The ninth edition of the world music and food festival in Rijeka
On September 19th and 20th, Rijeka will once again host the Porto Etno Festival, an event that combines music, dance and gastronomy of different cultures. The Porto Etno Festival brings musical delicacies from all over the world to Rijeka, and this year, at the new location by the sea on Adamićev gat, the organizers from the Croatian Cultural Center announce a diverse line-up and a rich accompanying program. Last year the festival attracted attention with the performance of the Greek representative at Eurovision Marina Satti, and in 2025 it will once again bring top performers.
Greeting for the summer with two days of loud fun
The program begins on Friday, September 19th at 7 p.m. with the opening parade led by the Spinčići Brass Band, followed by a concert by the Sicilian band Unavantaluna with tarantellas, contradances and songs about the sea in a contemporary form, and a special program Voices in Etno with Čipkice, Ether and the Porto Etno Orchestra.
Ether, a former member of the band NLV, has developed a recognizable solo expression that has been awarded nominations for Rock&Off, while the album Bitke na makovim poljima brought further confirmation of her creativity. Čipkice perform traditional music a cappella, creating an intimate atmosphere of folk songs from different parts of Croatia. The first festival day will end with a humanitarian Lubenice after party at the Manual Club with DJ Asimin Asanof.
On Saturday, September 20, Melina, an artist of Greek origin who cherishes oriental melodies and combines traditional music with pop elements, will perform, while the Bulgarian group Oratnitza will premiere their new album STOPAN in a concert in Rijeka in a recognizable ethnobass style. The festival will be closed by 47SOUL, a collective based in London and Palestine, who are pioneers of the Shamstep genre created by merging hip-hop, electronics and traditional Dabka.
Melting Pot
In addition to the musical part, the festival remains recognizable for its Melting Pot gastronomic program. Representatives of national minorities from Rijeka and the county prepare dishes from their countries, including Macedonia, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Hungary, the Philippines, Slovakia, Albania, Trinidad and Tobago, Madagascar, Slovenia, Serbia and Russia. The program also includes folklore performances by minority associations, and visitors will be able to purchase vouchers at the entrance for 4.50 euros.
Porto Etno Festival 2025 will be held on September 19 and 20 at GAT – Adamićev gat. Admission to concerts and the Melting Pot gastronomic program is free.