Sea Star Festival Returns to Umag: Eight Editions and 44,000 Fans Strong

The Sea Star Festival returns to Umag’s Stella Maris lagoon from 28 to 31 May 2026 for its eighth edition. The previous edition drew 44,000 visitors, making this one of the largest music events on the Adriatic coast and a compelling reason to time a late-May visit to Croatia.

The Lineup and Stages

Six stages ring the lagoon across the four-day event. The Tesla Main Stage handles headline acts, while the Nautilus Arena focuses on hip-hop and heavy electronic. Rounding out the venue are the Beach Groove Stage, Exotic Laguna, Mystic Road, and Silent Octopus, covering techno, house, reggae, Latino, bass, and more.

Confirmed headliners include German minimal-techno artist Boris Brejcha and US rapper Xzibit. Additional names are still being announced — the full lineup is published on the official festival website.

The event is strictly 18+. Day passes and four-day passes are available directly through the Sea Star website. Weekend passes historically sell out well before the gates open, so booking in advance is essential.

Getting to Umag

Umag sits at the northern tip of the Istrian peninsula, roughly an hour’s drive south of Trieste and about two hours from Zagreb. The most convenient airports are Pula (PUY) around 90 km to the south, and Venice Marco Polo or Trieste Ronchi for travellers arriving from western Europe.

From those airports, the practical route is a rental car or shuttle into Istria, with local transfers available into Umag itself. We cover ground transport options and regional logistics in our getting to the Balkans guide.

Where to Stay

On-site accommodation at Stella Maris Resort puts guests a short walk from the main stage — convenient enough that many festival-goers never need a car during the event. Those options sell out fast. Umag’s town centre has a range of hotels and apartments, and the wider Croatian coast offers alternatives for travellers extending their trip beyond the festival.

Why Late May Is a Good Window

Crowds on the Adriatic in late May are a fraction of August levels. Daytime temperatures sit in the low-to-mid 20s Celsius, the sea is warm enough for swimming, and accommodation costs are lower than peak summer. If you plan to combine the festival with wider travel through the region, our May in the Balkans guide covers what to expect across all the countries we cover.

Sea Star 2026 runs 28–31 May at Stella Maris Resort, Umag. Tickets and the latest lineup are at seastarfestival.com.