Based on the rich baroque tradition and music of Varaždin, the festival of Varaždin Baroque Evenings was founded in 1968, holding its first festival event in 1971. Since 1986, the European Council of Culture based in Strasbourg has assumed patronage of the festival. Since the year 1992 the Festival has come under the patronage of the President of Croatia. The Varaždin Baroque Evenings have since that date been organised by the newly founded Concert Office of the Varaždin Town Council.
The programme of “Baroque Evenings” is focused on research of both European and Croatian baroque music with a clear emphasis on the music genre of Varaždin. As a vibrant festival, it represents a combination of the visual arts, literature and gastronomical baroque treasures, taking place at the time of the yearly grape harvesting in this wine-rich area. A number of renowned musicians from Varaždin have given performances, specifically Ruža Pospiš Baldani, Nada Puttar Gold, Sena Jurinac, Jurica Murai, Rudolf Klepač, Višnja Mažuran, Lana Kos, Tomislav Mužek and Lidija Horvat Dunjko. In addition, a variety of other performers appeared at festival: the Varaždin Chamber Orchestra, the distinguished orchestra conductor and head of the Zagreb Opera, Vladimir Kranjčević, Karl Richter, Leopold Hager, virtuosi of the Berlin Philharmonic, Kings Consort, William Christie, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and many others. The Varaždin Baroque Evenings continued developing and offer up to 30 concerts a year.