From mountaintop orchestras to seaside raves, summer in the Adria region means one thing: festivals everywhere. Between July and September, the region transforms into a cultural circuit of music, film, theatre, and tradition — inviting travellers to dance, reflect, and connect.
MUSIC
EXIT Festival – Novi Sad, Serbia
Dates: 10–13 July 2025
Held in the Petrovaradin Fortress, EXIT blends history with heavy bass. A must for global music lovers.
PERFORMING ARTS
Dubrovnik Summer Festival – Croatia
Dates: 10 July – 25 August 2025
Classical music, opera, and drama meet Baroque architecture in one of Europe’s oldest cultural celebrations.
FILM
Sarajevo Film Festival – Bosnia & Herzegovina
Dates: 15–22 August 2025
The region’s most renowned film event — where emerging talent meets global icons.
FILM
Pula Film Festival, Croatia
Dates: 10–17 July 2025
One of the oldest film festivals in Europe, features both Croatian and international films.
FILM
Tirana Film Festival – Albania
Dates: September 2025
A key event for auteurs and indie filmmakers in the heart of Albania’s capital.
MUSIC
Sonus Festival – Pag Island, Croatia
Dates: August 2025
Three days of pure techno and beachside freedom on the Adriatic.
Behind the Curtain Voices of the Festivals
What makes a festival unforgettable? The lineup, yes—but also the vision behind it. We asked the leaders of three of the region’s most iconic events to share what drives them, what defines their festival, and what audiences can expect this summer.
EXIT Festival
Ivan Petrović,
President EXIT Foundation
“EXIT Festival has grown from a student project in 2000 into one of the world’s leading music festivals and one of Serbia’s most recognised global brands. Over the past 25 years, we’ve welcomed more than four million visitors and some of the greatest music stars, while generating over €300 million in direct revenue for Serbia’s tourism sector. But EXIT is more than a music event—it’s a movement rooted in values like peace, unity, and optimism.
In contrast to the prevailing regional narratives of division and despair, EXIT stands for a vision of the future built on creativity, self-improvement, and hope. This year’s lineup features global icons like The Prodigy, Tiësto, Solomun, and Loreen—and we’re especially proud to host Deepak Chopra’s first-ever appearance in Serbia, bringing his message of personal transformation to our audience.”
SARAJEVO Film Festival
Jovan Marjanović,
Director Sarajevo Film Festival
“Leading the Sarajevo Film Festival means carrying the responsibility of its legacy, but also having the opportunity to actively shape the future of the film industry in Southeast Europe. Today, the Festival is much more than a cultural event – it is a regional platform that connects filmmakers, audiences, investors, and professionals from around the world.
Our vision is clear: to develop the Festival as a key meeting point for talent and ideas, a space for new stories and international co-productions,
and a powerful driver of the creative industries, tourism, and the positive image of the region.
The Sarajevo Film Festival helps create an environment where values such as openness, diversity, and collaboration are lived through art.
At this year’s Festival edition, the audience can once again expect an exciting and high-quality programme, strong authorial voices, and unforgettable encounters that make the Festival a unique experience – not only for film professionals, but for the city and the entire region.“
PULA Film Festival
Tanja Miličić,
Director Pula Film Festival
“The Pula Film Festival is one of the oldest film events in the world and proudly nurtures a tradition spanning more than seven decades. Yet, its true value lies not in numbers and years, but in the ongoing dialogue between filmmakers and audiences. Pula offers a unique space where contemporary Croatian and regional cinema meets viewers in an atmosphere few locations can match—under the starry sky of the ancient Roman Arena.
The 72nd edition of the festival will take place from 10 to 17 July 2025, once again turning the historic city into a vibrant hub of cinema. The festival is not just a venue for screening films,
but a space for exchanging ideas, opening important topics, and strengthening film culture. Special emphasis is placed on domestic cinema, while international collaboration and the education of new generations of film professionals remain key pillars.
Pula—with its cultural weight and distinctive setting—is not only a symbol of history, but also a living space where the future of film is contemplated and shaped. In times of rapid change, the Pula Film Festival remains a place of continuity, quality, and gathering for all those who see film as more than just art—those who experience it as a way of thinking, expressing, and connecting. One light, thousands of memories.”
