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Events in Kotor
Kotor is a special destination, rich in culture, history, and a strong sense of community. Perast residents embrace each Fešta – of which there are quite a lot – and the narrow cobblestone streets are then full of music and life. Fascinating local traditions have endured for generations and today are more alive than ever – marching bands in traditional attire, festive maritime processions, and oversized effigies make a common appearance.
Winter Carnival in Kotor
Every year in February, the narrow streets of Kotor’s Old Town become one huge conglomeration of colorful Venetian-style carnival masks, costumes, and rhythms. The Kotor Winter Carnival has a 500-year-long tradition and is celebrated with a big cheerful parade that ends at the Square of Arms with the emblematic burning of a huge effigy.
The dummy always symbolizes a popular public figure like a politician or business mogul, someone who is to blame for all the bad things that had happened to Kotor in the previous year. The festivities continue with open-air concerts and go on until late into the night in the local pubs and bars.
Boka Night
source: Wikipedia
The Boka Night is a beauty pageant for boats, which has been around since the 19th century. It is one of Kotor’s largest events, taking place in the second half of August and attracting thousands of visitors. Beautifully adorned boats process from Muo towards Kotor’s Old Town while a jury decides the winner.
After the most beautiful boat has been crowned, everybody celebrates with a spectacular firework and several live music performances. Celebrations usually last until the early morning hours in the squares, pubs, and bars of the old historical center of Kotor.
Fasinada in Perast
This maritime procession with a 572-year-old tradition is held each year on July 22nd in the coastal town of Perast to celebrate the discovery of an icon, a religious artwork, at the location of Our Lady of the Rocks Island. Local townspeople form a festive naval convoy with their beautifully decorated fishing boats and then throw rocks into the sea next to the island.
KotorArt Festival
From its humble beginnings as a small music festival, KotorArt has transformed itself into one of the biggest regional multidisciplinary cultural events. A huge appreciation of art and culture is at the heart of this annual festival that takes place in July and August in Kotor and the surrounding Boka towns.
Expect numerous classical music (but also jazz, pop, and rock), theatrical, ballet dance, and other artistic performances and workshops, held against the backdrop of picturesque Venetian architecture, medieval churches, and incredible landscapes. It also welcomes elements of traditional Montenegrin singing, dancing, and local gastronomy.
Klapa Festival Perast
Usually in mid-to-late September the International Klapa Festival takes place in the tranquil town of Perast, hosting numerous local as well as regional a capalla groups. You can experience the traditional ways of choir singing that originated centuries ago in the taverns of Trieste, Italy.
Summer Carnival in Kotor
Charming Kotor has the most boisterous carnival festivities in the country and it is surely lively and loud and not to be missed if you happen to visit Montenegro at the start of August. Central to the celebrations is the colorful Venetian-style carnival parade (there are in fact two, one for children and one for grown-ups) with many groups proudly portraying their beautiful masks and costumes.
Eye-catching fireworks light up Kotor Fortress and the ancient city walls as the celebrations continue on the piazzas and venues of Kotor’s Old Town, which involves many concerts, flirting, and exuberant dancing.
Kotor Children’s Theater Festival
The Kotor Children’s Theater Festival is an almost two-week festivity, offering family-friendly theater, music, and dance for young audiences living in or visiting Kotor. The festival celebrates the best of children’s theatre from around Europe and is accompanied by an art and literary program.
It is a cheerful and cordial event that is kicked off by the symbolic ceding of the Keys of the City in an official handover ceremony so that for the next couple of days children will be in charge of city affairs.
Kostanjada
Stoliv becomes a local hotspot for a fortnight at the end of the chestnut harvesting season in November. The Kostanijada which has been organized since 2006, attracts people from all over Montenegro, locals and tourists, for events such as wine & chestnut tastings.
Light-hearted housewives work hard to present their lovely coastal town in the best possible light, serving grilled fish, freshly harvested olives, and of course, countless autumn delicacies made of chestnuts. Expect a fun atmosphere and, if you have not overindulged, consider joining the hiking experience up to Gornji Stoliv, a great natural (and free) vantage point.
Feast Day of St. Tryphon
Kotor’s Patron Saint is St. Tryphon and celebrations begin in Kotor at the end of January; on February 3rd it is officially Feast Day of St. Tryphon. It is important to mention that the Boka Navy builds one of the backbones of these annual festivities by performing their Kolo chain dance, which has been listed as an intangible World Heritage by UNESCO.
Saint Tryphon’s Day has already been celebrated more than 1,200 times and is thus by far the town’s oldest festival. And like every year, the Kolo is followed up by spiritual worship music inside Kotor Cathedral and a procession with the relics of Saint Tryphon.
Kotor Winter Fest
Kotor’s city administration has consolidated multiple festivities into one grand event that starts on December 1st and lasts for two months, the Kotor Winter Fest. In a weekly rhythm, Kotor’s main squares are filled with music, with many popular regional stars performing to the public who noticeably enjoy the free entertainment.
The event is kicked off on the first day of December by turning on the festive lighting, which looks great on the ancient city walls and palm-lined streets of Kotor. Traditionally, priganice (Montenegrin dough balls) are served on Christmas Eve (24.12.) in front of the main Sea Gate, and there is also the Papalada ala maka, a popular gastronomic event on January 8th.
Days of Camellia
source: Bokanews
The camellia is a beautiful flower that was introduced to Boka Bay residents in the 19th century by a Stoliv captain who brought it with him from faraway Japan to surprise his wife. The ‘Rose of Winter’ becomes an attention-grabber in March when its blousy and colorful blooms fill everyone with joy.
The Days of Camellia are a month-long event in March and April which includes a spectacular showcase of unique floral arrangements, art exhibitions, concerts, and literary readings. The event is certainly worth participating in as it is a great opportunity to meet new people and share wine and food.
Shooting the Rooster
source: Radio Dux
Shooting the Rooster is an annual event celebrated in Perast on the 15th of May to commemorate the victory of the local residents over their much larger Ottoman invaders in 1654. Hundreds of people gather to take part in Montenegro’s most popular long-ranged shooting event.
The target is a living rooster that floats on a wooden flank in the waters of the Bay of Kotor, about 300 meters away from the coast. The shooter who hits the target is awarded an embroidered towel with the battle date. It turns into a big festival and celebration, including a Kolo Chain Dance performance by the Boka Navy and lots of wine in the local taverns.