English - Ljubljana

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Ljubljana Dragon and
Botanic Garden at the WTM
Photo: D. Kodele
Botanic Garden’s Bicentenary
Founded in 1810, the Ljubljana Botanic Garden is Slovenia’s
oldest running cultural and scientific institution. Its bicentenary
will be marked by a European Botanic Gardens Consortium
meeting, which will discuss European gardens’ development
strategy. Despite being listed, since 2007, as one of the world’s
178 historically most important botanic gardens, the Ljubljana
Botanic Garden is far from being unfamiliar with modern
marketing methods. Its stand at the World Travel Market
exhibition in London, created in collaboration with Ljubljana
Tourism, was all covered in snowdrops.
Gourmet Potato Party
On 4 September, the Breg embankment
on the bank of the river Ljubljanica will
host the 10th World Festival of Sautéed
Potatoes, which will bring together
cooks and lovers of this cult Slovenian
dish from home and abroad.
Visitors will be able to enjoy free
sautéed potatoes prepared in over 40
different ways, exchange recipes, and
have fun dancing.
A Star-Studded Concert Month
A lot in terms of major popular music events will be going on in Ljubljana in June, when the city will host
concerts by such legendary rock stars as Billy Idol, Deep Purple and Bob Dylan. For the lovers of electro
tango, Gotan Project will play a concert at the Križanke summer theatre.
The June series of major
rock events will begin with a
concert by Deep Purple on 7
June, when hard rock fans will
be able to sing along to rock
anthems such as Smoke on the
Water and Woman from Tokyo.
On 13 June Ljubljana will
host another rock music
legend, Bob Dylan. 24 June
will see a concert by the world
renowned rock musician Billy
Idol, whose backing band will
include the guitarist Steve
Stevens. The Tivoli sports hall
is expected to resonate with
his hit songs White Wedding,
Rebel Yell, Dancing with Myself
and many others.
Three days later, on 27 June,
the pioneers of electro tango
Gotan Project will appear
in Ljubljana for the second
time, following the enormous
success of their sold-out
concert at the Križanke
summer theatre in 2007.
A lot in terms of music will
also be going on in spring,
when the 9th Spring Festival,
a feast for the lovers of
contemporary electronic music,
June 2010 in Ljubljana
will be held in Ljubljana and,
for the first time, in the town of
Nova Gorica. The festival will
present a rich programme of
musical and audio-visual events
featuring both established
names in electronic music and
fresh young experimenters.
Tjaša Janovljak
Billy Idol is Holding
a Concert in Ljubljana
Photo: Managements Archive
Ljubljana is a city where
major street partying happens
every half year. When Christmas
lights turn off and jingle bells
stop ringing, the pace of life
slows down a little bit. Just
like natural beings, the city
hibernates. But its annual cycle
is unstoppable and a period of
hibernation inevitably leads to
a breakfast in spring and wide
open eyes in June.
Throughout the month
of June, Ljubljana’s central
Prešeren square, referred to as
“Prešerc” by the locals, will host
a varied programme of cultural
events. From morning till night,
the square and its surrounding
streets will be alive with the
sounds of music. Almost every
evening just before sunset, the
square’s stage will host ballet
dancers and opera singers
performing two indisputable
classics, Romeo and Juliet and
Swan Lake, followed by concerts
by bands from Slovenia.
Festival June in Ljubljana, Photo: D. Wedam
During daytime, a daily
dose of culture will also be
provided for children, who will
be able to enjoy the adventures
of Peter Nose, three little pigs,
the enchanted spoon, and
other characters operated
by the puppeteers of the
Ljubljana Puppet Theatre and
Swan Lake on the Prešeren
Square’s Stage
Photo: D. Wedam
Ljubljana Mini Theatre.
The June festivities will be
rounded off with a traditional
event called The Welcoming
of Summer, on 28 June, which
will include a fireworks display
launched from Ljubljana Castle
and street entertainment for
young and old in the old city
centre. Definitely a night to
stay out long.
See you at “Prešerc!”
www.visitljubljana.si/events
Tjaša Janovljak