March the 13th, 2026 – The popular Festival of Lights Zagreb is gearing up for its 2026 edition from the 18th to the 22nd of March, with 26 installations across 21 city locations.
The Festival of Lights Zagreb has been hailed as being among the best European events by no less than Forbes, and the quirky Croatian capital will soon once again transform into a stage for light, art and innovation. Organised by the Zagreb Tourist Board (TZGZ), in cooperation with their partners and with the support of the City of Zagreb, a brand new edition of this festival will soon cloak the city in light installations, beginning an event that traditionally announces the arrival of spring.
a blend of art, innovation, tech and inspiration in zagreb
On the occasion of this year’s edition of the Festival of Lights Zagreb, Mayor Tomislav Tomašević, stated the following: “Yet another Festival of Lights Zagreb is almost upon us. It’s an event that quickly became an indispensable part of the city’s cultural and tourist offer. Over five days, Zagreb will once again transform into a huge open-air light stage. The city’s streets, promenades, squares, facades and parks will be illuminated by unique light installations bringing a fine blend of art, innovation and inspiration to all visitors. The fusing of old and new, historical city locations and modern tech, creates a very special atmosphere. This festival has also become a valuable platform for various artists, local and foreign authors, and its programme remains open and accessible to everyone, since the festival attractions are totally free for all. I’d therefore like to extend an invite everyone to come and join us in enjoying this free and unique experience.”
the eighth edition of the festival of lights zagreb
The Director of the Zagreb Tourist Board, Mrs. Martina Bienenfeld, said: “The eighth edition of the Festival of Lights Zagreb reflects the continuity of this project’s growth and its international recognition, which has also been strongly boosted by Forbes. This year, we’ll be presenting 26 installations across 21 locations, and a great impetus for the ongoing development of the festival is the renewed interest of foreign artists and international cooperation from five countries – the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Slovakia and Spain – all realised through ten different installations.”
there’s an app for that!
“Another novelty for this year’s edition is the FOL application (app), available via the Google Play and Apple Store platforms. This will allow all visitors to plan their visit more easily, view all of the different locations and access more detailed information about each of the installations. This will no doubt further improve the entire user experience and bring the festival closer to the audience’s modern digital and sustainable habits. We’re also continuing our cooperation with WWF Adria. This year’s location on the Gradec Plateau will be dedicated to the sea. Through 3D mapping, we’ll aim to draw attention to the impact of climate change and plastic on the delicate marine ecosystem, connecting art with important ecological and social topics,” Bienenfeld added.
online and offline campaigns across 15 markets
This year, the Zagreb Tourist Board is conducting online and offline campaigns in a total of 15 markets, and this year the Festival of Lights Zagreb is being specially promoted at metro stations in both London and Milan. An additional recognition comes in the the fact that it has been included in Forbes’ list of the best events to visit in Europe in 2026, which once again confirms its quality and international relevance.
As a reminder, the Festival of Lights Zagreb has been included in the international organisation Festival of Lights International since its first edition back in 2017, which spotlighted it around the world with cities such as Berlin, New York and many others. The opening programme with 3D mapping is scheduled for Wednesday, March the 18th, at 19:00 on Plato Gradec. The festival will be open from 18:30 to 23:00, and admission to all programmes is free.
More information about individual programmes, as well as a location map, is available here and at the Visitor Centres.
