Imagine a spacious hall with soaring ceilings, filled with flowers and friendly wine makers offering you tastes of 100 different rosé wines. Now fill that hall with yourself and your friends in festive dress and prepare your Instagram for a pink explosion. It’s the annual Pink Day in Zagreb, a celebration of international rosé wine and olive oil, a welcome to spring–and a lot of fun.
Pink Day is the invention of Zagreb-based culture journalist Sanja Muzaferija. Thirteen years ago, she founded Women on Wine (WOW)–the Croatian women’s wine association with chapters in Zagreb, Split and Rijeka–because she felt women were not present enough in the wine world.
Two years later, she decided to make a statement: “Now we’re going to do a Barbie festival . . . a pink festival. We women will make a commercial wine festival and invite all the wine makers with their rosé, and we will prove that we are not only beautiful but also clever. And we are going to promote the underdog–rosé was always the underdog!”
The result was Pink Day, now in its 11th year, and everyone is invited. It is both a social and a professional event, featuring rosés from all over Croatia in addition to Italy, Serbia, Slovenia, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. In 2024, Hungary is a featured partner country, and its rosés will be prominent.
What to do at Pink Day
Enjoy tasting more than 100 rosé wines! Join fellow revelers in pink or springtime attire (if you like) as you winery-hop, sipping rosés from different grapes, regions and countries.
Attend a workshop or masterclass. In 2024 there are eight to choose from (most conducted in Croatian). Some are held during the week before Pink Day, others on the day itself. Of particular interest to pink enthusiasts, this year author Katherine Cole presents “All About Rosé” (in English). See the complete schedule for information and reserve your spot.
Stock your wine rack. Many of the wineries present will be selling their wines on the day of the festival.
Have a bite to eat. Pink Day has partnered with the Zagreb bakery Amélie to provide tempting snacks. After all, the more you pace yourself with water and food, the more wine you can enjoy!
Taste and compare olive oils at a corner dedicated to extra-virgin olive oils of Croatia. Or attend a workshop or seminar on the subject.
Try a pink cocktail. Mixologists will be on hand to make festive cocktails at the spirits tables.
Whether you go to Pink Day to learn what wines or olive oils you like best, meet wine makers, take selfies or just welcome spring, it’s the perfect excuse for having fun with friends.
For more wine-centric things to do in Zagreb, read Zagreb for Wine Lovers.
Details
When: Saturday, 20 April
Where: Lauba event space, Zagreb
Hours: 11:00 – 20:00
Cost of entry: €20 at the door (register and pay separately here for workshops and masterclasses)
[Title image: Courtesy Pink Day]