Days of Poetry and Wine

Days of Poetry and Wine is an international festival of poetry and other artistic forms like music, theatre and fine arts, which was founded in 1996 by Beletrina Academic Press and has hosted more than 600 internationally renowned poets and young emerging authors ever since. Their poetry has been translated into Slovenian and published in bilingual chapbooks as well as on the festival webpage www.versoteque.com which has become a relevant and substantial source of poetry translations. Festival events take place at several different locations throughout Slovenia, Austria and Croatia, but the center of the festival is Ptuj, a charming medieval town in Eastern Slovenia, which hosts more than 60 events every Summer, last week of August, and greatly supports the relaxed atmosphere of the festival. Days of Poetry and Wine have become an important reference for guest poets and a beloved destination for all poetry-lovers and professionals, not only from Slovenia, but from wider region.

Every edition of the festival is dedicated to specific national poetry. The focus includes a four-day translation workshop with three poets from selected country and three poets from Slovenia, assisted by professional translators, translating each others poetry which is then presented at several poetry readings and discussions. 

Main festival events all take place at Ptuj, which becomes a capital of poetry for a few days every year: street art installations, posters, flags with poetry and coffee pads with verses in every coffee shop in town all create a special atmosphere. Since the town is very small poets, artists, journalists, visitors and organizers of the festival all meet and interact on daily basis. The main festival venue lies in the heart of the oldtown and hosts great poetry readings and concerts of best musical groups from the region. Throughout the day there are exhibitions, private readings, wine tastings, street theatre shows, children's program.