Summer at Gradina enters its finale: Vesna Pisarović, Buč Kesidi and The Amy Winehouse Band at Trsat
The Ljeto na Gradini 2026 event is entering the final part of its season, with Trsatski kaštel and the neighbouring Nugentov park hosting another series of music, dance and children's programmes from 28 August to 12 September. According to the programme of the Rijeka Tourist Board, the finale will feature concerts by Vesna Pisarović and Buč Kesidi, the Children's Carnival Party, Cirkus Day, Disco Revival and the closing concert by The Amy Winehouse Band. The latest announcement of the final programme additionally lists the TDL LIVE AGAIN by Two Days Late concert evening on 11 September at Trsatski kaštel. It is a finale that retains the concept of the entire event: alternating concerts, children's programmes and themed music evenings in a historic setting above the centre of Rijeka.
The Rijeka Tourist Board describes Ljeto na Gradini as a cultural and entertainment event that brings together programmes of different genres at Trsatski kaštel and in Nugentov park during the summer months. The official programme for 2026 runs from June to September and ends on 12 September. The organisers point out that some activities are free of charge, while tickets for some concerts are sold separately. Visitors coming to Rijeka for several programmes during the finale may also find accommodation offers in Rijeka useful, especially because the events are spread over several weekends.
Vesna Pisarović on 28 August in Nugentov park
The first major concert of the final part of the programme is scheduled for Friday, 28 August, when Vesna Pisarović will perform in Nugentov park starting at 20:30. The date and location are confirmed by the official Ljeto na Gradini schedule, while the announcement published ahead of the concert states that the programme will focus on songs that have marked her career. Pisarović is one of the more recognisable names of the Croatian pop scene from the transition between the 1990s and the 2000s, and in recent years she has once again been performing repertoire from the period of her greatest pop successes.
Her catalogue includes songs such as "Da znaš", "Dolje na koljena", "Jutro donosi kraj", "Sasvim sigurna" and "Neka ljudi govore". In the more recent period, her concerts bring together audiences who followed those songs when they were first released and younger generations who have rediscovered them. The concert at Trsat is therefore not conceived as an isolated nostalgic episode, but as part of the current concert return to a repertoire that strongly marked her pop phase. According to information from the Rijeka Tourist Board, tickets are planned to be sold for this concert.
Nugentov park, meanwhile, is not merely an additional area next to the Castle. The Rijeka Tourist Board states that today's park was once the outer defensive courtyard of the fortress, while its connection with Trsatski kaštel has also been preserved in today's spatial arrangement. The park is situated at an elevated point with views towards Kvarner Bay, the hinterland and the Rječina canyon, which is why in recent years it has become a natural extension of the summer stage at Trsat. In the 2026 programme, some of the largest concerts are held precisely in Nugentov park.
Saturday at Trsat: children's carnival followed by Buč Kesidi
Saturday, 29 August, brings two programmes with completely different content. At 18:00, the Children's Carnival Party begins at Trsatski kaštel. According to the final programme announcement, admission is free, and the youngest visitors can look forward to spending time with entertainers, balloon modelling, face painting and a DJ programme. Free admission to the Children's Carnival Party is also confirmed on the official event website, where this event is listed among the programmes for which no ticket is required.
A few hours later, the programme moves to Nugentov park. At 20:30, Buč Kesidi will perform, a band whose sound is based on a combination of indie rock, electronic music and disco rhythms. It is precisely this combination of dance energy and a concert rock format that is one of the reasons why their performance naturally fits into the concept of Ljeto na Gradini, which alternates performers of very different genres throughout the season. The official programme confirms the date, venue and time of the performance, and the Rijeka Tourist Board also states that tickets are sold for the concert.
The schedule for 29 August also demonstrates one of the characteristics of the event's finale: on the same day, the Trsat area is used first for family-oriented content and then for an evening concert. For visitors wishing to combine both programmes, it is practical that Trsatski kaštel and Nugentov park are directly connected. Those coming to Rijeka from other cities and wishing to stay after the evening concert can check accommodation near Trsat and other locations in Rijeka.
September begins with the children's Cirkus Day and Disco Revival
After the final weekend of August, Ljeto na Gradini continues on Thursday, 3 September. Cirkus Day for children takes place at Trsatski kaštel at 18:00. The official programme of the Rijeka Tourist Board confirms this date and lists Cirkus Day among the events with free admission. The programme continues the family-oriented aspect of the event, which included several activities intended for the youngest visitors throughout the summer, meaning that the finale does not remain focused solely on evening concerts.
The following day, Friday, 4 September, Trsatski kaštel once again takes on the role of an open-air dance stage. Disco Revival is on the programme, an evening focused on disco and dance repertoire from the 1980s and 1990s, featuring DJ Luca Montecchi. The official Ljeto na Gradini schedule lists the starting time as 20:00. The Disco Revival concept itself has already been presented to audiences in Rijeka at other locations during 2026, while earlier programme announcements describe it as an evening of the greatest dance hits from those decades.
In the setting of the Castle, such a programme takes on a different character from a classic club event. The stone walls, open space and view from Trsat become part of the scenery itself, while the music programme remains focused on the recognisable rhythms of the 1980s and 1990s. The Rijeka Tourist Board lists Disco Revival among the programmes for which tickets are sold. Visitors are therefore advised to check the organiser's latest information regarding admission and any possible changes related to weather conditions before arriving.
TDL LIVE AGAIN announced for 11 September
The latest announcement of the final programme, published on 26 August, also announces the TDL LIVE AGAIN by Two Days Late concert evening at Trsatski kaštel for Friday, 11 September. The starting time is listed as 21:00, and admission is expected to be free. The programme is conceived as a musical journey through songs by bands that marked the regional rock scene, including Bijelo dugme, Prljavo kazalište, Parni valjak, Daleka obala and Azra.
It is important, however, to distinguish between the latest finale announcement and the currently published main schedule on the Rijeka Tourist Board website. The schedule available on 26 August lists a series of events through 12 September, but TDL LIVE AGAIN has not yet been included among the displayed dates. For this reason, it is reasonable to follow the organiser's latest announcements regarding this programme before arrival. The very fact that the concert has been included in the new finale announcement suggests that it is a subsequently added or separately communicated programme.
If the event takes place as announced, it will be the penultimate evening of the Ljeto na Gradini finale and also the only September programme in this final series with an emphasis on Croatian and regional rock songs. The concept of the evening is based on familiar compositions by several generations of bands, so the focus is more on a shared concert repertoire than on presenting a single catalogue of original works. Such a format further broadens the genre range of the final part of the event.
Finale with The Amy Winehouse Band on 12 September
The final event of Ljeto na Gradini 2026 is scheduled for Saturday, 12 September, at 20:00 in Nugentov park. The Amy Winehouse Band will perform, a project that brings the musical legacy of the British singer to the stage through performances by musicians associated with her original band. The date and location are confirmed by both the official event schedule and the current sales announcement for the concert in Rijeka.
The central figure of the project is Dale Davis, Amy Winehouse's long-time bassist, musical director and close collaborator. Announcements by the band and concert venues that have hosted the project emphasise that the line-up brings together musicians who performed with Winehouse and participated in creating her distinctive sound. For this reason, the project is presented as a concert preservation of her repertoire rather than simply a classic imitation or a conventional tribute band.
The programme draws on songs from key phases of her career, including repertoire associated with the albums "Frank" and "Back to Black", as well as material released later. Audiences can therefore expect compositions that made Winehouse one of the most recognisable vocal artists and songwriters of her generation. In the context of Rijeka, the fact that this particular concert has been positioned as the final point of a months-long event gives it additional significance.
For such a finale, Nugentov park provides the atmosphere of an open-air summer stage alongside the historic complex of Trsatski kaštel. According to the official description of the park, the area was connected for centuries with the Castle's defensive and economic functions, while today it also serves as a recreational and public space. Its inclusion in Ljeto na Gradini expanded the event's capacity for concerts requiring a different audience arrangement from events held within the Castle walls.
Trsatski kaštel as a stage and part of Rijeka's history
The venue plays an important role in the identity of the event. The Rijeka Tourist Board states that Trsatski kaštel stands on a 138-metre-high hill above Rijeka and is one of the oldest fortifications in the Croatian Littoral. Historical sources connect the location with strategic control of the area above the Rječina and the approaches to the sea, while today's Castle combines cultural heritage with gallery exhibitions, concerts, theatre performances and other public programmes.
It is precisely this combination of historic surroundings and contemporary events that forms the basis of Ljeto na Gradini. During 2026, over the course of several months, the event brought concerts, theatre performances, themed evenings and children's programmes to Trsat, while the Rijeka Tourist Board states in its official presentation that more than 200 different programmes have been held at the location over two decades of the event's existence. The final schedule from late August to mid-September condenses this diversity into just a few weeks.
For visitors coming to Trsat for the first time, the practical distinction between the locations is also important. Some events take place inside Trsatski kaštel, while larger concerts such as those by Vesna Pisarović, Buč Kesidi and The Amy Winehouse Band are held in Nugentov park. Both locations are in immediate proximity, but it is useful to check the exact venue of each programme before arrival because entrances, audience arrangements and the organisation of the space may differ.
Final schedule of Ljeto na Gradini 2026
- 28 August at 20:30 – Vesna Pisarović, Nugentov park
- 29 August at 18:00 – Children's Carnival Party, Trsatski kaštel, free admission
- 29 August at 20:30 – Buč Kesidi, Nugentov park
- 3 September at 18:00 – Cirkus Day for children, Trsatski kaštel, free admission
- 4 September at 20:00 – Disco Revival with DJ Luca Montecchi, Trsatski kaštel
- 11 September at 21:00 – TDL LIVE AGAIN by Two Days Late, Trsatski kaštel, free admission according to the latest announcement
- 12 September at 20:00 – The Amy Winehouse Band, Nugentov park
The finale thus brings together pop, indie rock, dance music, regional rock repertoire, children's programmes and a concert dedicated to the musical legacy of Amy Winehouse within a short period. Admission to some events is free, while tickets for the concerts and Disco Revival are sold separately according to information from the organisers. Since the programme takes place outdoors or in partially open spaces, it is useful to check the latest information about schedules, admission and possible programme changes before arrival.
Sources:
- Rijeka Tourist Board – official Ljeto na Gradini 2026 programme, schedule of final events and ticket information (link)
- Rijeka Tourist Board – official information about Trsatski kaštel, its history, location and present-day cultural function (link)
- Rijeka Tourist Board – official description of Nugentov park and its historical connection with the Castle (link)
- Riportal – latest publication from 26 August 2026 with the final programme, including TDL LIVE AGAIN and details of children's programmes (link)
- Teklić – context of Vesna Pisarović's concert in Rijeka and an overview of her pop repertoire (link)
- CoreEvent – current announcement of The Amy Winehouse Band concert in Nugentov park on 12 September 2026 (link)
- Original editorial material – initial schedule and description of the event finale.