The four-day festival, featuring lace from Croatia, Belgium, Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Germany and Austria, also includes workshops, lectures, fashion shows, theatre performances and other events.
Lepoglava Mayor Marijan Skvaric said that lace from Lepoglava and the islands of Pag and Hvar was on UNESCO's list of protected world cultural heritage.
The mayor announced plans for the construction of a centre in Lepoglava that would have permanent lace exhibitions.
Attending the opening of the festival was also Belgian Ambassador Philippe Benoit, whose country is the partner-country at this year's event.