October’s calendar in Croatia follows the autumn harvest. Truffles bring visitors to inland Istria, chestnuts take centre stage around Lovran and food festivals offer a reason to linger over lunch long after the summer crowds have left.
There is plenty happening beyond the food stalls, too. Concerts and film programmes fill autumn evenings in Split and Zagreb, while smaller towns celebrate local produce and traditions through fairs, workshops and public gatherings.
The selection below highlights events in Croatia in October 2026, from Dubrovnik and the Kvarner coast to Istria, Gorski kotar and Baranja.
Events in Dalmatia in October
Dubrovnik Good Food Festival
When: 5–18 October 2026
Dubrovnik’s Good Food Festival brings two weeks of restaurant menus, tastings, workshops and culinary events to the city and its surroundings.
The programme reaches beyond restaurant dining. Visitors can join gastronomic excursions, explore local family farms and take part in activities connected with the ingredients and food traditions of the Dubrovnik region. Street food, guest-chef dinners and the Dubrovnik Beer & Bites Fest add different ways to spend an afternoon or evening.
Participating restaurants offer special festival menus at promotional prices, making this one of the more accessible ways to try the festival without committing to a particular workshop or organised excursion. Read more in Dubrovnik Good Food Festival Returns With Two Weeks of Food, Workshops and Local Traditions.
October concerts at Hrvatski dom Split
When: Selected dates throughout October 2026
Hrvatski dom Split’s October programme brings classical music, contemporary compositions and other concert performances to the Ivo Tijardović Concert Hall on Tončićeva Street.
Highlights in the second half of the month include Brushy One String on 17 October, the Zadar Chamber Orchestra on 21 October and guitar ensemble Trio Elogio on 22 October.
Pianist Nagino Maruyama performs on 29 October as part of the Piano Loop Festival, with a programme featuring works by Chopin, Beethoven, Ravel and Brahms.
For visitors spending several days in Split, the programme offers an evening option within easy reach of the historic centre. Tickets and details for individual concerts are available through Hrvatski dom Split.
Events in Kvarner in October
Marunada in Lovran, Dobreć and Liganj
When: 9–25 October 2026, with celebrations across three weekends
Marunada celebrates the chestnuts known locally as maruni through food, music and gatherings in Lovran and the nearby villages of Dobreć and Liganj.
The main Lovran weekend took place from 9 to 11 October, but the celebrations continue in Dobreć on 17–18 October and Liganj on 24–25 October. Further activities in Lovran include a ten-metre chestnut roll on St George’s Square on 17 October.
Local producers, children’s activities and live performances accompany the food programme in Dobreć. In Liganj, the final weekend includes a hiking outing, an ethnographic exhibition and a guided walk along the chestnut trail.
The guided walk requires registration because places are limited. Visitors should check the programme for their chosen location, as Marunada moves between communities rather than taking place at one festival site throughout the month.
Bela nedeja in Kastav
When: 3–5 October 2026
Kastav will welcome October with Bela nedeja, a three-day celebration of young wine, local food and music.
The festival will centre on the town’s wine traditions, particularly belica, with tastings, a wider fair and performances across several stages. The 2026 programme will also include the CrekVina wine festival, bringing together winemakers and other exhibitors.
Museums, galleries and the House of Belica will form part of the accompanying programme, connecting the festivities with Kastav’s local history.
For visitors planning an autumn trip to Kvarner, Bela nedeja will offer an opportunity to experience Kastav through its wine, food and local traditions.
Events in Istria in October
Zigante Truffle Days in Livade
When: Saturdays and Sundays, 3 October–1 November 2026
Zigante Truffle Days give visitors several weekends to explore Istria’s autumn truffle season in Livade.
The fair brings together truffle dishes, wine and other regional products, with culinary activities and opportunities to learn how truffles are found in the nearby forests. Demonstration hunts take visitors into the Motovun Forest with a guide, a truffle hunter and trained dogs.
It is an opportunity to connect the ingredient served on the plate with the landscape and work behind it, particularly for visitors unfamiliar with truffle hunting.
The fair is open from 10am to 7pm on Saturdays and Sundays, with free entry. Truffle-hunting experiences are booked separately through the organiser.
Teran and Truffle Festival in Motovun
When: 17–18 October 2026
Motovun brings together two of Istria’s best-known autumn flavours at its Teran and Truffle Festival.
Held on Andrea Antico Square, the two-day event combines wine tastings with truffle dishes and introduces visitors to Istrian Teran producers. The emphasis is on the relationship between the wine and local cuisine, with dishes selected to accompany Teran’s robust character.
The setting adds to the appeal. A visit to the festival can be combined with time in Motovun’s old town and views over the Mirna Valley, the landscape closely associated with Istria’s truffle season.
Programme details are available from the Motovun and Istria tourist boards.
Tuber (Food) Fest in Livade
When: 24–25 October 2026
Tuber (Food) Fest combines street food with traditional Istrian cooking, with truffles at the centre of the menu.
Chefs prepare dishes in front of visitors and offer them at promotional prices, giving the event a different format from a conventional produce fair. The accompanying programme includes culinary workshops, children’s activities and sports.
For anyone choosing between the different truffle events in Croatia in October, this is an option with a particular focus on freshly prepared food and an informal festival setting.
Although it shares Livade with Zigante Truffle Days, Tuber (Food) Fest is a separate event. Visitors should check the relevant programme when planning their weekend.
Events in Gorski kotar in October
Bundevijada in Vrbovsko
When: 10–11 October 2026
Vrbovsko’s Bundevijada will devote a weekend to pumpkins, pumpkin seed oil and traditional regional products.
The fair will take place in the town’s sports hall, with exhibitors presenting food and produce alongside demonstrations of old-fashioned dishes. Competitions will recognise the smallest, heaviest and most unusual pumpkins, while music and children’s workshops will complete the programme.
The event will offer a glimpse of Gorski kotar through its producers and local cooking, adding a food-focused stop to a region more often visited for forests, walking and outdoor activities.
Events in Zagreb in October
Zagreb Jazz Festival
When: Selected dates from September to November, including 4 and 19 October 2026
The Zagreb Jazz Festival follows a series of individual concert dates rather than one continuous festival weekend.
October’s programme includes the James Carter Quartet’s Coltrane tribute on 4 October and Barbara Hendricks and Her Blues Band at Kino SC on 19 October. The earlier concert has already taken place, while the latter offers an option for visitors arriving in the second half of the month.
Because performances are held at different venues, visitors should check the location and ticket availability for the particular concert they wish to attend.
Cherry Pop Festival
When: 22–24 October 2026
Cherry Pop Festival brings film, art and discussion to Zagreb through a programme exploring intimacy and human relationships.
The fifth edition, titled Between Us, includes an international short-film competition, longer films and accompanying events examining connection, boundaries and difficult relationship dynamics.
Screenings and activities take place at Dokukino, Surogatkino KIC, Klet and other programme locations. Workshops, a performance and a panel discussion extend the festival beyond the cinema screen.
Visitors should consult the individual listings for venues, screening times and participation details.
Events in Baranja in October
Month of Baranja Cuisine
When: Selected dates, 3–25 October 2026
The Month of Baranja Cuisine introduces regional food through six cooking workshops at six different locations.
Participants take an active role in preparing the dishes before sitting down to taste them together. The programme includes game čobanac with homemade noodles, traditional breads and pastries and Danube fish cooked in a large outdoor pan.
Each workshop begins at 9am with a Baranja breakfast, leaving time to cook, talk with the hosts and learn about methods and recipes passed down through generations.
Participation costs €15 per person and is free for children aged ten and under. Places are limited and registration is required. Visitors who do not speak Croatian should ask the organiser about language arrangements before booking.
Planning your visit to events in Croatia in October
When choosing between events in Croatia in October, check whether the published dates refer to a continuous programme, selected concert evenings or weekend-only opening. A festival running across several weeks may have no public activities on the day you arrive.
Cooking workshops, guided walks and special dinners may require reservations even when the wider festival is free to enter. For smaller events, it is also useful to confirm the language of any guided activity.
Outdoor programmes can change with the weather, so check the organiser’s latest announcements before setting out. If your trip includes an island or several smaller towns, confirm transport connections and allow enough time for the return journey.
The dates above provide a starting point, while the individual organisers’ programmes give the final details on venues, tickets and any changes.
