Summer Festivals in Dubrovnik as an Unforgettable Cultural Experience for Business Event Participants

This summer, Dubrovnik once again stands out as a destination that, in addition to its rich history and natural beauty, offers a diverse cultural scene - an ideal setting for organizing social programs as part of summer business events or incentive trips. To start the season, there are two festivals that combine top-tier production with unique settings:

the Orsula Summer Festival on a stunning stage above the city, and the Midsummer Scene Festival at a historic fortress.

Orsula Summer Festival – Music and Street Art with a Panoramic View of Dubrovnik

At the eastern entrance to the city, perched on a 200-metre-high cliff above the sea, lies Park Orsula -a unique open-air amphitheatre with a view of Dubrovnik’s historic Old City. The festival, which has delighted audiences for years, begins on the 6^th of June this year and runs through the end of September, featuring concerts and performances nearly every week.

The Orsula Summer Festival opens (and closes) with the Acoustic City project, which brings together street artists from around the world for pop-up performances throughout the city and sunset shows at Orsula. The 2024 line-up includes regional music stars such as Neno Belan & Fiumens, Senidah, Darko Rundek, Tonči Huljić, Amira Medunjanin, and Vojko V, along with a variety of additional programming like flamenco nights, Đurologija stand-up, and the Sonic Festival.

Park Orsula becomes a vibrant cultural hub where history, art, and music meet - at one of the most breath-taking viewpoints on the Mediterranean.

Midsummer Scene – A Theatrical Spectacle Under the Stars

The only English-language theatre festival in Croatia, Midsummer Scene, takes place this year from the 22^nd of June to the 6^th of July, traditionally held at the impressive Lovrjenac Fortress, as well as other city locations. Now in its 11^th season, the festival presents a rich line-up of classical and contemporary plays, with an international cast and West End-level production.

The main performance this year is the sharp satire “The School for Scandal” by Richard Brinsley Sheridan - an 18th-century comedy of manners and social intrigue, staged for the first time in Croatia. Until the 5^th of July 5 (except the 28^th of June), audiences at Fort Lovrjenac will be immersed nightly in a world of sharp gossip, refined hypocrisy, and witty entanglements.

The festival also features Držić Day on the 28^th of June at the Rector’s Palace, dedicated to English translations of works by Marin Držić. In collaboration with the Marin Držić House, this year's event celebrates English editions of two of his masterpieces, "Skup" (The Miser) and "Venus and Adonis".

The festival concludes on the 6^th of July with a touching and humorous fairy monodrama based on a character from Shakespeare’s "A Midsummer Night’s Dream": “I, Peaseblossom” by Tim Crouch. Directed by Philip Parr (York Shakespeare Festival) and performed by Filip Krenus, this unique production draws audiences into a magical world of fairies and mortals through the eyes of Peaseblossom. Featuring innovative video animation, shadow theatre, and visual effects by Joseph Herscher (Joseph’s Machines), the play offers an interactive theatrical experience that blurs the line between stage and audience.

The Ideal Backdrop for Business Event Social Programs

For business event planners, these two festivals provide a unique opportunity to incorporate high-quality cultural programming - whether as an evening outing, a networking event in a special setting, a reward for top employees, or the finale of an incentive program.