Jelsa's wine festival begins on the Riva on Thursday evening and runs until late on Saturday. The official programme combines Hvar wines with parades, music, water sports and island traditions — here is the practical overview.
The festival begins on the Riva on Thursday
The 74th Fešta vina runs from 27 to 29 August 2026. The official programme opens the festival market on the Riva at 6 pm on Thursday, while the tourist board gives 6:30 pm as the start of the event. In practical terms, wine and food, the children's programme and an exhibition will spread across the waterfront, the park and Trg sv. Ivana from early evening.
At 8:15 pm, the Stari Grad town band and a presentation of Croatian traditional costumes will parade along the Riva. The Svijet Čarolije family circus show follows at 8:45 pm, Klapa More performs on the Pjaca at 9:30 pm, and further music is scheduled on the waterfront and at a local venue. Anyone planning only a quiet first walk around the festival should arrive before the main evening programme.
Friday combines a cookery show, illuminated boats and concerts
Hvar wines and food will again be available on the Riva from 6 pm on Friday. A cookery show is announced there for 8:30 pm. At 9 pm, Omiški gusari follows: historic boats will sail past the waterfront carrying burning torches. This is an organised programme item, not general permission to use open flames on boats.
The winner of the Jelsa Wine Festival competition is due to be announced on the Pjaca at 9:45 pm. Magazin follows at 10 pm, Glavni at 10:30 pm and Pink Panther at midnight. The locations and times appear in the official programme; last-minute changes due to weather or organisational needs remain possible.
Mandrac and the Pjaca host Saturday's finale
Saturday begins with a water polo competition in Mandrac at 5:30 pm. The familiar wine, food, children's and exhibition offerings open at 6 pm. At 7 pm, the traditional Skidanje pršuta takes place, a competition in which participants retrieve a ham from a pole, with separate men's and women's categories.
Jean-luc de Ciseaux's Vodonoše fire show is planned on the Riva for 9:30 pm. Vesna Pisarović performs on the Pjaca at 10 pm, Dino Petrić and guests at a local venue at 10:30 pm, and the band Bravo returns to the Pjaca at midnight. The finale therefore extends well into the night.
The festival is older than its present form
The tourist board traces the history of the Jelsa Wine Festival back to its first wine event in 1952. Today's Fešta is not simply a tasting appointment: music, traditional dress, maritime imagery, competitions and a family programme turn wine promotion into an island town festival.
The number 74 represents a continuing tradition, not necessarily 74 uninterrupted calendar years in an unchanged format. Programmes, organisers and venues have evolved. The historical core remains Jelsa's connection with viticulture and local hospitality.
The Riva is the centre, but not the only venue
Most activities are concentrated around the Riva, Pjaca, the park, Trg sv. Ivana and Mandrac. These places are close together, but the official plan is still worth checking: a concert on the Pjaca and a show on the Riva are not in the same location, and a crowded harbour area takes longer to cross than a map suggests.
The Municipality of Jelsa has authorised different opening hours and live music for the event. This explains the late-night activity, but does not guarantee that every venue will offer every programme item without alteration. The tourist board remains the best source for the published festival programme.
A wine festival plan should include the journey home
Anyone tasting wine should arrange the return journey before the first glass. A hire car is an option only if a sober person drives. A taxi, accommodation within walking distance or an agreed designated driver is more dependable. Do not rely on spontaneous late-night bus or ferry connections without checking a current timetable.
Drinking water, eating and choosing small servings all support responsible enjoyment, but do not automatically make anyone fit to drive. The same clear boundary applies to boat operators: alcohol and responsibility at the helm do not mix. Jelsa's festival is best experienced on foot and without time pressure.
The programme is official; weather remains the variable
The daily events and times come from the published festival programme. Open-air concerts, water sports and shows on the Riva may nevertheless be moved, shortened or cancelled because of strong wind, rain or safety requirements.
A final look at the event page and the weather is therefore worthwhile before travelling. Anyone visiting Jelsa for a single performer should check especially carefully on the day. Golden Beach does not adopt unannounced programme changes without a reliable organiser's notice.
Evidence
Sources & date
Sources support the facts. Planning notes and recommendations are Golden Beach editorial assessments.
- 74. Fešta vina JelsaJelsa Tourist Board · 2026 event page and programme, checked 26 August 2026dates, event opening, history, venues, daily programme and official event photographs
- Rješenje povodom održavanja manifestacije Fešta vinaMunicipality of Jelsa · 20 August 2026, checked 26 August 2026official special arrangement for opening hours, the programme and live music during the event
