Zrće beach pivots to sports and new festivals after Sonus cancellation

The Sonus Festival, one of the most popular electronic‑music events on the Adriatic, will not take place this year after two of its stages were lost when a beach club was demolished on the order of the Croatian State Inspectorate. Organisers say the loss marks the end of an era for the “Croatian Ibiza” that once drove the highest per‑capita GDP in the country.

In response, the Zrće beach area is being reshaped toward sports and diversified entertainment. New facilities for padel, an open‑air gym, beach volleyball and water‑sport courts are being built. Despite the shift away from heavy alcohol consumption, the venue expects around half a million visitors this season across more than 15 festivals and regular club nights. Five new clubs have opened, and marketing manager Tea Cafuta of the Papaya Group notes a strong German audience and that the Hideout festival sold out its 12,000 tickets.

The transformation aims to keep Zrće a year‑round destination for both local and international tourists while adapting to regulatory changes and evolving visitor preferences.