The stage is being prepared, a squadron of drones will film the spectacle in Belgrade on the water, and in the Winter Fairy Tale, the countdown is on until Expo. How is Belgrade on the water preparing to welcome 2026?
The stage is set just below the Gazelle Bridge. Several guys are setting up their equipment, while behind them, on the big screen, the inscription "Welcome 2026" alternates, with an illustration of the Belgrade Tower in the background.
A fence is also being erected - the same one that Ćaciland was threatened with, and then his own holiday edition on the plateau in front of the National Assembly, only without fat.
There are refrigerators for drinks in a row. It's empty for now. There is still time until the evening gathering.
There are almost no people. Only a few passers-by stop, approach the stage, take a photo and continue on. Not even along the promenade of Belgrade on the water this morning is there any crowd.
Apart from the loudspeakers placed so that even those further away could hear the program, and a few large New Year's decorations, there is little to indicate that it is the last day of the year and that a big welcome is being prepared here.
There are no stalls on the promenade, but there are several signs that work is in progress and that you have to take a detour to the Gallery.
However, a large number of visitors are expected in this "city within a city".
All of them tonight, it seems, will be filming dozens, maybe even more than a hundred drones. Several people carefully remove the aircraft from the boxes placed closer to the Belgrade Tower and arrange them on the concrete.
Photo: Vreme/Katarina StevanovićDrone squadron
They say a whole squadron of drones is ready for tonight. They claim that their reception will be filmed.
We cannot confirm whether it is really about a hundred drones that will record footage of the reception or something else. We just have to take their word for it. "Yes, this is for tonight," they answer shortly.
How much does it cost to spend time in the Winter Fairy Tale?
On the other side of the Belgrade Tower and the Galerija Shopping Center, the atmosphere is noticeably more festive.
The first visitors arrive at Winter Fairytale, a park dressed in winter, New Year's clothing.
The program starts every day at 12 o'clock and no entry is allowed before that. The gates are closed and guarded by security.
Fifteen minutes before the start, Santa Claus also appears. Security lets him through the gate, and he turns to the "Vremen" reporters, congratulates him on the holidays and patiently poses for a photo.
The fairy tale will be open today until two past midnight, according to the security guard.
For lovers of the festive atmosphere and photography, there are many motifs in the park: stands with food and drinks, an ice rink, decorations, a Christmas tree, a program for the youngest, but also a Coca-Cola truck, similar to the one in the company's holiday advertisements.
Some stalls open exactly at noon, others remain closed for a while longer. Everything is on offer - from decorative candles, the price of which starts from 1.100 dinars, to mulled wine, gin and other alcoholic beverages, burgers, sandwiches, chips, bananas topped with sweet sauces, prosciutto, crackers...
Whoever plans to eat and drink in the Winter Fairy Tale should prepare several thousand dinars. Mulled wine, brandy or rum costs about 500 dinars, burger with beer 1.350, burger 950, octopus salad 1.700, the smallest bag of popcorn 420, tea 200, "Belgrade fireplace" cake 700, beans 800, and soft drink 500 dinars.
This winter, Belgrade does not have an ice rink like in previous years at Nikola Pašić Square. Skating on a significantly smaller ice surface in Belgrade on water costs 799 dinars. The ice is mainly for the youngest, and a carousel is waiting for them immediately at the entrance - the ride is free.
It's also free in the Coca-Cola zone, where visitors can make a bottle with their own name or a New Year's decoration with a photo of their choice.
While choosing what to eat or drink, you can also follow the program for children on a small stage, placed next to a large Christmas tree decorated with MT:S ornaments. During the breaks between the performances, a message is heard from the speakers that there are 500 days left until the Expo, along with a song dedicated to the international exhibition that will be held in Belgrade in 2027 and an accompanying video playing on the screen.
And that's not the only place where the Expo is mentioned - an entire part of the park is dedicated to that theme and entertainment for children.
One part of the city is preparing for a spectacle and offers a controlled holiday idyll, with a price list that clearly shows how much it costs to enter the fairy tale, while the rest of Belgrade will remain without a city welcome this year.
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