Novi Vinodolski in the Rhythm of the Holidays: Toast to the New Year Again Transforms the City Center into a Stage of Togetherness

After a whole month filled with Advent events, Novi Vinodolski enters the finale of 2025 with a manifestation that has become its recognizable winter trademark in recent years. On Wednesday, December 31, 2025, starting at 10:00 AM, the city center will once again turn into a large open stage – the traditional Toast to the New Year will gather locals and guests for a noon New Year's Eve celebration, accompanied by music, the aromas of hunting specialties, and glasses of mulled wine raised in a collective toast.

Unlike classic evening celebrations, Novi Vinodolski has been nurturing the concept of a New Year's Eve celebration at noon for years. This format has proven ideal for families with children, older visitors, but also all those who want to welcome the first day of the new year rested – or continue the celebration later in a more intimate setting. At the same time, the manifestation is an important tourist asset of the city as it extends the season and attracts guests in December who, along with the Toast to the New Year, want to discover the rich holiday program of the New Advent and take advantage of accommodation in Novi Vinodolski during the holidays.

New Advent: Winter Magic as a Prelude to the Toast to the New Year

Already from the end of November, Novi Vinodolski gradually changes its face. The streets of the old town, Frankopan Square, and Vinodol Law Square are illuminated with holiday lights, while the ice rink Winter Magic of Frankopans in the courtyard of the Frankopan castle attracts whole families daily. Free skating throughout the entire Advent period has become one of the main symbols of winter events in the city, especially for the youngest, who spend hours on the ice with music and an animation program.

The Advent program this winter brought a combination of musical evenings, stand-up performances, quizzes, and creative workshops. During December, visitors could participate in creative and gastro workshops, among which the popular pasta making workshops PAŠTAda stand out, which filled up in a very short time again this year. In the evenings, bands and DJs performed at different locations, while quiz lovers gathered for the Christmas and New Year's Quiz at the House of Culture.

Local institutions also play an important role in creating the holiday atmosphere – the elementary school, kindergarten, National Reading Room and Library, and the National Museum and Gallery. Children and young people are included in programs of performances, Christmas concerts, fairs of creative works, and knowledge quizzes, so New Advent acts not only as a tourist product but also as a platform through which the entire community is actively involved in the preparation and celebration of the holidays.

Thanks to such a concept, Novi Vinodolski increasingly stands out as an example of a smaller Adriatic destination that successfully revitalizes the off-season period and attracts visitors even in the winter months. For guests who decide on an extended stay, the Toast to the New Year represents a logical climax of a multi-day holiday vacation, and the possibility to book accommodation near the center of events in advance further facilitates travel planning.

Toast to the New Year 2025: Music, Hunting Specialties, and Noon Celebration in the Heart of the City

The program of the Toast to the New Year itself on December 31 begins at 10:00 AM and will take place at several key city locations. Ivan Mažuranić Square and Vinodol Law Square will again be the centers of events, but the cheerful atmosphere will also spread through the surrounding streets. On the main stage at Ivan Mažuranić Square, the groups Trend and Face will be in charge of good entertainment until 4:00 PM, while simultaneously the Trio Family will perform on the stage at Vinodol Law Square. The combination of different performers is designed so that the content is attractive to a wide circle of visitors – from lovers of domestic pop and rock covers to those who enjoy family dancing in the open air.

The Toast to the New Year has been created from the very beginning through the cooperation of several city stakeholders. Participating in the organization are the Tourist Board of the City of Novi Vinodolski, the Center for Culture, hunting societies Gradina and Košutnjak – Novi, and the Association of Friends of Grapes and Wine "Ružica Vinodola". This model of cooperation allows local gastronomy, the tradition of hunting and viticulture, and the cultural program to merge into a unique whole that simultaneously nurtures local identity and attracts guests from outside.

One of the trademarks of the Toast is the New Year's mug which visitors buy at a price of 10 euros. The price includes unlimited pouring of red and white mulled wine at the stands of the Association Ružica Vinodola and one meal from the hunters – hunting stew or sausage. Such a concept has proven successful for years because it reduces the use of disposable packaging, leaves guests with a practical souvenir, and ensures that no one stays hungry or thirsty.

Gastronomy in the Foreground: Hunting Stew, Sausages, and Local Wines

Hunting societies Gradina and Košutnjak – Novi will again take on a key role in the gastronomic offer of the Toast this year. Their hunting stews and sausages are already well known to visitors, and special emphasis is placed on the use of local ingredients and recipes that reflect the tradition of the Vinodol region. Warm spoon dishes fit perfectly into the winter ambiance, and the smell of stew and sausages is often one of the first signals to visitors that the noon celebration is in full swing.

The drink offer is rounded off by the Association Ružica Vinodola, which takes care of red and white mulled wine. Besides giving the mulled wine a recognizable holiday taste, the manifestation also highlights the wine tradition of the area, where a series of smaller viticultural and wine stories are developing along the coast and in the hinterland. For those coming to Novi Vinodolski for the first time, the Toast is often the first encounter with local wines, so it is not surprising that many return even outside the holiday period to explore the offer of wineries and taverns in more detail and at the same time look for accommodation near wine and gastro facilities.

Along with the official offer of hunting societies and associations, Advent cottages are also open in the city center, where caterers offer various hot drinks, sweets, and snacks. The entire atmosphere is based on the idea that a visitor, in a short circle around the two squares, can find everything they need for a pleasant winter day – from breakfast and lunch in the open, through the noon toast to an informal afternoon gathering.

Program for Children: Free Skating, Time Capsules, and Photo Corner

Special attention is paid to the youngest participants of the Toast to the New Year. A children's corner is organized on Frankopan Square where children can skate for free, participate in an animation program, and hang out with mascots of favorite characters. Along with the ice rink, creative workshops for making "time capsules" are also organized – children write New Year's wishes and messages in them which they symbolically close for the future, creating a memory of the last day of the year.

The program also includes face painting, games with animators, and sweet snacks. Donuts and juices are distributed to children by the Association of Pensioners of Novi Vinodolski, which further emphasizes intergenerational togetherness – pensioners actively participate in creating a holiday atmosphere for the youngest, while parents can simultaneously enjoy the program on the squares, knowing that children are in a safe and organized environment.

A special photo corner is also prepared for visitors of all ages. Families, friends, and couples can capture moments of the Toast there and take photos home as a lasting memory. In the age of social networks, precisely such photos often become the best promotion of the destination – spreading the impression of a city that lives to the fullest even in the winter months.

Traditional Manifestation Filling the Squares

The Toast to the New Year is no longer just a local custom, but a manifestation that attracts thousands of visitors year after year. According to city data, about 4000 people passed through Novi Vinodolski during the Toast to the New Year at the 2023/2024 celebration, despite rainy weather, confirming the status of one of the most visited manifestations in the city. Such a turnout further encouraged the organizers to additionally strengthen the 2025 program with musical and animation content.

Alongside families from Novi Vinodolski and surrounding places, the Toast to the New Year attracts an increasing number of guests from other parts of Croatia and neighboring countries. Many visitors come precisely because of the daytime celebration which allows returning home already in the evening hours, while others decide to extend their stay and use accommodation in Novi Vinodolski for an extended winter weekend. In this way, the manifestation directly contributes to the extension of the tourist season, filling the capacities of private and hotel accommodation, and additional spending in catering facilities.

For the local community, the Toast to the New Year also represents an opportunity to promote the city as a destination that lives throughout the year, and not just in the summer months. The success of the manifestation relies on the cooperation of the city, the tourist board, cultural institutions, and associations, which is a model that many smaller destinations strive to achieve in their own development of winter programs.

Practical Information for Visitors

The Toast to the New Year takes place on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, in the center of Novi Vinodolski. The program begins at 10:00 AM, and the musical part will last until 4:00 PM. Entrance to the manifestation is free, while the New Year's mug with mulled wine and a meal of hunting stew or sausage can be purchased at a symbolic price of 10 euros at the stands of the Association Ružica Vinodola in the city center.

The main stage is located on Ivan Mažuranić Square, while the additional program and performances of artists take place on Vinodol Law Square and Frankopan Square. Visitors are recommended to arrive in the city earlier to avoid traffic jams and find a parking space more easily, especially if coming from surrounding places. Organizers note that during the manifestation, one should follow the instructions of the security service and information boards on the spot.

For all those planning a multi-day stay, it is recommended to book accommodation in Novi Vinodolski during the Toast to the New Year in advance, considering that interest for the holiday period grows year by year. Besides participating in the Toast, visitors can thus use the time for a walk through the old city center, a visit to the Frankopan castle, exploring viewpoints in the hinterland, or a relaxed coffee by the sea in a winter ambiance.

With a rich Advent program, a daytime celebration at noon, and the active role of the local community, Novi Vinodolski welcomes the end of 2025 as a city that has successfully combined tradition and a contemporary approach to organizing events. The Toast to the New Year this New Year's Eve will also be more than just an ordinary New Year celebration – it will be a reminder of the importance of meeting, togetherness, and an optimistic view into the new year, with the sound of music, the smell of mulled wine, and the sound of the sea in the background.

Sources:
- City of Novi Vinodolski – program announcement "New Advent and Toast to the New Year" (link)
- Tourist Board of the City of Novi Vinodolski – event description "Toast to the New Year" (link)
- Novi list – article "New Advent and Toast to the New Year: Prepare for unforgettable holidays in Novi Vinodolski" (link)
- Karlobag.eu – article on the program of New Advent and Toast to the New Year 2025 (link)
- City of Novi Vinodolski – report "4000 people at the Toast to the New Year welcomed the year 2024" (link)