The size of a city is not defined by the number of kilometers or the number of inhabitants. Instead, the size of a city is measured by the size of its heart, the strength in its spirit, and the kindness of its people. Osijek has always been big enough to fulfill the needs, desires, dreams of its citizens and small enough to make them feel safe, comfortable, and intimate. It is also big enough to organize the longest walk around the city and small enough to adapt the Advent celebration to the current situation.
Advent, conceived as a movement around festive locations, revived Osijek, showed the character and spirit of the city, and memories of better times, when daily walks and full streets were the main motives for all generations.
This year, Osijek Advent continues its responsible policy. It continues to develop its unique concept in which Advent is not just one place, but an experience of the city by walking through different locations, but significantly enriched not only by new hidden areas but also by craftspeople and caterers. Given the epidemiological situation, which affects the production plan daily, the organizers of Osijek Advent, the City of Osijek, and Osijek-Baranja County, this year focus on space as an essential factor in the Advent program. This means that Osijek Advent is modular and ready for all epidemiological options and will indeed not be canceled under any circumstances.
Thus, the festive event begins by lighting the Advent wreath in front of St. Peter and Paul Co-cathedral by the Archbishop of Đakovo-Osijek Đuro Hranić, on Sunday, November 28, at 18:00 with a special program before Sunday Holy Mass.
As Osijek celebrates its birthday in early December, the Advent festivities will be part of the program for Osijek City Day, on Thursday, December 2, when Osijek will light up in festive attire and lure the first walkers to the streets in the evening. The holiday lighting will be attended by high-ranking guests who will take part in the Formal Session at the Croatian National Theater for City Day.
The famous locations will be enriched and supplemented with new surprises. Thus, in addition to the recognizable and traditional Christmas tram, which is visited by almost 15,000 people in the season, the city center, and Ante Starčević Square, will be further enlivened and illuminated. The Adventure Road continues through the magical Capuchin across the icy Sakuntala. It again takes visitors along the most beautiful, dreamy European Avenue to King Tomislav Park, the most visited location last year. This year will feature additional catering and music programs.
The Advent continues to Rondel, from where the road has been significantly expanded. A new location on the Advent map is the Cultural Center. In addition to the Christmas cinema and a diverse Christmas program, a unique point of the Advent walk will be the Winter Lookout on the roof of the Cultural Center. The Museum of Fine Arts will open its doors to all this year’s walkers, and the Sokol ice rink will once again enrich the atmosphere.
In addition to the Advent offer at crucial locations, several caterers across the city will join in the Advent magic at their facilities.
A special surprise in mid-December will be a Ferris wheel, the biggest in Croatia during Advent!
With this year’s approach, Osijek shows how even in epidemiologically uncertain conditions, it can organize the biggest and brightest and yet safest Advent in which the wider city center will be surrounded by 10 kilometers of lights.
Christmas and New Year’s events will last until January 7, 2022.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.
