LegendFest Poljica 2026 – Fairies Come to Life Again in the Heart of Poljica

On the last weekend of August, legends will come to life again in Poljica! LegendFest Poljica 2026 will take place on 29 and 30 August in the unique setting of the traditional village of Dolovi in Čažin Dolac, Tugare. This year’s edition of the festival is dedicated to – FAIRIES.

Following two previous editions in the Poljica region, LegendFest returns for the third time, and for the second time to Tugare – a village at the foot of Poljička planina, where the landscape, history and oral tradition provide a natural setting for an encounter with the world of legends.

Fairies – Between Folklore, Nature and Imagination

Beautiful and dangerous, benevolent and vengeful, guardians of nature and mysterious inhabitants of mountains, forests, waters and caves – fairies hold a special place in Croatian oral tradition. Stories about them have been passed down for centuries throughout Poljica and the areas surrounding Mosor and the Cetina River.

This rich and mysterious fairy world will be the central theme of this year’s LegendFest.

Over the course of two festival days, Čažin Dolac will become a meeting place for heritage, history, mythology, art and music. Visitors can look forward to lectures and storytelling, creative and traditional workshops, demonstrations of old crafts, a medieval encampment and displays of historical equipment, a traditional blacksmith’s forge, and numerous activities for both children and adults.

Among this year’s participants sharing their knowledge, research and stories with the audience are Nikolina Radmilo Pivčević, Elis Gobo, Tomislav Livaja and Goran Mikas.

LegendExpo and LegendSajam

An integral part of the festival is once again LegendExpo, an exhibition programme dedicated to contemporary artistic interpretations of Croatian mythology, mythical creatures, deities and folk traditions.

Throughout the festival area, LegendSajam will bring together artisans, craftspeople, family farms, traditional crafts and producers of local products.

At Guvno, Ana Rodić will lead Vilaonica, a creative space inspired by the world of fairies, while at other festival locations visitors will be able to discover traditional wool processing, blacksmithing skills and the life and equipment of medieval warriors presented by the St Nicholas Knights’ Society from Varaždin.

Music Under the Poljica Sky

As evening falls, LegendFest moves towards the festival stage at Kilača.

This year’s music programme features performers who connect traditional music and cultural heritage with contemporary musical expression. Over the course of two evenings, PLET, VUK and VEJA will perform alongside traditional musicians and other musical guests.

A special finale awaits on Sunday evening with a concert by the Istrian ethno ensemble VEJA, whose distinctive musical expression draws on the traditional music of Istria and transforms it into a powerful contemporary ethno sound.

Godparents of LegendFest Poljica 2026

This year’s festival godparents are Elis Gobo and Drago Draguzet, two dedicated custodians and promoters of tradition, heritage and cultural identity.

Through their role as festival godparents, LegendFest continues its mission of connecting different regions of Croatia and their stories, customs and traditions – from Istria to Poljica.

Come to a Place Where Legends Still Live

LegendFest is not a festival you simply watch. It is a festival you walk through and take part in – listening to stories, discovering ancient skills, meeting researchers and artists, enjoying music and exploring places where the boundary between history, folklore and imagination sometimes seems remarkably thin.

That is why we invite you to join us on 29 and 30 August 2026 in Čažin Dolac, Tugare.

Come with your children, family and friends. Wander through the old courtyards and threshing floors of Poljica, listen to stories that have survived for centuries, and spend the final weekend of August immersed in a world of fairies, legends, music and heritage.

See you at LegendFest Poljica 2026 – where legends come to life again!

29–30 August 2026
Traditional village of Dolovi, Čažin Dolac, Tugare – Poljica, Croatia

Admission to the festival programme is free.