Scene
This Summer, Varaždin is introducing a new entry to its growing summer program – Drava Summer Festival, a one-night electronic music event this Friday, July 4th, at the city’s public swimming area along the Drava River.
Running from 6:00 PM to 4:00 AM and free to attend, the event combines regional electronic acts with a full-scale outdoor production – all set against the backdrop of one of Varaždin’s most frequented summer locations.
The initiative is the result of collaboration between the City of Varaždin, Gradski bazeni Varaždin, and local collectives Tech Grooves and Dance Factory. While Varaždin is no stranger to live music, this marks a rare attempt to integrate electronic programming into a public venue typically reserved for daytime leisure. In a city recognized by UNESCO as a City of Music, the organisers are betting on the appeal of an open-air night format – and on the capacity of local infrastructure to support it.
The location itself – a functional, everyday space repurposed for night-time use – is part of what makes the event notable. With production handled by Libero, known for their work across Croatia’s electronic festival circuit, the setup will include a full-scale lighting and laser show, as well as directional sound intended to limit noise spill into residential zones. The aim is to deliver a technically polished experience while staying within the limits of the city’s public sound policy.
The lineup is built around Mike & Me, a Croatian tech-house DJ and producer with a significant international footprint. Known for viral remix of Gangsta’s Paradise (which has surpassed 17 million views), appeared at major festivals including Tomorrowland, Ultra Europe, and MTV Summerblast, as well as venues like Ministry of Sound in London and Culture Club Revelin in Dubrovnik.
Among the supporting names are some of the most active figures in the regional circuit. Varaždin’s own BOSE, founder of the Tech Grooves series, has played a consistent role in building the city’s club culture from the ground up. Happy B brings a more playful, rhythm-heavy approach, often weaving together house and reggaeton influences. From Koprivnica, Marc Pott draws on digital platforms and smaller club spaces to shape his understated but effective selections. Rounding out the lineup is DJ Yapa, a veteran of the local scene and a regular at events like Technoworkout, with a reputation for tightly constructed, high-energy sets.
Drava Summer Festival arrives at a time when smaller-scale, community-rooted events are carving out space within Croatia’s packed festival season. It’s not aiming for the scale or branding of larger coastal events, but rather testing how far a city like Varaždin – with its existing infrastructure and tight-knit scene – can stretch the possibilities of open-air nightlife.
For more information check out Tech Grooves social media.
