Every 8th of February Slovenians celebrate the Slovenian Cultural Holiday or Prešeren Day.
It is a national holiday dedicated to honouring France Prešeren (1800-1849), the most important Slovenian poet, who is remembered not only for his Romantic poetry but also for his efforts to modernize the Slovenian language. His poem Zdravljica (The Toast) has been adopted as Slovenia’s national anthem and made him a symbol of Slovenian national spirit.
On February 7, the eve of the holiday, the Prešeren Awards, the Slovenia’s most prestigious cultural awards, are conferred. On February 8, all over the country there are many cultural events being held and there is a free admission to museums and galleries. It is a day to focus on cultural education, attend cultural events and to celebrate the highest achievements of contemporary Slovenian culture.