More than 50 cultural programs, over 20 children’s events, daily concerts in four locations – Perivoj, Cornaro, Zvončac and Mertojak, dozens of Split caterers with attractive gastronomic offers, New Year’s Eve celebrations in four zones, and two skating rinks is a basic overview of what this year’s Split Advent offered to visitors under the slogan “Click on Advent”, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.
This year, the Cornaro ramparts were introduced on the Advent map for the first time, and due to its size, it has become a central gathering place for all visitors. Cornaro’s culinary offer and evening music programs were joined by Perivoj, Imaginarium Advent Zvončac, and Advent Mertojak.
In each zone, visitors could enjoy a variety of delicacies prepared by Split caterers while live music filled the evenings. COVID confirmation was required for all four zones from 7 pm, and those who could not visit the zones live could follow the events on the official Split Advent website.
Fifteen restaurants in Split joined the “Split Restaurants Holiday” event, and promotional prices brought their Advent offer closer to diners, while every Advent Sunday, the traditional Gastroadvent in Split was organized at a different location. Citizens could follow the event via YouTube, which showcased the Mediterranean diet with prosciutto and cured meat products.
Children’s performances, a children’s cinema organized by Slobodna Dalmacija, and visits by St. Lucia, St. Nicholas, and Santa Claus delighted the youngest residents of Split on Mertojak. It was there that the main children’s program was held, where the youngest could enjoy mascots from their favorite cartoons and a mini disco on New Year’s Eve.
They also enjoyed the Advent procession and spinning the “wheel of fortune”. Some won candies and lollipops, and some won free tickets to the Dardin skating rink. The skating rinks in Dardin and Mertojak were an absolute mecca of the Advent celebration.
There were more than 60 cultural programs as part of this year’s Advent. In addition to a dozen concerts at St. Francis Church, the Split City Museum hosted shows that citizens could follow through the YouTube channel of the Split Tourist Board.
The humanitarian concert of the opera diva Antonella Malis in the Croatian Home raised funds to help the Croatian community of laryngectomized persons. This renovated hall hosted many young, talented performers. In addition, the Art Gallery, the Meštrović Gallery, and the Kula Gallery joined Advent with their programs, and the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments hosted film lovers and organized guided tours to the Church of St. Jere and the hermitage cave on Marjan.
The University of Split Campus also joined the Advent program, while the Musical Youth of Split celebrated the 25th edition of the Cro Patria Festival during this event. Furthermore, every Tuesday, Prokultur’s Chanson Club Friends brought a festive atmosphere to citizens’ homes through songs and stories from all over the world; KUDŽ Filip Dević sang on the Cornaro ramparts and thus increased the holiday spirit. At the same time, KUD Jedinstvo attracted many citizens to the squares of Split.
The “Help Portrait” event was held at the Photo Club Split, where the members of the Photo Club offered free photography, while in cooperation with Slobodna Dalmacija, the exhibition “Schography” by Cropix photographer Božidar Vukičević was displayed. In addition, the Christmas concert at the Croatian National Theater in Split was jointly presented by the Split Tourist Board and the Croatian National Theater in Split, featuring classics to contemporary Christmas carols.
“We imagined this Split Advent in such a way that everyone could find for themselves what they were most interested in and consume it in the way that suited them best. Citizens and all our visitors could follow the content live or through digital channels, which best manifested the slogan of this year’s event, ‘Click on Advent,'” said the Split Tourist Board director Alijana Vukšić.
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