Ružica Vinodola 2026 brings Novi Vinodolski back to the rhythm of tradition, wine and old crafts
Novi Vinodolski, a town on the Kvarner coast in the northern Adriatic, will once again host Ružica Vinodola from 20 to 22 August 2026, an event that for more than two decades has brought together wine-growing heritage, traditional skills, gastronomy, music and the competition for the title of Ružica Vinodola. According to the official programme of the Novi Vinodolski Tourist Board, the three main competition evenings will be held in the vineyards of Pavlomir Winery and in the Old Town and centre of Novi Vinodolski, while the presentation of the candidates has already been announced for Friday, 14 August, in Bribir. The programme is spread across several locations so that visitors can discover both the wine-growing landscape of Vinodol and the historic heart of the town, while alongside the competition itself, a Wine Festival, a fair of old crafts and local products, and a series of musical performances have been announced. In this way, the organisers are continuing in 2026 with a concept in which the historical story is not an isolated folkloric addition, but the starting point for a multi-day summer event.
From an old Vinodol tradition to a contemporary event
Ružica Vinodola is based on a tradition concerning a custom from the time of the Frankopans, when, after the grape harvest was completed, a girl who stood out for her diligence and beauty was chosen from among the female grape pickers. In its historical overview of the event, the Novi Vinodolski Tourist Board states that the chosen Ružica would be crowned with grapevine and, accompanied by traditional musical instruments, led towards the town. According to records cited by the Tourist Board, such a custom was last documented in 1880. Today's competition reconstructs motifs from that story through disciplines connected with former vineyard work, household skills, and the serving and presentation of wine. Rather than being a literal reconstruction of a single historical ritual, Ružica Vinodola functions as a contemporary interpretation of local heritage, designed for an audience that discovers different layers of life in Vinodol through games, flavours, music and crafts.
Official announcements for 2026 confirm that the competitive section continues to develop through nine themed disciplines. The first group of tasks is related to work in the vineyard and handling grapes, the second to household chores, and the final group to wine, its pouring and presentation. In earlier descriptions of the event, the Tourist Board particularly highlighted carrying baskets of grapes and crushing grapes by hand and foot in specially made wooden vessels, which are among the most visually recognisable parts of the programme. This competition format enables the story of the harvest and wine production to be conveyed through direct action rather than only through an exhibition or stage presentation. Precisely for this reason, the competition evenings remain the central element of Ružica Vinodola, while music, gastronomy and fair-related activities are designed as a broader framework around them.
Bribir as an introduction: presentation of the candidates on 14 August
The audience's first encounter with this year's candidates is planned for Friday, 14 August, in Bribir, a historic settlement in the Vinodol Valley. According to the organisers' programme, the candidates for the title of Ružica Vinodola 2026 will be presented there, together with an exhibition competition in the preparation of makaruni, a traditional pasta associated with the local gastronomic heritage. Sergej Božić and Srđana Čolović have been announced for the musical part, while the evening programme will continue with Feedback Band. The official website of the Tourist Board confirms that the presentation of the candidates in Bribir is connected with the Bribir Makaruni Festival and a performance by Sergej Božić. In this way, the introductory event is not limited to a formal presentation of the contestants, but connects a gastronomic and musical programme with a place belonging to the same historical and cultural area of Vinodol.
Current announcements by the Town of Novi Vinodolski and the Tourist Board also show that the selection is not limited only to candidates from Vinodol. The call published at the beginning of August states that girls and women aged 16 and over may apply, including candidates from other parts of Croatia and from abroad, with special consent conditions applying to underage participants. The organisers select the winner, the first and second runners-up, and the most likeable Ružica, with the latter being determined by votes from the contestants and the judging panel. This open participation model further expands the reach of the event beyond the local framework and introduces Vinodol tradition to audiences and participants of different backgrounds.
The first competition evening among the Pavlomir vineyards
The main competition programme begins on Thursday, 20 August, in the vineyards of Pavlomir Winery. According to the official announcement, the programme is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m., and this evening is dedicated precisely to tasks that return the candidates to the setting from which the legend of Ružica originated. In the vineyard, they will demonstrate their skills in disciplines connected with grapes and vineyard work, while Antonio Krištofić and Trio Nebuloza have been announced for the musical section. Visitors can also expect a gastronomic offering accompanied by wines, giving Pavlomir a dual role during the first evening: a competition stage and a place where wine is presented in the immediate surroundings of the vineyards. Pavlomir Winery itself states on its website that larger events are held in its open-air area beside the vineyards, including Ružica Vinodola.
The wine component is not merely a decoration for the competition. Pavlomir also offers a rosé called Ružica Vinodola, and the winery states that the wine was named after the legend associated with the vineyards of the Vinodol Valley. This detail demonstrates how closely the event, local wine production and the identity of the destination are interconnected. It also explains why the first competition evening is held outside the town centre, among the grapevines, rather than on a conventional stage. For the audience, it is an opportunity to see activities symbolising the harvest, taste wines and then, over the following days, follow the continuation of the story in the historic centre of Novi Vinodolski.
The Old Town takes the stage on Friday
On Friday, 21 August, the programme moves to the Old Town of Novi Vinodolski, where the second competition evening is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. The candidates will compete there in household tasks, while Trio Nebuloza will provide the musical accompaniment according to the programme. At the same time, part of the entertainment programme will take place on Korzo hrvatskih branitelja, where a performance by the group Insula has been announced. The schedule across several points in the town allows the event to extend beyond a single stage and involve a larger part of the historic centre, which is particularly important because additional activities related to wine, crafts and local products will also open on the same day. Visitors planning to attend several days of the programme can check accommodation offers in Novi Vinodolski in advance, especially because the programme takes place at different locations and during the evening hours.
The historical setting of the Old Town gives Ružica Vinodola an additional layer of meaning. The Tourist Board states that on 6 January 1288, representatives of nine Vinodol towns and municipalities gathered in the Frankopan castle of what was then Novigrad and recorded legal customs that became known as the Vinodol Law. The document is one of the key testimonies to the medieval legal and cultural history of this area, and its manuscript was written in the Croatian language and in cursive Glagolitic script. Today's town squares and castle are therefore not merely a picturesque backdrop for a summer festival, but a place where an important part of Vinodol's history has been preserved. Ružica Vinodola does not address this heritage directly through legal history, but by placing the programme in the old town centre it connects the wine tradition with the city's much broader Frankopan legacy.
Finale on 22 August and proclamation of Ružica Vinodola 2026
The grand finale will take place on Saturday, 22 August, once again in the Old Town and centre of Novi Vinodolski. According to the programme, the final evening begins at 9 p.m., and the candidates, accompanied by Trio Arka, will test their skills in disciplines related to pouring and presenting wine. After the competition is completed, the proclamation of Ružica Vinodola 2026, the first and second runners-up and the most likeable Ružica will follow. Novi list states in its preview of the event that the proclamation is planned for around 11 p.m. on Korzo hrvatskih branitelja. The musical programme of the final evening includes Petar Dragojević and Trio Mirakul, while, according to the organisers' announcement, Borna Šmer will host the programme during the competition days.
The winners can expect prizes connected with travel and experiences. In its announcement about applications, the Town of Novi Vinodolski lists an autumn weekend for two people in Rovinj with half board, two boat excursions, while the winner of Ružica Vinodola 2026 is also expected to win an Adriatic cruise for two people. This adds further competitive excitement to the final evening, although the concept of the event continues to emphasise participation, the presentation of tradition and a shared programme more than a conventional beauty pageant. The disciplines require practical skills, resourcefulness and presentation, while the judging is linked to themes running through all three days. It is precisely this format that distinguishes Ružica Vinodola from standard summer pageants and preserves its connection with the tradition of choosing the most diligent female grape picker.
Wine Festival on Frankopanski trg
While the candidates compete, the Wine Festival will take place on Friday and Saturday on Frankopanski trg. The official programme of the Tourist Board confirms that the festival is organised in cooperation with the Vina Kvarnera association, while the organisers announce wines from various Croatian wine-growing regions. For visitors, this means an opportunity to discover a broader cross-section of the wine scene alongside the local Vinodol story, compare styles and discover producers from other regions. At Ružica Vinodola, wine is simultaneously a product, a cultural motif and a link between the Pavlomir vineyards, the competition disciplines and the evening activities in the town. For this reason, the Wine Festival functions as one of the key parallel sections rather than merely a catering supplement to the main programme.
According to the organisers' announcement, Novljanski pijat, a dish designed especially for the event, will also be presented on Frankopanski trg. The concept is based on local ingredients and is conceived as a gastronomic counterpart to the wine story of Ružica Vinodola. In its other gastronomic programmes, the Novi Vinodolski Tourist Board also highlights local wines, sparkling wines and products from small producers as part of the destination's identity. Within Ružica Vinodola, this offering is connected with the historical story, giving gastronomy a clearly defined place in the programme.
Old crafts and local products on Trg Vinodolskog zakona
A special part of this year's programme is dedicated to traditional crafts and handmade production. Presentations of old crafts and a fair of local products have been announced on Trg Vinodolskog zakona, where visitors will be able to see various techniques that were once part of everyday life or are preserved today through crafts, associations and creative workshops. The programme includes basket weaving, blacksmithing, herbalism, ceramic making using the raku technique, carving and making wooden sculptures, mosaic work, wool felting and lacemaking, as well as traditional games and other traditional skills. Novi list also highlighted a large number of these crafts in its announcement, confirming that the fair segment will have a more prominent place in the 2026 programme. In this way, the concept of heritage expands beyond wine and viticulture to include material culture, handicrafts and techniques passed on through demonstrations and practical work.
Such content is also important because it offers visitors a different pace of experience. The competition evenings have clearly defined dramaturgy and conclude with the announcement of results, while the fair and craft presentations allow visitors to linger, talk with exhibitors and learn about the process of making objects. Combined with the Wine Festival and gastronomic offerings, the centre of Novi Vinodolski turns into a network of smaller themed points on Friday and Saturday. Visitors do not have to follow every part of the competition to understand the main idea of the event, because the motifs of Vinodol appear through wine, food, handicrafts, music and the historical setting. It is precisely this diversity of the programme that helps Ružica Vinodola remain relevant after more than twenty years of being held.
An event between tourism and the preservation of local identity
Ružica Vinodola demonstrates how a local tradition can be transferred into a contemporary festival format without having to become a static reconstruction of the past. On the one hand, the event is clearly designed as a summer festival with concerts, tastings, a fair and entertainment. On the other hand, its structure remains firmly connected with motifs of the harvest, vineyard work, household skills, wine and traditional crafts. The historical connection with the Frankopans gains additional strength from the locations where the programme takes place, from the Vinodol hinterland and Pavlomir to the old town centre. For Novi Vinodolski, this means an event that simultaneously functions as a tourist attraction and as a public presentation of local identity.
The organisers of Ružica Vinodola 2026 are the Novi Vinodolski Tourist Board and the Vinodol Municipality Tourist Board, with the Town of Novi Vinodolski, Vinodol Municipality, the Novi Vinodolski Town Culture Centre, Pavlomir Winery, the "Ružica Vinodola" Association of Friends of Grapes and Wine, the Vina Kvarnera Association, KUD Ilija Dorčić and the Novljansko kolo Department of the Čakavian Assembly as co-organisers. According to the organisers' announcement, the event is supported by the Kvarner Tourist Board and the Croatian National Tourist Board, while the sponsors listed include the tourist agency Katarina Line, Adria Mare Travel Agency, Bartelo Mali, Skipper, API Kvarner, Galerija suvenirnica Leut, Cvjetni atelje "Zola" and Pavlomir Winery. The programme from 14 to 22 August thus culminates in a three-day competition cycle from 20 to 22 August, when Novi Vinodolski will once again connect its wine story with its historic urban setting and a contemporary festival audience.
Sources:
- Novi Vinodolski Tourist Board – official programme of Ružica Vinodola 2026, dates, locations, activities and historical overview of the event (link)
- Town of Novi Vinodolski – information on applications, winner categories and prizes for Ružica Vinodola 2026 (link)
- Novi list – preview of the Ružica Vinodola 2026 programme, musical performers, competition evenings, Wine Festival and old crafts fair (link)
- Novi Vinodolski Tourist Board – historical information about the Vinodol Law and the Frankopan castle (link)
- Pavlomir Winery – information about the vineyard setting and the hosting of Ružica Vinodola (link)
- Pavlomir Winery – information about Ružica Vinodola wine and its connection with the local legend (link)