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After 20 years in Croatia, the team who founded the festival scene on the Adriatic introduce their brand-new event.
A Winter Garden is launching this Decemberin the heart of the Alps. It’s the brand-new adventure from Nick and Charlotte Colgan, the duo behind The Garden Festival, The Garden Productions and The Garden Brewery in Croatia, who in 2025 have been celebrating an incredible two decades of festivals, events and music in the Adriatic.
Having proudly laid the foundations for the entire Croatian festival scene back in 2004 and fully taking the plunge with The Garden Festival in Petrčane in 2006, theirs is a remarkable story which has since shaped an entire industry around the region. And now, twenty years on, they are bringing A Winter Garden to life on the snow-kissed Alpine peaks of the renowned ski destination of Obertauern from the 8th to 12th December.
Creating exclusivity and intimacy for just 350 guests and the potential to expand in size for 2026, their debut event combines pristine snow, great skiing and wellness making the inaugural A Winter Garden a truly boutique affair. Out of 125 available rooms and suites at [PLACES] Obertauern by Valamar, the focal point for much of the indoor action, many are already booked with only 75 packages remaining.
Nick explains: “The concept for A Winter Garden has existed for quite some time. During last winter’s visit to Obertauern, Charlotte and I found everything aligned perfectly – the stunning hotel, top-tier infrastructure, exceptional cuisine, expansive ski slopes, and unspoiled nature. We knew we’d discovered an ideal setting for a multi-year story very much rooted in the spirit of The Garden Festival. Also, 2025 is a pivotal year for us and we yearned for a new project which captures the essence of what we started in Croatia – only this time, instead of sun there’s lots of snow!”
There will be 4 nights of music from Gerd Janson, Shanti, Olive F, Dave Harvey, Chez Damier, Ellie Stokes, Ilija Rudman, Guru Logic (Live), Mark Broadbent, Pepi Jogarde and more artists. During A Winter Garden, guest will enjoy 11 specially designed packages, including accommodation, breakfast, dinner, wellness access, and the music programming, creating a unique experience which heralds a fresh chapter for Nick and Charlotte and their team.
“We’re curating a wonderful and enriching experience with everyone under one roof, sharing every moment, day and night. That’s what creates genuine magic – something that cannot be planned, but only felt by being a part of it,” adds Nick.
Guests will begin each day with a plentiful breakfast, followed by exhilarating skiing across more than 100 kilometers of prime slopes, scenic hikes through snowy landscapes, or relaxation in the on-site spa and swimming facilities. Après-ski gatherings will fill the afternoons hosted by Hohcajt from Zagreb, leading into evenings of live music and DJ sets.
South African virtuoso Guru Logic will enchant guests with a pre dinner live performance by the fireplace in the hotel lounge, paving the way for vibrant nights on the top floor, where a pop-up edition of the legendary Croatian night club, Barbarella’s, will spring to life. Each night during A Winter Garden the gathering will come fully alive, sound-traced by special guests linked to The Garden festival.
The program brings together core Garden residents, celebrated international DJs and top regional talent who have all contributed to the scene alongside The Garden team for years. Croatian collectives from Zagreb including Planet Srijeda, Dobar House, and Late Check Out will take the helm for three nights, with long term partners Love International from the UK rounding off the closing celebrations. Obertauern is ideally positioned for guests from Croatia and neighbouring countries, being just a four-hour drive from Zagreb and two hours from Ljubljana. Trieste in Italy is 2 hours 40 mins drive away and Munich in Germany and Graz Austria are around two and half hour’s drive. For UK guests, Salzburg is easily reached via frequent direct flights from London Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Southend, as well as Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool, and Edinburgh, with flight times as short as 2 hours.
“Our aim is to deliver renowned international acts alongside exceptional local talent,” says Nick. “Music remains central to all we do, including bringing Barbarella’s to the Alps. Our son Ben is now head of events at The Garden and our latest project Mali Barbarella’s (Little Barbarella’s) is a pop-up version of its big sister is in full swing in Zagreb, so it’s very much a family affair for us which is our whole philosophy. Our mission is to unite people through shared experiences, which at A Winter Garden is from morning skiing to fireside conversations and late-night dancing. It’s about blending music, nature and connection and that’s where the magic of A Winter Garden lies; ski, dance, recharge and repeat.”
With its unique concept, stunning location and The Garden Festival team celebrating their twentieth anniversary in Croatia, A Winter Garden begins a brand-new story set in the beautiful Alpine peaks. For everyone joining in 2025, they will be founding members of a story destined to flourish in the coming years.
A Winter Garden
Obertauern, Austria
Monday 8th – Friday 12th December 2025
www.awintergarden.hr
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