About the Festival

IDRIJA LACE FESTIVAL  

The Idrija Lace Festival is dedicated to the traditional craft of lacemaking and is the largest international event in Idrija.

The festival has been held intermittently since 1952 – in 2020, the festival, which will run from 19 - 21 June 2020, will be in its 39th year. The popular and highly visible event is the main promoter of Idrija lace. The event celebrates and preserves the tradition of (Idrija) lace making and encourages innovation in its manufacture and application. 

In recent years, the festival has, on the one hand, celebrated the traditions that embody Idrija lace, and on the other, through a varied programme of events and promotion, created a modern event that truly builds on the qualities and applications of lace: accuracy, skill, ingenuity and to encourage the festival's message of innovation and creativity.

The festival programme takes place over three days, from Friday to Sunday. During this period, the town is alive with lace, lace made items by children and grown-ups fill the streets and shop windows are decorated with lace. There are exhibits of domestic and foreign lacemaking artwork, and lacemaking shops will open their doors to many interested visitors. The festival starts on Friday with the official opening ceremony, and over the next few days, visitors can take part in specialist meetings, lectures, lace making workshops, creative workshops, lacemaking award ceremonies and selections for the best lace products in competitions. Alongside, the festival offers an interesting variety of arts and crafts, cultural events and entertainment for visitors of all ages. Sunday is the day for the national lacemaking competition, with adults' and children's' lacemaking competitions at various levels of difficulty, followed by selections for the best in each category and the awarding of certificates. 

The festival is becoming a much more popular international event, through the involvement of foreign lace making centres, international craft and heritage projects, the participation of international guests and experts, and visitors from outside Slovenia. 

Add to your enjoyment of Idrija and the festival, by visiting the many technical, natural and cultural attractions that the area has to offer - the opportunity to taste Idrija's culinary specialties, especially the delicious Idrija žlikrofi at inns and restaurants in the town and in the surrounding areas - is not to be missed!