As the city prepares for the big spectacle at Šubićevac, many locals have decided to monetize the crowds, improvised stalls are popping up across town, and authorities urge caution.
As thousands of fans gather in Šibenik for the long-awaited concert by Marko Perković Thompson, resourceful locals have found a way to earn extra cash. In Đure Đakovića Street and surrounding areas, private courtyards have overnight become makeshift catering points.
According to the Šibenik IN portal, many residents have temporarily registered businesses or set up limited liability companies and installed prefabricated stands in their yards to sell drinks. Photos of these unusual scenes were provided by a reader of the DalmacijaDanas portal, clearly showing courtyards near Šubićevac Stadium transformed into small, temporary open-air cafés.
Besides the organizers, many citizens also expect to benefit from the large number of visitors, having figured out how to take advantage of the high concentration of people before the concert begins, as well as after it ends, when the audience will disperse toward parking areas and further festivities.
Due to the expected large number of visitors, the Šibenik-Knin Police Department has issued a series of important instructions. Joško Periša, head of the Šibenik Traffic Police Station, emphasized that vehicles will not be able to reach the stadium itself. "Visitors will not be able to reach the stadium or its vicinity with vehicles," Periša stated.
Special parking locations have been designated. According to police information, visitors arriving from the direction of Zadar can leave their vehicles in the TEF area. Those coming from Split should use the former TLM factory and Mandalina area, while for visitors arriving from Drniš, Knin, and the A1 motorway, the Podi Industrial Zone is designated. The DalmacijaDanas portal further notes that the police also recommend the parking lot next to the Dalmare shopping center.
The concert will also bring significant traffic changes. "The main road will be closed at least three hours before the concert, and alternative routes will be used, primarily the A1 motorway," Periša added, appealing for patience and compliance with traffic controllers' instructions, especially after the concert when the biggest crowds are expected.
Civil Protection members are also on the ground, having completed all preparations. Božidar Ćurić, head of the Zagreb Regional Civil Protection Office, reported on the measures taken. "Everyone is ready, they have completed preparatory actions. Taps with drinking water have been installed at 13 points in the city of Šibenik. The key advice is, we ask people to bring sufficient amounts of water to avoid dehydration. The sun is not in our favor, so they should consume as little alcohol as possible," Ćurić urged.
A particularly strong appeal was issued due to the high fire risk, as parts of Dalmatia have been affected by wildfires in recent days. Ćurić asked visitors to refrain from any pyrotechnics. "We ask visitors to stay away from pyrotechnics, flares, signal rockets, especially those that can travel far. We are surrounded by dense Aleppo pine forest, which is highly flammable; the needles are down, we've tried to clean part of it, we've soaked the ground, we appeal for firefighters to have as little work as possible, for no evacuations, and for no pyrotechnics to be set off," he said.
Aware that after the six-hour concert everyone will want to get home as soon as possible, Ćurić also gave a final piece of advice for Nova TV. "My advice is that, precisely because of the traffic jams, people should stay a bit longer at the concert, socialize, and not all leave at once. We know it lasts six hours and that they should all leave the concert area within half an hour; they'll run into congestion," he said.
He added that it is crucial to avoid sudden movements and creating bottlenecks. "Let them be patient, let them go slowly, car by car, without stopping at intersections, so it flows, so it keeps moving, and there won't be major delays or jams," Ćurić concluded.
