2026 CALENDAR

Perast & Bay of Kotor Events

Festivals, cultural events, and holidays across the Boka Kotorska region, from carnival season to the Fasinada.

Perast
Festival
Public Holiday
Cultural
Dates TBC

JAN January

New Year Public Holiday
1 - 2 January 2026
National
Two-day public holiday. Most businesses and services closed or on reduced hours.
Orthodox Christmas Public Holiday
6 - 8 January 2026
National
A major religious holiday observed across Montenegro. Church services are held throughout the Bay of Kotor. Expect limited services and increased local travel during this period.

FEB February

St. Tryphon's Day (Sv. Tripun) Cultural
3 February 2026
Kotor
Kotor's patron saint celebration, a tradition dating back twelve centuries. The Boka Navy performs its ceremonial parade in traditional black and gold uniforms, accompanied by church processions, choir performances, and festive gatherings in the Old Town squares.
Winter Kotor Carnival Festival
6 - 15 February 2026
Kotor Old Town
Traditional pre-Lenten carnival with Venetian-style masked balls, satirical floats, parades, and community events. Locals use the carnival to poke fun at politicians and public figures with elaborate costumes and decorated floats. Concerts and street food fill the Old Town throughout.
High visitor interest. Easily accessible from Perast by bus (15 - 20 minutes).
Mimosa Festival Festival
13 - 28 February 2026
Herceg Novi
A flagship coastal festival celebrating the bright yellow mimosa bloom that signals the coming of spring. The programme includes art exhibitions, theatre, traditional and modern music, flower shows, and food and wine along the Riviera. Costumed girls carrying mimosa branches travel between towns as part of the celebration.
Regional flagship event. Herceg Novi is approximately 30 km from Perast.

APR April

Orthodox Easter Public Holiday
10 - 13 April 2026
National
Good Friday (10 April), Easter Sunday (12 April), and Easter Monday (13 April). A major religious observance with candlelit church services and processions. Expect increased travel across Montenegro and limited services throughout the long weekend.

MAY May

Labour Day Public Holiday
1 - 2 May 2026
National
Two-day public holiday. Some services may operate on reduced schedules.
International Budva Carnival Dates TBC
Late April / early May 2026
Budva
Major spring carnival with international participation, masked parades, concerts, and street festivities in Budva Old Town. The carnival typically includes both adult and children's processions.
Confirm dates against official Budva tourism announcements closer to the season.
Independence Day Public Holiday
21 - 22 May 2026
National
National public holiday marking Montenegro's independence. Public offices closed; local commemorative events may be organised.

JUL July

Statehood Day Public Holiday
13 - 14 July 2026
National
National holiday. Don Branko's Music Days, an annual classical music festival in Kotor, traditionally begins on this date and continues throughout July.
KotorArt International Festival Cultural
Mid-July - mid-August 2026
Kotor & Bay of Kotor
One of the largest cultural festivals in the region, featuring over 200 programmes across art music, theatre, klapa singing, children's performances, architecture, and visual arts. Events take place in venues throughout Kotor Old Town and the wider bay area, set against the backdrop of medieval architecture.
Exact 2026 dates to be confirmed. In 2025 the festival ran 13 July to 14 August.
Fasinada Perast Tradition
22 July 2026
Our Lady of the Rocks, Perast
Perast's most important tradition and one of the oldest celebrations in Montenegro. At dusk, a convoy of decorated boats laden with stones, flowers, and flags sets out from the waterfront to Our Lady of the Rocks. A traditional song is sung by a woman ashore while only men row the boats. The stones are laid around the island to maintain it, continuing a ritual that dates back to the fifteenth century. Afterwards, the celebration continues along the promenade with food stalls, local wine, and late-night concerts.
Signature Perast event. The whole town participates. Expect busy boat traffic and a lively atmosphere.

AUG August

Bokeljska Noc (Boka Night) Festival
Mid-August 2026
Kotor
One of the most popular summer events in the Bay of Kotor. Locals spend months decorating boats and small vessels, which then parade along the harbour in a lantern-lit competition at nightfall. The parade is followed by concerts, street food, and spectacular fireworks over the bay. Visible from Perast across the water.
Exact 2026 date to be confirmed. Entrance is free.
Perast Music Festival Cultural
August 2026
Perast
Annual festival bringing internationally recognised musicians, instrumentalists, and ensembles to perform in venues across the village. The intimate waterfront setting gives these concerts a character quite different from larger festival stages.
Programme details typically announced in late spring.
Summer Concerts, Regattas, and Marina Events Rolling Updates
June - September 2026
Bay of Kotor region
Marinas, resorts, and beach clubs across the bay publish their seasonal programmes as summer approaches. Porto Montenegro in Tivat hosts regattas, design events, and music festivals. Individual venue schedules are updated as official announcements are released.

Sources

  1. S1 - Orthodox calendar (fixed date 7 January)
  2. S2 - Winter Kotor Carnival (6 - 15 Feb 2026): montenegro.travel
  3. S3 - Mimosa Festival (13 - 28 Feb 2026): montenegro.travel
  4. S4 - Extended Kotor Carnival listing: lusticabay.com
  5. S5 - Orthodox Easter 2026 (12 April): timeanddate.com
  6. S6 - Budva Carnival (general timing): carnivalcities.com
  7. S7 - Independence Day (21 May): officeholidays.com
  8. S8 - Fasinada tradition: tinymontenegro.com
  9. S9 - Fasinada overview: astrarealestate.me
  10. S10 - KotorArt & Bokeljska Noc: montenegro.org
  11. S11 - St. Tryphon's Day and Kotor events: kasadoo.com
  12. S12 - 2026 public holidays: Wikipedia
Last updated: February 2026. Events marked "Dates TBC" will be updated as official programmes are announced. Holiday dates verified against the official Montenegrin government calendar.