (from Friday, February 6th to Sunday, February 8th, 2026) offers content for different generations: from a sporting morning on Molo longo, through carnival games and an anniversary party in Vežica, to a children's redute in Zamet and a masquerade concert in Trsat.
If you are coming to Rijeka from other regions or want to catch more programs in three days without rushing, it is a good idea to check
accommodation offers in Rijeka on time – especially since some of the events take place in different neighborhoods, and the weekend can be logistically demanding for those who want to “cover” more locations.
From neighborhood “buzz” to the season finale: carnival as a city rhythm
In recent decades, the Rijeka Carnival has profiled itself as one of the most recognizable winter manifestations in Croatia, with events stretching from Korzo and Trsat to Pašac, Zamet and Vežica. The program is a combination of large central events and a series of neighborhood gatherings, and it is precisely these smaller, local gatherings that are often the place where the carnival “chemistry” is best felt: who made the mask, what is being commented on in the neighborhood and how humor and satire are poured into costumes.
According to the organizers' announcements and media reports, the central event – the International Carnival Parade – will be held on Sunday, February 15th starting at 12:00 PM, and a large number of participants and audiences are expected on Korzo. Such a final weekend traditionally “pulls” visitors who plan a short trip, so it is already reasonable to think about
accommodation near Korzo or at least in a zone well connected by city transport.
Friday, February 6th: masquerade dances in Dom Pašac open the weekend
The first act of the weekend, according to the official Rijeka Carnival 2026 program, takes place on Friday, February 6th in Dom Pašac, where at 9:00 PM the masquerade dances “va Pašcu” begin. This is a format that repeats throughout the season in the Rijeka carnival calendar: an evening dance gathering under masks, with an emphasis on the neighborhood atmosphere and informal socializing.
For visitors who are not from Rijeka, Pašac is a location that is outside the strict city core, so planning arrival and return can be simpler if transport options are checked earlier or, if going for the “whole weekend”,
accommodation in Rijeka with good access to the eastern part of the city.
Saturday, February 7th: masked race on Molo longo, carnival games and the anniversary of Vežički kampaneli
Saturday is the busiest day program-wise and opens with a sports block that has become a recognizable carnival “twist” in recent years. According to the program and the organizers' announcements, on Saturday, February 7th from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Molo longo, the Carnival Run takes place as part of the Kvarner Winter League “Igor Malešević”. The concept is simple, but extremely “Rijeka-style”: running in costumes, and along with the result and form, attention is also on the originality of masks and the atmosphere on the track. The organizers from TK Rival, who are behind the Winter League, present the race as a combination of recreation and togetherness, with an emphasis on accessibility to different levels of fitness – from recreationals to more experienced runners.
After the morning sports part, carnival Saturday moves into “games” – Carnival Riviera, i.e., Winter Carnival Games. According to the announcement of the Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka, these are competitions that turn classic, universally understood games (such as musical chairs, fritter-eating contests or other fast and witty tasks) into a carnival stage, with comedy, satire and a costumed environment. The program is designed as content that “holds” the audience, because the dynamics of the competition are fast, and carnival groups often bring additional performance into the games.
In the evening hours of Saturday, part of the carnival life moves into anniversary mode. A masquerade party for the 30th anniversary of Vežički kampaneli has been announced in Dom Željka Marča, starting at 9:00 PM. Such anniversaries in the Rijeka carnival context also have a broader meaning: they remind us how long-lasting individual groups and neighborhood traditions are, and how the carnival is passed on as a continuity – from generation to generation, often within the same streets and the same community centers.
For those who want to round off Saturday with a more “urban” night out, the Lollipop x HuKa Pre-carnival party has been announced in Exportdrvo, starting at 8:00 PM. According to information from the event's announcement page, the program has a humanitarian character: the proceeds are intended for the Center for Providing Services in the Community “Tić” Rijeka, which provides psychosocial support to children and young people and their families through counseling and preventive programs. In this way, carnival energy is translated into a very concrete social impact – a model that increasingly accompanies large city events.
If you plan to spend Saturday at multiple locations (Molo longo in the morning, then Vežica or Exportdrvo in the evening), it is practical to secure
accommodation near the event site in advance or at least accommodation with good access to the center, to make jumping between locations simpler and safer.
Overview of Saturday events
- 09:00 – 12:00 Carnival Run (Kvarner Winter League “Igor Malešević”), Molo longo
- Carnival Riviera / Winter Carnival Games, competitions of carnival groups (announced within the Saturday program)
- 20:00 Lollipop x HuKa Pre-carnival party, Exportdrvo (humanitarian character according to the organizer)
- 21:00 Masquerade party for 30 years of Vežički kampaneli, Dom Željka Marča
Sunday, February 8th: children's redute in Zamet and masquerade concert in Trsat
Sunday brings content that, in tone and audience, is closest to a family day. According to the Rijeka Carnival 2026 program, at 4:00 PM in the Zamet Sports and Recreation Center, the Children's Redute Zamet takes place. Children's redutes in Rijeka are traditionally among the most visited segments of the season: masking is often the result of the joint effort of families and schools, and the energy of the audience is different from the evening programs – less “club-like”, more carnival in the original sense, with an emphasis on playfulness and creativity.
In the evening, the program moves to Trsat. In the Croatian Reading Room Trsat, according to the announcement of the Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka, at 7:30 PM the Carnival (masquerade) concert of the City Music Trsat begins. The concert is designed as a musical point that gives the carnival season a cultural framework: masked performers, recognizable melodies and an atmosphere that reminds us that the carnival in Rijeka is not just a parade and dance, but also part of the city identity that is realized through different formats – from sports and street satire to the concert hall.
For visitors who want to spend Sunday “more peacefully”, the combination of Zamet and Trsat can be a nice way to experience Rijeka outside of Korzo, while still remaining in the carnival story. In that case, it makes sense to look at
accommodation for visitors in Rijeka that allows for a quick arrival to both Zamet and Trsat, without unnecessary drives in the late hours.
The bigger picture: what this weekend means in the 2026 carnival season
The weekend of February 6th to 8th is in practice a “dress rehearsal” for the finale. The program combines three key elements of the Rijeka carnival:
- neighborhood tradition (Pašac, Zamet, Vežica) through centers and redutes that gather local communities
- city stage (Molo longo and Exportdrvo) through events that attract a wider audience and visitors
- cultural identity (Trsat) through a concert program that interprets the carnival also through music
At the same time, the schedule clearly shows how “polycentric” Rijeka is in the carnival: contents are not concentrated only in the center, but are distributed across neighborhoods, which gives an opportunity to get to know different parts of the city, but also requires a bit of planning.
Practical information for visitors: moving around the city and planning the day
For those coming to Rijeka specifically for the carnival weekend, there are several practical points that can help the day pass without improvisation:
- Early morning on Saturday: Molo longo is most attractive for the Carnival Run exactly in the morning slot, when crowds are smaller, and the atmosphere at the start “lifts” the whole day.
- Evening programs: Saturday evening has parallel events (Exportdrvo and Vežica), so it is good to choose priorities in advance or count on the fact that part of the audience will be redirecting between locations.
- Family content: Sunday in Zamet logically attracts parents and children; whoever also plans Trsat in the evening should count on the time gap and return logistics.
- Accommodation: if planning to stay for several days, it is recommended to check accommodation offers in Rijeka according to micro-locations – someone targeting Exportdrvo and Korzo might want to be closer to the center, while families going to Zamet will prefer a quieter but connected zone.
The next big stop: International Carnival Parade on February 15th
Although the weekend of February 6th to 8th brings a strong program, it is also an introduction to what makes the Rijeka Carnival most visible outside local frameworks every year. According to the official announcement of the organizers, the International Carnival Parade will be held on February 15th, 2026, starting at 12:00 PM. According to media announcements conveying information from the organizers, thousands of participants are expected on Korzo, and the parade is traditionally the event that gives the city that recognizable image of the carnival as a mass street spectacle. That is why this weekend serves many as an “entrance” to the finale – an opportunity to experience the carnival from the inside, through the neighborhoods, before everything culminates on the main city stage.
Sources:- Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka (Visit Rijeka) – official Rijeka Carnival 2026 program (PDF) (link)- Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka (Visit Rijeka) – official announcement of the International Carnival Parade 2026 (date and time) (link)- Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka (Visit Rijeka) – event announcement “Carnival Run – Igor Malešević Kvarner Winter League” (location and race description) (link)- TK Rival – Kvarner Winter League “Igor Malešević” (description of the league and organizers) (link)- RaceResult – “Zimska liga Igor Malešević 2025/2026 – 7th round CARNIVAL RUN” (date and place of the race) (link)- Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka (Visit Rijeka) – “Carnival Riviera – Carnival Winter Games” (description of carnival games) (link)- Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka (Visit Rijeka) – “Lollipop x HuKa Pre-carneval Party” (time, place and humanitarian purpose of proceeds) (link)- Tourist Board of the City of Rijeka (Visit Rijeka) – “Carnival Concert of the City Music Trsat” (time and location) (link)- Glas Istre / Hina – announcement of the Rijeka Carnival 2026 and expectations for the parade (context and participant estimates) (link)
Find accommodation nearby
Creation time: 2 hours ago