Kvarner Wines brings wineries from Kvarner and other Croatian wine-growing regions to Frankopan Square, while the grand finale brings the selection of Ružica Vinodol 2026.
From August 20th to 22nd, Novi Vinodolski will once again become the stage for one of its most famous events – the Roses of Vinodol. This unique wine and cultural-tourism story has been successfully connecting the Vinodol tradition, wine, gastronomy, music and entertainment for more than two decades.
The Rose of Vinodola is inspired by a custom from the Frankopan era, when the most diligent and skillful grape picker was chosen after the harvest. Today's event transforms this valuable heritage into an attractive three-day program in which candidates for the title of Rose of Vinodola compete in nine disciplines related to vineyard work, household skills, and serving and presenting wine.
This year's candidates will be introduced to the audience on Friday, August 14th, in Bribir. The overture to the main program will feature a macaron-making competition, performances by Sergej Božić and Srđana Čolović, and an evening entertainment with the Feedback Band.
The main competition program begins on Thursday, August 20, in the vineyards of the Pavlomir Wine House. In an authentic wine-growing setting, the candidates will show off their skills, while the atmosphere will be enhanced by Antonio Krištofić and the Nebuloza Trio, along with a rich gastronomic offer and wines.
On Friday, the event moves to the picturesque Old Town of Novi Vinodolski, where the candidates will compete in household tasks accompanied by the musical accompaniment of the Trio Nebuloza. At the same time, the group Insula will entertain the audience on the Korzo of Croatian Veterans.
The grand finale will take place on Saturday, August 22nd, also in the Old Town. The candidates, accompanied by Trio Arka, will compete in the final disciplines related to pouring and presenting wine, followed by the announcement of the 2026 Rose of Vinodol, her companions and the most likeable Rose.
The winner will receive valuable prizes, including a cruise on the Adriatic for two and an autumn weekend in Rovinj. The musical part of the evening will be provided by Petar Dragojević and Trio Mirakul, and the program will be hosted by Borna Šmer during all three competition days.
A special place in the Ružica Vinodol program belongs to the Wine Festival, which will be held on Friday and Saturday, August 21st and 22nd, at Frankopan Square. Kvarner Wines brings wineries from Kvarner and other Croatian wine-growing regions to one of the most attractive locations in the center of Novi Vinodolski, creating a meeting place for winemakers, locals, tourists, and wine lovers.
At the Kvarner Wines booth, all member wineries of the Kvarner Wines association will be presented: Ruzic, Plovanić, Kapić, PZ Vrbnik, Gospoja, Kuća vina Ivan Katunar, Katunar Estate Winery, Šipun and Nada, while Mandić and Vinska kuća Pavlomir will be presented separately.
Visitors will be introduced to Kvarner Wines and Vina Mandić, Pavlomir Wine House, Tudor Wines, Perak Winery, Vina Đurinski, Vina Bernobić and Vina Radoš.
The festival is a sales event, so visitors will be able to taste wines by the glass, meet winemakers and their stories, and purchase selected wines to take home. Vouchers for consumption will be sold at the central festival box office, while quality Italesse wine glasses will be collected with a refundable deposit.
Along with the wines, the Novalja dish will be presented on Frankopan Square - a special dish designed specifically for Ružica Vinodol, which, through a combination of local ingredients, brings an authentic taste of the Novalja region.
„"The Rose of Vinodol is one of the events that best connects wine, history, local identity and a contemporary tourist experience. It is especially important to us that the Wine Festival is held on Frankopan Square, in the very center of Novi Vinodolski. Kvarner Wines wants to bring winemakers, wines and authentic flavors of our region closer to visitors, but also connect Kvarner with other Croatian wine regions. We invite all visitors to come to Frankopan Square, meet winemakers, taste wines and experience the grand finale and the announcement of the Rose of Vinodol 2026 together with us," emphasizes Dr. Žarko Stilin, director of Kvarner Wines and the Wine Cooperative - Producers' Organization of Kvarner Wines.
The Wine Festival on Frankopan Square will be open:
Friday, August 21, 2026.
from 19:00 to 01:00
Voucher sales until 00:00, glass returns until 01:00.
Saturday, August 22, 2026.
from 19:00 to 02:00
Voucher sales until 01:00, glass returns until 02:00.
Entrance to Frankopan Square and the festival zone is free.
At the Vinodol Law Square, special emphasis will be placed on preserving traditional knowledge and skills. Visitors will be able to learn about basketry, blacksmithing, herbalism, wood carving, pottery making using the raku technique, mosaic, wool felting, chuncanja, ancient games and other crafts that testify to the rich cultural heritage of Vinodol.
Year after year, the Ružica Vinodol festival proves that tradition can be alive, contemporary and attractive to new generations. The combination of wine, local gastronomy, customs, music and competitive spirit offers visitors the opportunity to experience Novi Vinodolski in an authentic and unforgettable way.
From August 20th to 22nd, Novi Vinodolski will live its most beautiful wine story - a story in which tradition is not only preserved from oblivion, but is also proudly lived anew.
The organizers of the Ružica Vinodol are the Tourist Board of the City of Novi Vinodolski and the Tourist Board of the Vinodol Municipality, with co-organization by the City of Novi Vinodolski, the Municipality of Vinodolski, the Cultural Center of the City of Novi Vinodolski, the Pavlomir Wine House, the Association of Friends of Grapes and Wine "Ružica Vinodol", the Kvarner Wine Association, the Ilija Dorčić Cultural Association and the Department of the Čakavian Assembly "Novljansko kolo".
The event was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Kvarner Tourist Board and the Croatian Tourist Board.
Sponsors of the event are Katarina Line, Adria Mare Travel Agency, Bartelo Mali, Skipper, API Kvarner, Leut Souvenir Gallery, Flower Studio "Zola" and Pavlomir Wine House.
