Speakers from Colombia to Zurich, a Barista Battle, a Latte Art Throwdown, unlimited tastings, and a documentary premiere: the Ljubljana Coffee Festival 2026 is shaping up to be its most ambitious edition since launching in 2016.
BY VASILEIA FANARIOTI
SENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT
Photos courtesy of Ljubljana Coffee Festival
The Ljubljana Coffee Festival turns ten this year—and for the occasion, it is moving to a new home. Center Rog, a recently renovated cultural and creative hub in the heart of Ljubljana, will host the festival’s 2026 edition on September 26 and 27, 2026.
It is a fitting venue for what promises to be the most ambitious program the festival has put together since it launched in 2016.
“Center Rog is a space that was built for exactly this kind of gathering—creative, open, and rooted in community. Moving here felt like a natural next step for the festival, and I think visitors will immediately feel the difference,” says Peter Ševic, founder of Stow Coffee and director of the Ljubljana Coffee Festival.
The Lab: Where the Industry Talks
At the center of the festival’s intellectual program is The Lab, a lecture and workshop series bringing together some of the most influential voices in global coffee. The 2026 speaker lineup is strong. Lori Brncic from Filteraj in Zagreb will present on coffee and plant-based milk pairing, exploring the science behind microfoamy alternatives.
Nestor Lasso of El Diviso in Colombia—one of the most talked-about names in experimental processing—will present on fermentation techniques and the flavor unlocking potential behind his work at the farm. Dr. Samo Smrke from ZHAW in Zurich, Switzerland—one of the most respected coffee scientists working today—will take a deep look at espresso’s past, present, and future, and lead a hands-on sensory session on fermented flavors.
The Lab also hosts a documentary film premiere: Colombia, the Origin of Excellence, presented by Mojca Mavec—one of Slovenia’s most recognized television presenters and travel journalists—alongside Stow Coffee. It is the kind of programming that distinguishes Ljubljana from the more trade-show-forward events on the European calendar.
Panel Forum: A Region Tells Its Story
Sunday’s program closes with the LCF Panel Forum, this year dedicated to tracing the evolution of specialty coffee across Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia—where it began, who built it, and where it goes next.
Panelists are yet to be announced, but the topic itself signals something worth paying attention to: The specialty-coffee scene across the former Yugoslav states has been developing quietly and consistently for years, and this feels like the moment the region is ready to talk about itself on its own terms.
“The specialty-coffee scene across Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia has been building for years, often without much recognition from the wider industry. This forum is our way of saying—it’s time to tell that story ourselves, in our own words,” says Peter.
The Competitions
The Barista Battle Challenge 2026 pits baristas from across Europe against each other across four disciplines—espresso, latte art, cupping, and a signature drink—in one of the more creatively demanding competition formats on the regional circuit.
Running alongside it is the Latte Art Throwdown Slovenia, a knockout-style open competition that has become one of the festival’s most energetic and accessible attractions for both competitors and spectators.
Tastings, Roasters, and the Sensory Room
Beyond the stage, the festival spreads across six program zones. The Roasters Village brings together international roasters and green coffee importers showcasing seasonal specialty lots. The Slovenian Roasters Zone gives dedicated space to the country’s own specialty-coffee scene. The Sensory Cupping Room hosts curated cuppings with importers and roasters including Cofinet, Unroasted, Cata Export, Grounds, Mae Coffee, and Covoya—an unusually strong lineup for a regional event.
Workshops run across both days, covering espresso basics, pourover, latte art, and Turkish coffee, all led by trainers from Stow Coffee Academy and designed for home brewers and curious enthusiasts alike. La Marzocco Home will be on site with hands-on activations featuring the Micra, Mini, GS3, and Strada X. Modbar will be pouring across both days. The Mixology Zone brings coffee cocktails into the mix, alongside artisanal street food from YAUYA Patisserie.
Practical Information
The Ljubljana Coffee Festival takes place on September 26 and 27, 2026 at Center Rog, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Tickets and further information are available at ljubljanacoffeefestival.si.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vasileia Fanarioti (she/her) is a senior online correspondent for Barista Magazine and a freelance copywriter and editor with a primary focus on the coffee niche. She has also been a volunteer copywriter for the I’M NOT A BARISTA NPO, providing content to help educate people about baristas and their work.
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