From 5 to 19 September, LOSINAVA brings together regattas, exhibitions, maritime knowledge and music. The restored Olympic Primorka and the 50th Nerezine traditional-boat regatta provide the historical setting.
The festival is spread across three towns
LOSINAVA is scheduled to take place from 5 to 19 September 2026 in Mali Lošinj, Veli Lošinj and Nerezine. Its programme moves between harbours, squares, museums and Čikat Bay. Anyone hoping to attend more than one event should therefore check both the date and the location.
The opening was scheduled for Saturday at 10:00 on the Riva lošinjskih kapetana in Mali Lošinj. It was followed by a pasara rowing regatta, an afternoon wooden-tub regatta in Veli Lošinj and an evening concert there by TBF.
Primorka brings Olympic history back
At the centre of the festival is the restored Primorka, a wooden Star-class boat built at a Lošinj shipyard. Mario Fafangel and Karlo Bašić sailed it for the former Yugoslavia at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki.
The boat is temporarily on display with an exhibition at Hotel Bellevue. It is later expected to join the maritime collection once the old nautical-school building has been restored. The festival therefore presents not only a regatta but also a chapter of the island’s sporting and maritime history.
The night regatta is the standout evening event
On Friday, 11 September, the ninth night regatta for traditional sailing boats is due to start at 19:30 in Mali Lošinj harbour. Before it, the LOSINAVA Point outside the Museum of Apoxyomenos is open from 18:00 to 21:00.
A night regatta depends more heavily on wind and safety than a lecture does. Treat it as a highlight, but check on the day whether the start time and programme remain confirmed.
The weekend of 12 and 13 September is devoted to competitive sailing
The 44th Lošinj Regatta of Island Olympians is scheduled from 10:00 on both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, a maritime evening begins at 19:00 with folklore, klapa singing, a brass band, traditional skills and food; Alen Nižetić is scheduled to perform at 21:00.
These are different layers of the programme. The sporting regatta takes place on the water, while demonstrations and music are held on the Riva and Trg Republike Hrvatske. Visitors with only one evening available do not necessarily need to plan for the entire regatta day.
Đir po vali offers a free boat ride
During Đir po vali, a Lošinj barkariol takes passengers around Mali Lošinj Bay free of charge. Published time slots run from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 18:00 to 21:00: mornings and evenings from 7 to 11 September, the morning only on the 12th, and mornings and evenings again from 14 to 18 September.
Free does not mean unlimited availability. The announcement does not guarantee reservations, and weather or operating conditions may alter individual trips. Asking at the landing place early about the actual schedule is wiser than relying on a particular departure.
Workshops turn spectators into participants
Workshops and talks for children and adults are planned on several days at the LOSINAVA Point outside the Museum of Apoxyomenos. The programme also includes exhibitions, nautical skills, model building and educational sailing activities for younger visitors.
The activities connect craft with history rather than reducing the sea to scenery. For sessions with limited capacity or children’s programmes, check directly with the organiser whether registration is required.
The finale belongs to Nerezine
The festival ends in Nerezine on 19 September with the 50th regatta for traditional sailing boats. The history of such regattas there reaches back to the first half of the 20th century; a concert by Petar Dragojević is scheduled after the sporting programme.
Three dates are especially clear choices for a focused visit: the night regatta on the 11th, the maritime evening on the 12th and the Nerezine finale on 19 September. Between them, the programme is best suited to visitors who prefer workshops, talks and short boat trips to a major evening stage show.
Evidence
Sources & date
Sources support the facts. Planning notes and recommendations are Golden Beach editorial assessments.
- Festival LOSINAVA – von der olympischen Primorka bis zur 50. Nereziner RegattaTourismusverband der Stadt Mali Lošinj · Festivalmeldung 2026, geprüft am 5. September 2026Zeitraum, Festivalorte, Schwerpunkte, Primorka und historischer Rahmen
- LOSINAVA – Lošinjskim jedrima oko svijetaTourismusverband der Stadt Mali Lošinj · Programm 5.–19. September 2026, geprüft am 5. September 2026Tagesprogramm, Orte, Uhrzeiten, kostenlose Buchtfahrten und Abschluss
- Primorka – olympijska priča iz Malog LošinjaTourismusverband der Stadt Mali Lošinj · Hintergrundseite, geprüft am 5. September 2026Bootsklasse, Bauort, Olympiateilnehmer und heutige Ausstellung
