So Much variety in the 2010 Slovenia Events Calendar!
NEW YEAR: A COLOURFUL DECEMBER IN MARIBOR, SLOVENIA
Maribor’s cultural and events institutions are organising a wealth of attractive and high-quality musical events for the festive season in December. A large number of street events will be taking place in the city centre. The climax will be the New Year’s Eve celebrations in the centre of Maribor.
December festivities began with the switching-on of the Christmas decorations. This year the decorations in the greater part of Maribor’s Old Town have a new look, dubbed the ‘Fairy Ball of Thread’, the work of a team of young architects and designers. In the run-up to 2012, the new style of decorations will become richer every year, with completely new features. In 2012, when Maribor becomes the European Capital of Culture, the city will dazzle visitors with its modern and attractive appearance.
Another interesting event is the Christmas Market in the city centre (14 to 30 December). The market will offer carefully selected arts and crafts products and a range of practical gifts. Trg Svobode will host events for children and young people, with attractive puppet shows, performances, concerts, creative workshops, games and a charity bazaar. There will also be a small outdoor ice skating rink in the city centre during this period. The botanical garden will host the largest outdoor living Nativity scene in Slovenia.
New Year’s Eve in Maribor’s Old Town is a unique experience. This extremely well attended event features performances by top groups and soloists from around Slovenia. A highlight of the evening is the midnight fireworks display from Trg Generala Maistra.
For more information visit www.maribor-pohorje.si
SKIING: NEW FACILITIES AT SKI CENTRES
Slovenia boasts dozens of ski areas equipped with aerial lifts and over 280 kilometres of skiing runs. The larger ski resorts also offer ski touring, tobogganing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing. Some ski areas also offer snowmobile excursions, dogsled rides and horse-drawn sleigh rides.
The Kanin ski resort, which last year enjoyed the highest snowfall of the last twenty years, a record-breaking 675 cm, joins force with the Italian ski resort of Sella Nevea for the 2009/2010 season. This is the first international ski centre in the region. With the construction of a new aerial lift and ski run, Kanin and Sella Nevea will become one resort. A single ski pass will give access to the slopes on both the Slovenian and Italian sides of the border. The international ski centre will also be the highest-lying ski resort in the wider region, with a long skiing season lasting right up to the beginning of May.
Mariborsko Pohorje, Slovenia’s largest ski area, gains a new gondola lift for the 2009/2010 season. The new lift will run from the foot of the Pohorje massif to the summit. Due to open on 23 December, the new lift will have a capacity of 1,000 people per hour, which is double the capacity of the existing lift. Further facilities are due to be completed next year, enabling the gondola lift to operate at its full capacity of 2,400 people per hour.
The popular Rogla ski area introduces the new Ski Plus pass for the 2009/2010 season. This will be valid from 1.00 pm to 9.oo pm and is an attractive new option, particularly for those who enjoy night skiing.
To guarantee the enjoyment of the youngest skiers, the Kranjska Gora ski resort has opened an outdoor children’s play area which will feature an extra magic carpet lift to facilitate the faster and safer transport of children. Little skiers can use the play area free of charge.
Adrenaline-seekers are invited to the new Cerkno Snow Park, aimed at snowboarders and acrobatic skiers, both beginners and the more experienced. Snowboarding and freestyle skiing instructors will be on hand to help beginners.
For more information visit http://www.slovenia.info/skiing.
SPORTS EVENTS: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE!
Winter is here, and with it a number of events that lovers of winter sports will not want to miss.
Sports enthusiasts are very well catered for this year. The Cross-Country Skiing World Cup takes place on 19 and 20 December. The competition will be accompanied by concerts, a sports and winter equipment fair, and even a cross-country skiing school for those who want to try this discipline for themselves. The Biathlon World Cup takes place in Pokljuka from 16 to 20 December. Over the course of three days the world’s best biathletes will compete in six different contests.
And what else does Winter 2010 bring? The Telemark Skiing World cup takes place in Bohinj between 15 and 17 January. The 46th edition of the Golden Fox Trophy, taking place in Maribor on 16 and 17 January, features women’s World Cup slalom and giant slalom events. Men’s World Cup events will be held in Kranjska Gora on 30 and 31 January. The first World Winter Masters Games take place in Bled from 25 to 31 January. This event, for recreational athletes, covers the following disciplines: Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, ski jumping, ice hockey and indoor football. The famous ski flying competition in Planica is scheduled for 20 and 21 March.
And some hints for warmer weather: The Mountain Bike World Cup returns to Maribor on 15 and 16 May. The Kayak Slalom World Championship takes place in Ljubljana from 9 to 12 September.
For more information visit http://www.slovenia.info/events.
2010 EVENTS CALENDAR: PLENTY OF VARIETY!
The great variety of events scheduled for 2010 guarantee that there is something for everyone. Ljubljana will play an important role in the cultural sphere, having been selected as the 2010 World Book Capital. A rich and varied programme of book-related events in Slovenia’s capital city begins on 23 April.
A few selected highlights:
The Kralj MatjaЕѕ snow castle building competition in January is perfect for those who love snow. Those who enjoy dressing up should not miss Slovenia’s largest carnival, the Kurentovanje event in Ptuj (6-16 February 2010).
When spring arrives, nature awakes from its winter sleep. See for yourself at the VolДЌji Potok Aboretum, the venue of the Spring Flowers Exhibition in April. Or if you prefer the sea, don’t miss the Festival of Saltmaking in SeДЌovlje.
Summer promises to be a lively time too. Maribor’s famous Lent Festival runs from 25 June to 10 July 2010. Slovenia’s capital becomes the venue for the summer Ljubljana Festival, and the Primorska Summer Festival takes place on the coast. Music lovers can enjoy Rock OtoДЌec at OtoДЌec Castle (2 to 4 July 2010) or Metal Camp in Tolmin (5-11 July 2010).
Autumn brings the grape harvest and the Old Vine Festival in Maribor. The 25th International Literary Festival takes place in Vilenica. Lovers of classical music should not miss the Maribor Festival.
You can find a more complete list of events at www.slovenia.info/events.
December 11, 2009
Posted in: Slovenia