Rijeka welcomes 2026 on Wednesday: music on Korzo, programs for children at Trsat and Export, and Advent entertainment in the center

Rijeka enters the year 2026 on New Year's Eve, Wednesday, December 31, 2025, with a series of parallel open-air programs and Advent points throughout the city. The main city celebration remains on Korzo, but there is also content for those who want to welcome the New Year earlier and in a family rhythm, as well as for the audience looking for a different atmosphere – from Trsat Castle to the Rijeka ice rink in Exportdrvo, all the way to Rijeka Resolution Square and Adamić Pier.

Within the Rijeka Advent 2025/2026 manifestation, the organizers conceived the New Year's Eve celebration as a "city network" of events: a classic concert welcome in the center, daytime programs and children's celebrations at noon, and accompanying events that allow the evening to be planned according to age, company, and desired tempo. For visitors from outside Rijeka, this is also an opportunity to stay in the city longer – from a one-day trip to an extended weekend – with accommodation offers in Rijeka at hand.

Korzo remains the central stage: Big CroDance Party from 10 PM to 2 AM

The biggest crowd is expected on Korzo again this year, where the Big CroDance Party has been announced, imagined as a New Year's dance spectacle focusing on domestic dance hits of the 1990s. The program begins at 10 PM and is scheduled until 2 AM, with free entry. Performers who marked the era of the domestic dance scene should alternate on stage: Indira Forza, ET, Simplicia, Senna M, Ilan Kabiljo, and Alka Vuica, along with dancers and a stage program.

The concept of the celebration on Korzo generally attracts different generations because it combines nostalgia and singing along with the atmosphere of a large city gathering. For many, this is "classic Rijeka" in a New Year's edition – the city center as an open dance floor, where the countdown to midnight happens spontaneously, with a mass of people and recognizable choruses.

If you are coming from other cities or plan to spend the night in the center, it is useful to plan the logistics in time: where to park, how to walk to Korzo, and when to head home. In such situations, accommodation near Korzo is often sought, especially for those who want to avoid late-night drives and welcome the morning without rushing.

Adamić Pier: "Pier of Experiences" with a program lasting from morning until 3 AM

On Adamić Pier, where the "Pier of Experiences" or Gat Advent was set up during December, a marathon New Year's program has been announced. According to the published announcement, it involves more than 17 hours of programming starting on New Year's Eve at 10 AM and lasting until 3 AM. Such a schedule suggests that the pier is envisioned as an all-day meeting place: a morning atmosphere for families and walkers, afternoon socializing with appropriate content, and an evening part that transitions into the celebration.

In recent years, Gat Advent has "caught" an audience that wants something more relaxed than the main stage, but still close to the center. With food and drinks and a typical Advent atmosphere by the sea, this point is often chosen as a "stop" before going to Korzo, or as an alternative for groups wishing to stay in one location for most of the day. Visitors planning a longer stay in Rijeka can look at accommodation offers in the center of Rijeka in advance to make their celebration and return from the program simpler, especially if changing multiple locations during the evening is planned.

Rijeka Resolution Square: Resolution of Fun and DJ Bruno's New Year's set

In the very center of Rijeka, on Rijeka Resolution Square, Adventing at the Resolution of Fun offers another open stage on New Year's Eve. It has been announced that DJ Bruno will take over the music program from 8 PM, with a New Year's selection serving as an introduction to the midnight celebration. During December, this square functions as one of the city's meeting places, and on New Year's Eve, it is expected to attract an audience that likes a faster change of rhythms and a "party" atmosphere, without the need for a large concert production.

It is practical for visitors that Rijeka Resolution Square is located a few minutes' walk from Korzo, so programs can be combined – for example, an earlier arrival at the Resolution, and then continuing on the main stage, or vice versa. If you plan such a "circle" around the center, accommodation near the event venue comes in handy so the night can be handled without rushing and with more options.

Children's celebrations at noon: Trsat and Export Ice Box as main family points

Rijeka's New Year's Eve celebration is not reserved only for the night. For families with children and those who want to avoid late-night crowds, children's celebrations in noon slots have also been announced.

Trsat Castle: morning party for the youngest and "balloon fireworks"

Trsat Castle becomes the center of the children's celebration again this year as part of the Winter at Gradina program. The program is announced in the slot from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, with animators, mascots, games, face painting, and a thematic photo corner. The noon countdown moment is particularly highlighted, which, instead of classic fireworks, will be marked by a "fireworks" of balloons – a visually attractive effect appropriate for a children's program.

For adults who prefer Trsat, an evening celebration is also planned at the same location: DJ Teo Fantazija starts at 8 PM, and the program is planned until midnight. Trsat is often the choice for those who want to experience Advent in the ambiance of historical walls, with a view of the city and a different rhythm than Korzo.

Exportdrvo: children's celebration at noon at the ice rink, with DJ program

Another important family location is Export Ice Box – the ice rink in Exportdrvo, which is open from November 29, 2025, to January 11, 2026. According to the published program, a children's celebration is scheduled for 12 PM on New Year's Eve, with a surprise program starting as early as 10 AM. DJ Lucca is announced for the music, and the celebration is imagined as a combination of fun, games, and music in the festive environment of the ice rink.

Export Ice Box has profiled itself as a "winter base" in a more enclosed environment throughout the Advent period – which is an important advantage if the weather is cold or rainy. Besides the children's celebration, programs at the ice rink during December and early January also include themed evenings like Disco on Ice and other animations for children.

How to choose a location: who chooses Korzo, and who Trsat or Export

The difference between locations is not only in musical style but also in the rhythm of the evening. Korzo is the classic choice for those who want a big city celebration, a crowd, and the atmosphere of a mass gathering. Trsat Castle and Export Ice Box are logical choices for families with children, but also for anyone who wants to welcome the New Year earlier, in a daytime slot or in a more controlled ambiance. Rijeka Resolution Square and Adamić Pier further expand the offer – offering space for "warming up" before midnight or for staying in one location for several hours.

It is important to count on outdoor programs being sensitive to weather conditions, and organizers generally reserve the right to change the schedule or details. Therefore, it is recommended to follow official announcements from organizers and tourist information channels and to move flexibly within the city: part of the audience will spontaneously change locations depending on the crowd and atmosphere, while others will decide on one place and stay there until the end.

Rijeka Advent as a framework: city celebration as the final act of the December program

This year's Rijeka Advent 2025/2026 manifestation is presented as a program lasting more than a month, with multiple locations and content for different groups – from family content to evening music programs. The focus is on Advent "stories" distributed throughout the city, and the New Year's Eve celebration is set as the peak of the period in which Rijeka strives to attract both domestic visitors and guests from the region.

In practice, this model of celebration also reflects a change in audience habits: there are more and more of those who want to combine multiple contents during the day, and less remain tied to one large stage. Precisely for this reason, the celebration in Rijeka is diversified this year: it provides enough options to arrange the program as a personal itinerary, while remaining on the move – with multiple points in a relatively compact city center.

For tourists coming for the first time, Rijeka on New Year's Eve can also be a good starting point for touring the wider Kvarner area. However, if the goal is to "catch" as many city events as possible, then it proves most practical to stay in the city and take accommodation for visitors in Rijeka, especially if a night program lasting until the early morning hours is planned.

What to expect on the ground: crowds in the center, evening walks, and Advent atmosphere

On the day of the celebration, one should count on increased frequency of people in the inner center, especially between 9 PM and midnight, when part of the audience flows towards Korzo, and part circulates between Rijeka Resolution Square, the pier, and surrounding Advent booths. In such circumstances, it helps to agree on meeting places with friends in advance and "backup" points in case someone gets lost in the crowd.

For families with smaller children, daytime programs at Trsat and in Exportdrvo offer a clearer rhythm and less stress. Children's celebrations at noon allow "New Year" to be experienced at an appropriate time, and the evening to be spent more peacefully. On the other hand, for those who want a musical event, but not necessarily a mass concert, an alternative in the center is the Resolution of Fun, while Gat Advent profiles itself as a place for long socializing from morning to night.

However the evening is planned, Rijeka on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, offers enough options to welcome the New 2026 in one's own style – with dancing on Korzo, a family celebration at Trsat or the ice rink, or a combination of multiple locations in the city center, within the framework of the Rijeka Advent program.

Sources:
- Rijeka Tourist Board (Visit Rijeka) – announcement of the Big CroDance Party and related Advent programs ( link )
- Dogadanja.com – schedule and list of performers for the celebration on Korzo ( link )
- Rijeka Tourist Board (Visit Rijeka) – Gat Advent and announcement of the New Year's Eve program from 10:00 to 3:00 ( link )
- Rijeka Tourist Board (Visit Rijeka) – Winter at Gradina and celebration for adults with DJ Teo Fantazija ( link )
- MojaRijeka – details of the children's celebration at Trsat (time and program) ( link )
- Visit Rijeka – Export Ice Box: Advent programs of the Rijeka ice rink ( link )
- Rijeka CityCard (events.rijekacitycard.hr) – Export Ice Box: children's celebration at noon and DJ program ( link )
- Dogadanja.com – celebration on Rijeka Resolution Square with DJ Bruno ( link )
- Visit Rijeka – announcement of the presentation of Rijeka Advent 2025/2026 ( link )