The Maribor Theatre Festival Lent, also known as Festival Lent, is one of the oldest and largest open-air festivals in Central Europe with a tradition spanning over thirty years. Each June, the medieval Lent district at the Drava River, the historic squares, picturesque streets of the Old town, and even the city park transform into vibrant festival venues bursting with art, culture, and creativity.

The festival is a celebration of art, culture, and creativity of all genres for all generations, and a space for discovering, learning, meeting, and coexisting in a variety of cultures. It hosts as many as five festivals, including the world-renowned international CIOFF festival Folkart, the international jazz music festival JazzLent, the Ana Desetnica street theatre festival, the Art Camp festival of creativity, and the StandUpLent festival.

The festival venues are only a few minutes’ walk away from each other, and the genre-diverse and varied program allows everyone to find something for themselves – from the youngest to the oldest. The festival offers opera and ballet, theater and dance performances, jazz concerts, classical music concerts, world music, singer-songwriter concerts, chanson and ethno music concerts, folklore evenings, street theater performances, film screenings, sports activities, and events and activities for children.

The festival has welcomed music giants and legends, such as B.B. King, James Brown, Ray Charles, and Stephane Grapelli, as well as an array of internationally acclaimed artists.

The term “lentanje” is associated with the festival and means to stroll the streets of the old town checking up different venues – to mingle, grab a bite, enjoy a drink, and have fun.