Celje is a friendly city for anyone looking for a cultural verve, relaxation, laughter, song, tradition, history, or romance. It is also a family-friendly town. Playgrounds, books and toys that will make your children's day can be found in nearly every corner of the town, at shops, bars, and in parks.
Celje is particularly lively during the many traditional festivities and events taking place throughout the year, offering quality entertainment for children and adults.
The Celje carnival
The Celje carnival is colourful and, as it should be, fat. The festivities are organized by the Celje Museum of Recent History, Celje Youth Centre (Mladinski Center), Institute Celeia Celje, Celje's pubs and bars, and many societies. The youngest carnival-goers are especially welcome; their traditional fancy ball is held at the Celjski Dom.
Days of culture (February)
Culture thrives in the City of Counts throughout the year. In February, the days of culture honour Slovenia's greatest poet and the author of the lyrics to the national anthem, France Prešeren. A rich cultural program across the town is contributed by Celje's public cultural institutes, societies, independent artists, schools, and kindergartens.
Days of comedy (February and March)
Traditional theatre festival fills our hearts with what we need most – joy and laughter. Each year, the Slovenian People's Theatre in Celje hosts a choice of theatre actresses and actors.
At the end of the festival, the audience awards the best one among them with the title of the "Exquisite Comedian". Every two years, the festival's honourable sponsor Municipality of Celje presents the "Noble Comedy Quill" award for an original Slovenian comedy.
International youth choir festival (April)
The festival, taking place in Celje since 1946, is in sync with the beat of our time. Every two years, the town is filled with song and youthful freshness. This biennial event hosts youth choirs from across the globe. It is accompanied by the project "A Minute for a Song" that spreads the song to the streets of Celje's old city centre.
Countryside in the city (June and October)
The treats from the countryside offered in the old city centre
Teaming up with the society Diversity of Countryside, the Institute Celeia Celje brings the homemade treats and treasures from the countryside to Celje's city centre. Produce from farms is sold, and farms and rural societies present their work and crafts. The visitors can also take a horse and carriage ride through the town.
The month of sports (May and June)
Promoting exercise and amateur sports events
Working with sports organizations and the Celje Sports Association, athletes, sports organizers and volunteers, the Municipality of Celje is looking to improve the conditions for the development of sports in Celje. Throughout the month, a number of free sports and exercise programs are offered in the Celje's public park, Celjska koča, the Savinja waterfront, Šmartinsko Lake, Golovec Bowling Alley, Golovec indoor swimming pool, Zlatorog Hall, gyms, and outdoor courts and pitches of the town's schools. Many lectures are held, as well as sports events, both social and competitive.
Living history at old castle Celje (Every weekend from April to October)
Unique experience of life at a mediaeval castle
The Old Castle of Celje, one Slovenia's most impressive castles, welcomes the visitors each weekend and challenges them in archery tournaments and sword fights with the knights, entices them into flirting with the princesses, and invites them to chat with the castle's residents, unleash their creativity at mediaeval workshops, take a tour of a knight camp and armoury, and peek into the pot of the castle's cooks as hearty dishes boil away in an open fireplace.
Summer in Celje (June–August)
Summer may be the most beautiful season in Celje, inviting with a lavish program of events, open-air concerts, street theatre, and other shows in the town and at the Old Castle. The riverside beach is the perfect place to enjoy an event, a drink, and the view of the Savinja River. Children will also find a summer walk through the town a special experience.
International trade and business fair (MOS)
Celje is the city of fairs and tradeshows and the traditional International Trade and Business Fair (MOS) is the biggest event of the kind in the region, drawing by far the largest attendance. It is a business hub of innovation, development, and the latest achievements of entrepreneurs, offering an all-around presentation of new products and services, affording a comprehensive insight into the key challenges faced by the entrepreneurs and the economy as a whole in the broad business environment, and encouraging dialogue. Moreover, the tradeshow of them all brings excellent opportunity for well-priced shopping for the exhibited products and services.
The land of Celje welcomes you ... (last Friday and Saturday of August)
This two-day mediaeval event at the Old Castle will thrill and amaze you with the verve of market bargaining, feasts, live music, dance, equestrians, jugglers, and spectacular fire performances. It is an interweave of love at the tip of the sword, tears and laughter of the noble ladies and their nights. The thunder of mediaeval drums will take you back to the times of the Counts of Celje. Children can learn about the mediaeval times in unique workshops.
Fairy-tale Celje (December)
In December, Celje is adorned with thousands of festive lights to welcome Santa Claus, dwarves, fairies, and wondrous heroes. Christmas dreams come true among the fairy-tale houses of the Christmas market, open-air concerts, horse and carriage rides, ambrosial potions, and exquisite delicacies. Children's wishes will come true in the Fairy-Tale Land, a unique place in Slovenia, which also hosts the New Year's Eve party for children.
New year's eve celebrations (31 December)
Citizens of Celje and everyone who loves Celje welcomes the New Year with a major open-air concert on Krekov Trg.
