Guitar Art Summer Fest
The 20th jubilee brings world-class guitar concerts and masterclasses to Herceg Novi from June to September.
This event has ended
It returns every year — dates for the next edition haven't been announced yet.
Herceg Novi suits the guitar. The town rises in green terraces from a long seaside promenade to the fortress above, and its summer evenings — warm, unhurried, scented with gardens — are exactly the register the instrument was made for. The festival has grown into one of the anchors of the town's cultural summer, and the jubilee spreads it across the whole season.
The jubilee opened on 26–27 June with a headline concert by Bryan Adams at Kanli Kula fortress. The main block follows on 2–6 August, bringing Amira Medunjanin, Gipsy Kings by Diego Baliardo and the Rosenberg Family to the coast, before a closing block on 17–20 September at Škver.
Days are as busy as nights: masterclasses and workshops let students work directly with the visiting artists, while luthier exhibitions display the craft behind the instrument — handmade guitars you can examine up close and discuss with their makers. The mix gives the festival two audiences at once: concert-goers who come for the stars, and players who come for the school.
Music festival
The three-block structure also means three different seasons of the town: late June's early-summer freshness, the full heat and bustle of the August main block, and the mellow, post-season September close by the water at Škver.
The big concerts are ticketed, so book ahead for the headline nights. Early August is peak season in Herceg Novi, and the festival folds neatly into a beach holiday: swim by day, study or browse the luthiers in the afternoon, concert under the stars at night.
What to expect
20th jubilee in three blocks
The 2026 edition spans June, August and September — from Bryan Adams' fortress opener to a September finale at Škver.
World-class names
Amira Medunjanin, Gipsy Kings by Diego Baliardo and the Rosenberg Family headline the August block.
Masterclasses and workshops
Students and enthusiasts work directly with the festival's artists.
Luthier exhibitions
Instrument makers show the craft of the classical guitar up close.
Three seasons in one festival
Early-summer June, peak-season August and mellow September blocks each show a different Herceg Novi.
Book the headline nights
The big fortress concerts are ticketed and sought after — reserve ahead, especially for the August block.
What happens when
August 2 – September 20, 2026
- Fri26JunFriday, June 26Jubilee opener — Bryan Adams at Kanli KulaThe 20th jubilee opens with a headline fortress concert on 26–27 June.
- Sun2AugSunday, August 2Main block (2–6 August)Amira Medunjanin, Gipsy Kings by Diego Baliardo and the Rosenberg Family headline five days on the coast.
- Thu17SepThursday, September 17Closing block at Škver (17–20 September)The jubilee season closes by the water at Škver.
Where it takes place
Venue
Tvrđava Kanli Kula i Muzički trg (Muzička škola), Herceg Novi; zatvaranje na Škveru
Stari grad, Herceg Novi
Get directions
GuideHerceg Novi travel guideWhat to see, where to stay and eatPlan your stay
Herceg Novi — where to stay and how to get around
Live offers from local hosts on our booking platform. Nothing is charged online — you pay the host on site.
Booking requests are confirmed by the host; payment on site. Offers come from the Travel to Montenegro booking platform.
More events
What else is on in Montenegro around the same time.
New Year’s Eve in Herceg Novi
Three days of New Year’s programme on Nikola Đurković Square in Herceg Novi, with performances by regional music stars from 31 December to 2 January.
New Year’s Eve in Tivat
Four nights of open-air concerts by the sea on the Pine waterfront in Tivat, from 30 December to 2 January, featuring the biggest regional performers.
International Klapa Festival Perast
Three evenings of Adriatic a-cappella harmony on the main square of baroque Perast.
