Cold February days in the city of culture will be filled with art at every step, so we invite you to seize the birthday month of Novi Sad to rediscover all its charms. The first of February is marked as the day when Novi Sad received the status of a free royal city, 276 years ago, and on this occasion numerous cultural institutions will open their doors to visitors. However, in a city where culture is a way of life, art does not sleep. Therefore, stay up to date with all the happenings in February and regularly follow the calendar on our website. Regardless of your age or affinities, we have suggestions that will delight you, so write down some of these events in your planner. Let’s warm up this February in Novi Sad!
Visit District & Liman Park
Start your tour of the city from the District, where the multimedia exhibition Spirit of Place – A Century of the District awaits you in Fabrika 2 facility. Walk through the former industrial district and explore a hundred-year history of the place, from the establishment of the factory, through World War II and NATO bombing, to the European Capital of Culture. The exhibition depicts the turbulence and changes in society through the tragic fates of the innocent, the hope and changes of a time.
Feel the spirit of the place by getting to know other facilities, which represent the material heritage of the city, repurposed from an abandoned industrial complex into new factories of culture. In February, Liman Park, next to the District, unveils light installations at the Chinese Festival of Lights, which takes place from 9 to 25 February. These installations bring the spirit of tradition of ancient China, introducing visitors to a wondrous world of imagination and light. Lanterns are lit every evening at 5 p.m., and admission to the festival is free.
Open Days on the Occasion of Novi Sad City Day
We will have the opportunity to get to know Novi Sad better from 1 to 4 February, when numerous programmes will be implemented on the occasion of City Day in cultural institutions and other business entities throughout the city. All interested fellow citizens and guests of the city will be able to visit numerous exhibitions, plays, concerts, to watch a movie or to learn something new about their city by walking around the centre and the fortress completely free of charge. You can find more information and a detailed timetable HERE.
The event is held as part of the celebration of the Novi Sad City Day, which received the status of a free royal city on 1 February 1748, when Empress Maria Theresa signed the Charter. The then settlement of Petrovaradin Šanac was given the status of a free city and a new name that it still bears today. This privilege was obtained thanks to citizens who were eager for freedom and who bought the status from the empress for 80,000 forints. Precisely because of this, this date is celebrated as Novi Sad City Day.
Novi Sad in the Palm of Your Hand
The ideal way to peek into the secrets of Novi Sad and discover its interesting corners is to take a walk around the city. You will learn all the lesser-known stories about the old city core and the Petrovaradin Fortress through organized free tourist tours accompanied by a guide.
Free promotional tours implemented in cooperation with the Association of Tourist Guides of Novi Sad will be in the Serbian language, and according to the following schedule:
Saturday, 3 February:
Tours around the city centre will be held at 10 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., and a tour of the Petrovaradin Fortress will be held at noon.
Sunday, 4 February:
The city centre tour will be held at 10:00 a.m., and a tour of the Petrovaradin Fortress will be held at 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
Tours of the Petrovaradin Fortress will also include a visit to the ‘Atelje 61’ tapestry making facility, where tapestry art has been inherited and nurtured for more than six decades.
Registration for free tours of the city and the fortress is mandatory, and all those interested can register on the website of the Tourism Organization of the City of Novi Sad here.
In the Theatre
February in Novi Sad cannot pass without a visit to one of the city’s theatres, and this month’s repertoire includes interesting performances that promise an excellent dose of art.
The repertoire of the oldest theatre in Serbia, the Serbian National Theatre, in addition to the symphonic spectacle The Best Beat Symphony, brings us even two premieres, so get tickets for the new plays Mišja Groznica i Biti Žena on time. These performances will be followed by a guest appearance by the Belgrade theatre Boško Buha with the play Murder in the Orient Express, and the youngest audience will be entertained every month by the Association Visoko C with the play The Tortoise and the Rabbit, which will be performed on 24 February in two terms – 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. You can follow the complete repertoire on the theater’s website.
The first puppet theatre in Vojvodina – the Youth Theatre, this month brings us exceptional performances for the youngest as well as older viewers. We highlight the guest performance of the Bitef Teatar with the play Once Upon a Time in Brijuni, on 8 February, while on 14 February, the repertoire includes Beleške Jedne Ane, based on the work of the same name by Momo Kapor, directed by Momčilo Miljković. Do not miss the spectacle Lepa Brena Project, in which the performance of excellent Novi Sad actress and acting teacher Jasna Đuričić stands out. See the complete repertoire HERE.
At the Novi Sad Theatre this month, we are following the performance of the new play Once Upon a Time in Novi Sad, and we are also highlighting the play Hasanaginica. You can find more information about the performances here.
In the Rhythm of Music
February in Novi Sad brings us several performances of different genres, and on 4 February we can expect a concert by the Szilárd Mezei Quartet in the Novi Sad Theatre. Just three days later, the Swedish metal band Therion is coming to the District to perform at SCCNS Fabrika on 7 February at 8 p.m. Rave lovers can expect a great party with 999999999, who will perform in Hall 2 of the Novi Sad Fair on 9 February.
On 9 February, the Vojvodina Symphony Orchestra will perform together with soloist Aleksandar Đermanović at the Synagogue from 8 p.m., and on 14 February, the legendary Kemal Gekić will also hold a concert at the same place.
Wine Fest
May February in Novi Sad be spiced with magical notes of supreme quality wine! Join the Wine Fest, which will be held at the Sheraton Hotel on 24 February, where you will have the opportunity to discover the wines of the 40 best wineries in Serbia, as well as five wineries from the region. Tickets for the event can be purchased from 1 February through the GigsTix ticket offices and online.
Author: Marina Marić
Photo: Vladimir Veličković, Filip Petronijević
