JOIN US AT GREGORČKI 2026
On the eve of St. Gregory’s Day, Wednesday, March 11, between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., we will hold the traditional Spring Greeting – Gregorčki event by the Gradaščica River on Eipprova Street in Trnovo, Ljubljana. We will commemorate an old folk custom, when craftsmen symbolically bid farewell to winter by floating wooden boats with burning candles down streams, rejoicing that with the arrival of spring they would no longer need light to work. Accompanied by the sounds of typical Slovenian birds, animators will inform visitors about the folk custom and the event program. The highlights of the event will be a musical performance, which will delight the youngest visitors, and the floating of gregorčki down the river. There will also be a rich accompanying program of special eco-friendly educational and creative workshops and a culinary corner. In case of rain, the event will take place at Slovenski etnografski muzej. Depending on the weather conditions, we will announce the final location to the public the day before the event.
Come and join us for an event full of fun with workshops for children, animators, and musical performances!
PROGRAM:
3:00–6:00 p.m. Floating of gregorčki
3:00–6:00 p.m. Workshops for children
Presentation of Slovenian birds
Planting and transplanting plants
Street games
Drawing and coloring birds and plants
4:30–5:00 p.m. CONCERT Music School of the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet
5:00–5:45 p.m. PIŽAMA – FAIRY TALE PERFORMANCE
5:45–6:00 p.m. Drawing of prize draw winners
18.00–20.00 Evening floating of gregorčki
15.00–20.00 Culinary corner at Eipprova
MAIN GUEST: Boštjan Gorenc – Pižama
Boštjan Gorenc – Pižama’s fairy tale performance intertwines folk tales, contemporary humor, and narrative playfulness that appeals to children and adults alike. The stories bring laughter, excitement, and imagination, and fit nicely into the springtime of St. Gregory’s Day and the awakening of nature. Boštjan Gorenc – Pižama is a writer, translator, and comedian, known for his translations of popular best-selling books for young people (Kapitan Gatnik, Pasji mož, Krive so zvezde, Čudo) and for his award-winning collection sLOLvenski klasiki, which became book of the year and a bestseller.
CONCERT Music School of the Ljubljana Conservatory of Music and Ballet
Wind quintet of the KGBL Music School, featuring Kiti Karer, Zarja Dolamič, Rebeka Šešek, Tilen Blažič, and Tisa Coloni, mentor Vesna Križ, prof.
Brass quartet of the KGBL Music School, featuring Laura Gašperšič, Livia Kozamernik, Arnolt Bajde, Andrej Kosmač, mentor Leon Pokeržnik, prof.
ACCOMPANYING PROGRAM in the days leading up to the event:
Slovenian Ethnographic Museum, Saturday, March 7 – FULLY BOOKED
Gregorček workshop at the museum “about people, for people,” a space for dialogue between the past and the present. In case of a large number of registrations, the workshop will be held twice on the same day.
Botanical Garden Ljubljana, Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at 5:00 p.m., Ižanska cesta 15
Public workshop Making Gregorčki from natural materials. We will learn about the old Slavic custom of lowering lights as a symbol of the arrival of spring. The workshop is suitable for children (5+) and adults, all materials are provided.
Kinodvor, Saturday, March 7 at 10:00 a.m.
After watching the short animated films Ptičji disko (Bird Disco), there will be a workshop on making Gregorčki in the Kinodvor Café. You can then float your Gregorčki down the Gradaščica River at the event Pozdrav pomladi – Gregorčki 2026 (Welcome Spring – Gregorčki 2026) (March 11). Tickets are already on sale.
We pay special attention to protecting the environment: every year, the first thing we do is thoroughly clean the bed and banks of the Gradaščica River. We regularly encourage visitors to use biodegradable and recycled materials to make their boats. The boats are collected from the water during the event, and at the end, those that cannot be reused or are discarded by children are thrown away in designated containers. Make your own boat from biodegradable materials and join us!
The event is free for visitors.
In case of rain, the event will take place at Slovenski etnografski muzej. Depending on the weather conditions, we will announce the final location to the public the day before the event.
The event is part of the LUV Fest:
The event is funded by:
