Neighbor Day at Center Rog: Over 2,000 Visitors and 50 Activities for All Generations

Neighbor Day, held every year on the first Saturday in June, is a community program by Center Rog designed to connect the neighborhood, city residents, and other visitors. The event offers an opportunity for those who have not yet visited Center Rog to get to know the building, production spaces, and diverse programs, as well as nearby cafes, organizations, and initiatives that help shape this part of the city.

This year’s program began at 8 a.m. with morning yoga, exercise, and Pilates, and throughout the day visitors could join numerous creative workshops – from planting and plant exchanges, building a children’s playground, and fabric printing workshops to pottery making, bobbin lace crafting, and creating brooches and jewelry. Dogs, always welcome at Center Rog, could participate with their owners in a training session organized by Pasji Vibe. Two competitions attracted much attention: pottery wheel throwing and the popular Nerdy Derby — a race of small cars that participants could make on site. The race track was created during community workshops led by users of the Wood Lab and FabLab.

Children enjoyed the playground in the park, participated in a toy swap, and explored the materials playroom, while in the afternoon a bike repair workshop came to life. Throughout the day, free pancakes and coffee were available, followed by delicious draft ice cream in the afternoon, which was especially welcome on the sunny day.

In the weeks leading up to the event, many users, together with Center Rog mentors, co-created tools and elements needed for the program. The children’s playground was made in the Metal Lab, while the Textile Lab and FabLab crafted a shade dome offering visitors shelter from the heat. The Green Lab prepared 50 liters of refreshing kombucha in various flavors served to visitors. The Jewelry Lab created plant markers for the park. Special attention was given to the community picnic, coordinated by the Food Lab – some food was prepared in-house, while visitors themselves contributed a significant share.

More than 20 organizations and initiatives presented themselves in the park and at the stalls, including: the humanitarian association Nikoli sam, the University of the Third Age, the Health School, the Slovenian Medical Students’ Association, Ledina Primary School, the Secondary School of Trade and Arrangement, Pasji Vibe, the Bobbin Lace Society Ljubljana, Mala ulica, MC ULCA, Cukrarna, Cona Cent’r, the Kolovrat Folklore Society, KD MPZ Kolinčani, the Latin American Society in Slovenia, Sixinch Adria, Young Dragons, Trubarjeva na dlani, Agogo, the Green Supervisors Ljubljana Association, Zlata preja, the sales gallery Tvornica, the TaBar restaurant, the Grashka bistro, and other neighbors and friends of Center Rog.

This year, special attention was drawn to Center Rog’s participatory budget project, presented to the public for the first time on this occasion. This new community decision-making mechanism allows members of Center Rog to propose and vote on improvements for the building and surroundings until autumn. A dedicated budget of 20,000 EUR is available.

Renata Zamida, Director of Center Rog:
“We want people to feel that Center Rog is their space. Only then will we all co-create and take care of it. That is why we introduced the participatory budget, through which all our members can propose and vote on improvements for the building and its surroundings, something we especially promoted at this year’s Neighbor Day. We already have around 3,000 registered members, and we will implement their voted proposals next year.”

The event’s program expanded throughout the day to other locations – on Petkovškov Embankment, the shops Juvelirij and Manufaktura offered special programs, while at the Rog Library visitors could watch the children’s play Let’s Play Theatre and attend an afternoon talk with Tina Perić, a finalist for the Kresnik Award.

The initiative Trubarjeva na dlani also participated, organizing special Saturday activities with workshops, street food, and performances along the entire Trubarjeva Street.

With this edition, Neighbor Day at Center Rog continues to strengthen as an annual celebration of cooperation and vibrant public space. More than 100 individuals and over 30 partner organizations contributed to the preparation and execution of the event.

The next Neighbor Day will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2026.

Photo: Leana Herak