Karlovac Fog Festival 2026: Fourth edition from November 2 to 8 brings exhibitions, lectures, walks and special flavors
From November 2 to 8, 2026, Karlovac will once again host the Fog Festival, an event that transforms one of the city's most recognizable autumn phenomena into the theme of cultural, educational and tourism activities. The fourth edition was presented on October 13 at Dubovac Old Town Castle and will officially begin on November 2 with the opening of an exhibition featuring photographs submitted to the "Capture the Fog Through Your Lens" competition. The program brings together city institutions, associations, artists, guides and hospitality businesses, offering activities for both children and adults. Alongside photography and meteorology, this year's festival places particular emphasis on stories about water creatures, creative workshops, evening walks and fog-inspired gastronomy. According to the published festival schedule, events will take place at several locations, from the historic fortress above the Kupa River to the library, cinema, aquarium and hospitality venues.
The festival is organized by the Paviljon Katzler association, with support from the Karlovac Tourist Board and the City of Karlovac, in cooperation with partners from the public, private and civil sectors. Participants include Aquatika – Karlovac Freshwater Aquarium, the Karlovac City Museums, the "Ivan Goran Kovačić" City Library, Kino Edison, Kafotka, the Bastion Tourist Guides Association, Zakon teatar and Skeptici u pubu. Papas bar, Tempo restaurant and Croata café bar are contributing to the gastronomic program. This distribution of activities ensures that the festival is not confined to a single venue or type of audience. The organizers aim to introduce visitors to the city through a phenomenon that is otherwise part of its everyday autumn landscape.
Photography competition open until October 25
The central starting point of the festival is the "Capture the Fog Through Your Lens" photography competition, open from October 1 to 25, 2026. According to the rules published on the organizers' and Tourist Board's websites, both professional and amateur photographers may participate, with the aim of capturing foggy scenes in Karlovac and its surroundings. This year's theme also encompasses areas along the Kupa, Korana, Mrežnica and Dobra rivers, meaning photographers are not restricted to the city center. Photographs may have been taken in previous years, but the location where each image was captured must be clearly stated. Each participant may submit up to three individual photographs, allowing different perspectives on the same landscape.
The organizers state that entries are accepted by email, with technical requirements including JPG or JPEG format, a minimum of 3,000 pixels along the longer side and no visible copyright watermark. A professional jury will select photographs for the exhibition and award prizes to the three best entries. According to the published rules, 20 photographs are expected to be selected for display, while photographers retain the copyright to their work. The exhibition opening and announcement of the winners are scheduled for Monday, November 2, at 6 p.m. at Dubovac Old Town Castle. The competition, which begins almost a month before the festival, therefore also serves as an introduction to the main festival week.
Dubovac Old Town Castle brings together photography, history and mythology
The choice of Dubovac Old Town Castle for the official opening also has a historical dimension. According to the Karlovac City Museums, it is Karlovac's oldest monument, situated on a hill above the Kupa River, overlooking the city and its surroundings. Dubovac was mentioned in written records as early as 1339, and its fortress has undergone changes in its defensive and social roles over the centuries. Today, it is a cultural and historical site that welcomes visitors and hosts various public programs. The festival uses it as a setting where natural scenery, photographic interpretation and the city's heritage come together without the need for additional stage design.
Marinko Pleskina, manager of Dubovac Old Town Castle, emphasized during the presentation that the event has both a scientific and an entertaining side, bringing together activities at different locations throughout the city. Within this framework, a storytelling program about unusual creatures and legends is also returning to Dubovac. On Friday, November 6, at 7:30 p.m., Kristijan Petrović, known as The Dark Storyteller, will give a lecture entitled "Occulta Aquarum – Mythology of Water Creatures". The subject builds on Karlovac's identity as a city of rivers but approaches it through folklore and mythological motifs rather than presenting these creatures as real phenomena. Dubovac will thus host both the official opening of the festival and one of its most memorable evening events.
From a meteorological lecture to painting the fog
The scientific part of the program places fog in the context of meteorology. According to the Karlovac Tourist Board's schedule, on Wednesday, November 4, at 7 p.m., Tomislav Kozarić, a meteorologist from the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service, will deliver a lecture about fog in the multifunctional space on the second floor of Kino Edison. This demonstrates that the festival's subject is not merely a visual motif for photography but also an atmospheric phenomenon that can be explained through the conditions of its formation, humidity, temperature and visibility. In Karlovac, these processes are particularly interesting because of the rivers and autumn weather conditions. Visitors will have an opportunity to connect the scenes they observe in parks and along riverbanks with scientific explanations of how they occur.
The creative part of the week begins on Tuesday, November 3, at 5 p.m., with a workshop on making natural soap from Karlovac fog, led by Željka Janjanin at Zakon teatar, in the Youth Library premises. The meteorological lecture follows the next day, while on Thursday, November 5, at 6 p.m., Croata café bar will host the "Fog & Faf" workshop. Under the guidance of Antonela Zvonković, visitors will paint fog-inspired motifs while tasting the "Karlovačka magla" and "Faf" cocktails, as stated in the official program. This is an activity based on experience and participation, unlike a traditional lecture or exhibition visit. The organizers have also mentioned a Foggy Cocktail Party in their announcement, further emphasizing the social and entertaining aspects of the event, while details of all accompanying activities should be checked in the latest announcements.
Children's program: Karlovac mermaids and the picture book "Magličasta"
Part of the schedule is specifically designed for younger visitors. On Wednesday, November 4, at 10 a.m., the Children's and Youth Department of the "Ivan Goran Kovačić" City Library will host a workshop entitled "Karlovac Mermaids". Its theme draws on the city's connection with its rivers, providing opportunities for imagination, creative expression and exploring motifs from the local natural environment. The involvement of the library and its facilities makes the festival's theme accessible to children beyond the traditional exhibition format. The organizers are also announcing other educational and creative activities that combine play, storytelling and the autumn atmosphere of the city.
On Saturday, November 7, at 10 a.m., the program moves to the Green Library at Aquatika, a separate branch of the city library, where meteorologist and author Zoran Vakula is scheduled to appear. He will present his picture book "Magličasta", whose title directly reflects the festival's theme. His appearance connects children's literature with an understanding of weather phenomena, one of the defining characteristics of this year's program. Aquatika is more than simply a venue: as a freshwater aquarium connected to the world of rivers, it is a natural partner for a festival dedicated to a city situated on four rivers. The various activities therefore complement one another, from a meteorological lecture for the general public to a literary event for children.
Evening walk through Dubovac and the final Skeptics in the Pub gathering
The program will not be limited to indoor venues. On Saturday, November 7, at 6 p.m., a guided evening walk through Dubovac Cemetery entitled "In the Embrace of Silence" is scheduled with tourist guide Ivančica Šebalj. Such tours present historical places through stories about the people and the site's past, while the festival's fog theme provides an additional autumn setting. The Bastion Tourist Guides Association is also among the festival partners, confirming the importance of themed walks in the overall concept of the event. Since the festival takes place in November and includes evening activities, visitors should pay attention to weather conditions and any organizational announcements.
The fourth edition is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, November 8, at 5 p.m. at Papas bar, which will host "Skeptici u pubu" (Skeptics in the Pub). According to the official announcement, guest speakers will be Neven Šuica, Antun Alegro and Mladen Maradin. This format encourages conversation and critical thinking in a more relaxed environment, outside traditional lecture halls and classrooms. Its inclusion is significant because the entire festival seeks to connect the atmosphere of mystery often created by fog with explanations grounded in knowledge. The program thus concludes with a gathering that invites the public to ask questions, participate in discussion and consider everyday phenomena from a different perspective.
Karlovac Fog pizza, cocktails, burgers and a souvenir in a jar
Fog has also inspired a special gastronomic offering for the festival. According to the organizers' announcement, visitors will be able to try "Karlovačka magla" pizza, a cocktail of the same name and the "Magla burger", while sweet treats include the "Lollyfog" lollipop in summer and winter versions. The product names are part of the recognizable playful use of fog imagery that runs throughout the festival. During festival week, Tempo restaurant will give guests who order a "Karlovačka magla" pizza a small jar of Karlovac fog, a souvenir that was among the first ideas to connect this meteorological phenomenon with the city's tourism promotion. Organizer Morana Rožman particularly highlighted this detail, along with the photography competition and workshops, as an example of an approach that intertwines serious content with humor.
According to Paviljon Katzler, the "Karlovačka magla" souvenir was introduced in 2018, and its popularity inspired the creation of the festival of the same name. The Croatian expression "prodavati maglu", literally meaning "to sell fog" and commonly used figuratively to describe empty promises or meaningless talk, thus acquired a humorous physical interpretation in Karlovac. Behind this idea, however, lies a genuine local characteristic: fog is a frequent feature of the city's autumn and winter landscape. The "Karlovačka magla" exhibition in the display windows of Paviljon Katzler will further connect the story of the souvenir with the festival program. Gastronomy is not an independent objective of the event but another way of extending its central theme into everyday meeting places.
Why has fog become one of Karlovac's symbols?
Karlovac is located in central Croatia and is known for its connection with four rivers: the Kupa, Korana, Mrežnica and Dobra. According to the city's tourism data, an average of approximately 78 foggy days are recorded annually, while November 1995, with 25 such days, is cited as an exceptionally foggy month. This information helps explain why the organizers chose the beginning of November for an event intended to present fog in a different light. Rather than viewing it exclusively as an obstacle to traffic or a cause of reduced visibility, fog becomes a starting point for photography, education and exploration of urban spaces. The festival does not depend on a guarantee that fog will appear during every event but on the phenomenon's recognizable character and a diverse program that can proceed regardless of specific weather conditions.
Marina Burić, director of the Karlovac Tourist Board, emphasized during the presentation that Karlovac fog is more than a weather phenomenon and that the festival offers an opportunity to discover lesser-known stories about the city. This approach is reflected in the selection of venues: the historic fortress, city library, cinema, aquarium, hospitality establishments and walking routes become parts of a single thematic experience. The festival thus seeks to broaden the reasons for visiting Karlovac beyond the peak tourist season, without relying exclusively on traditional sightseeing. Everyone can choose individual activities according to their interests, from photography and meteorology to art or local gastronomy. Visitors planning to stay for several days may also find an overview of accommodation in Karlovac useful, particularly because events take place at multiple addresses and at different times.
Dates and information for visitors
The fourth Fog Festival runs from Monday, November 2, to Sunday, November 8, 2026, with the first event being the opening of the photography exhibition at Dubovac Old Town Castle on November 2 at 6 p.m. Applications for the "Capture the Fog Through Your Lens" competition are possible until October 25, according to the rules published on the official festival websites. The main program then continues with daily workshops, lectures, children's activities and an evening walk, concluding with the Skeptics in the Pub gathering. For individual events where participant numbers may be limited, as well as possible schedule changes, visitors are advised to check the organizers' announcements before arriving. The updated program and instructions for the photography competition are available on the websites of the Karlovac Tourist Board and Paviljon Katzler.
Sources:
- Karlovac Tourist Board – announced Fog Festival 2026 program, dates, locations and photography competition rules (link)
- Paviljon Katzler – information about the festival, photography competition and origins of the Karlovac souvenir (link)
- Karlovac City Museums – history and cultural significance of Dubovac Old Town Castle (link)
- Karlovac Tourist Board – information about Karlovac fog and its frequency (link)
- Aquatika – location of Karlovac and the city's connection with four rivers (link)