A Brief History of Festival Lent

Each June, the medieval Lent district along the Drava River, the historic squares, picturesque streets of the Old Town, and even the mighty city park emerge as festival venues bursting with art, culture, and creativity. With more than thirty years of tradition, Festival Lent is one of the oldest and largest open-air festivals in Central Europe. Every year, it welcomes about two hundred thousand visitors; almost every fourth Slovene has visited it at least once. It celebrates art, culture, and creativity of all genres for all generations, providing a space for discovery, learning, meeting, and coexisting in a variety of cultures. Lent is a member of the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) and the Association of Slovene Festivals (SloFA).

Festival Lent is much more than just a series of events offered at the beginning of summer. It hosts four concurrent festivals, each offering visitors unique and unforgettable experiences. It is no wonder that Festival Lent is the county’s largest festival! Everything from folk art to jazz music, street theatre to creativity, and more, is combined within this festival of festivals: Folkart, the International Folklore Festival (one of the most prominent and renowned folklore festivals in Europe and worldwide), JazzLent and Jazz Podium (featuring popular foreign and Slovenian jazz and jazz-related musicians), Street Theatre Ana Desetnica (a playful street theatre festival, bringing life to city streets and squares) and Art kamp (providing the most popular daily events of the

festival for younger generations and families in the city park, brimming with creativity, culture, recreation, mingling, and a joyful atmosphere).

More than twenty festival venues, stretching from the banks of the Drava River to the City Park, are only a few minutes’ walk away. The genre-diverse and varied program allows everyone to find something for themselves - from the youngest to the oldest. There are opera and ballet performances, theater and dance shows, jazz concerts, classical music performances, world music showcases, singer-songwriter concerts, chanson and ethno music performances, folklore evenings, street theater performances, film screenings, sports activities, and events and activities for children.

Who’s been here? Music giants and legends such as B.B. King, James Brown, Ray Charles, and Stephane Grapelli, alongside an array of internationally acclaimed artists including Macy Gray, Mercedes Sosa, Paquito D’Rivera, Bob Geldof, Dr. John, Jose Feliciano, Lester Bowie, David Byrne, Maynard Ferguson, Taj Mahal, Alfredo De La Fé, Alfredo Rodriguez, Malia, Eric Burdon & The Animals, Living Colour, Maceo Parker, Femi Anikulapo Kuti, Manu Chao, Fatoumata Diawara, Ilhan Ersahin, Manu Katche, Richard Bona, Al Di Meola, Solomon Burke, Fred Wesley, Jimmy Cliff, Erik Truffaz, Hugh Masekela, Goran Bregović, Đor e Balašević, and many more, have graced the festival with their presence.

Narodni dom Maribor

Maribor, Slovenia

nd-mb.si/

DATES:

July 21 – 29, 2024

ATTENDANCE:

150.000 - 200.000

BUDGET:

$1,000,000

ANNUAL DURATION:

9 days

NUMBER OF EVENTS:

190 + More than 900 Workshops and Presentations in Art Kamp. Concerts, Film screenings, Children Theatre, Street theatre, Stand-Up shows, Dancing, Workshops, Roundtables, City tours, Folklore, After parties, Comedy shows, Theatre.

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS:

50

NUMBER OF STAFF:

55 staff + 600 (including workshops, security, technical staff, supporting staff, students etc.)

WHEN ESTABLISHED:

1993

MAJOR REVENUE SOURCES BY PERCENT:

• Sponsorships & Donations: 43%

• Ticket Sales: 30% 

• Municipality: 19%

• Ministry of Culture: 5%

• Other: 3%

MAJOR EXPENSES BY PERCENT:

• Programme: 56%

• Technical Support: 24%

• Marketing & Promotion: 8%

• Other: 12%

TYPE OF GOVERNANCE:

By Municipality