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The team behind Croatia’s legendary Garden Festival is launching A Winter Garden, a boutique winter music festival in Obertauern, Austria, running from 8 to 12 December 2025. Created by Nick and Charlotte Colgan, who pioneered the Croatian festival scene two decades ago, the debut event will host just 350 guests at the Alpine ski destination, with only 75 room packages remaining from the original 125 available at [PLACES] Obertauern by Valamar.
The launch marks a significant milestone for the Colgans, who are celebrating their twentieth anniversary in the festival industry. Having founded The Garden Festival in Petrčane in 2006 and shaped an entire festival culture around the Adriatic region, they’re now translating that expertise to the snow-covered peaks of Austria. The intimate scale allows for potential expansion in 2026 while maintaining the boutique atmosphere that has defined their previous ventures.
A Winter Garden will feature four nights of music from an impressive lineup including Gerd Janson, Shanti, Olive F, Dave Harvey, Chez Damier, Ellie Stokes, Ilija Rudman, Guru Logic performing live, Mark Broadbent, and Pepi Jogarde. The event offers 11 specially designed packages that bundle accommodation, breakfast, dinner, wellness access and the full music programme into a comprehensive experience where guests share every moment under one roof.
The festival’s location at Obertauern provides access to over 100 kilometers of prime ski slopes, complemented by the hotel’s spa and swimming facilities. Daily activities begin with breakfast before guests can choose between skiing, scenic snow hikes or relaxation. Après-ski gatherings hosted by Zagreb’s Hohcajt will fill the afternoons, setting the stage for evening entertainment.
South African artist Guru Logic will perform a live set by the fireplace in the hotel lounge before dinner each evening. The main action then moves to a pop-up version of Barbarella’s, the legendary Croatian nightclub, which will occupy the hotel’s top floor throughout the event. This mobile iteration follows the recent launch of Mali Barbarella’s in Zagreb, overseen by the Colgans’ son Ben, who now serves as head of events for The Garden.
Croatian collectives Planet Srijeda, Dobar House and Late Check Out will each host one of the three main nights, bringing the vibrant Zagreb club scene to the Alps. Long-term partners Love International from the UK will close the festival on the final night, maintaining the strong international connections that have defined The Garden’s approach.
Nick Colgan explained the genesis of the project: “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.”
He emphasized that 2025 represents a pivotal year for the team, prompting them to seek a new project capturing the essence of their Croatian ventures. “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,” he added.
The location offers convenient access for international guests. Obertauern sits just four hours from Zagreb and two hours from Ljubljana, making it easily reachable for attendees from Croatia and neighbouring countries. Trieste in Italy is 2 hours 40 minutes away, while Munich in Germany and Graz in Austria are around two and half hours’ drive. UK guests can fly to Salzburg from London Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Southend, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool and Edinburgh, with flight times as short as two hours.
Nick outlined the philosophy driving the new venture: “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. 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.”
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