The Burek Day Festival
“Buregdžijada” (Dani Burek) started back in 2004 in Serbia where the making, baking and eating of Burek is celebrated.
Back in 2004 in Serbia, the Burek Day festival where the making, baking and eating of Burek is celebrated began. Taking place late August to early September bakers from Serbia, Greece, Macedonia and Bulgaria take part and the locals and tourists gather in the open next to the river Nišava to watch and taste this Balkan street food. It’s the only Balkan festival of this kind.
At the festivals there are various vocal, instrumental and dancing bands to amuse the audience and often on the last day of the festival, the biggest Burek will be made, which if you are lucky will be freely dished out to the spectators.
Dani Bureka by Giannis Papadopoulos
At the 2011 festival the biggest and smallest Burek in the world was recorded (but not officially). A 440lb Burek with a 6.5 feet wide diameter – 330lb of dough, 110lb of cheese and 45lb of fat was used. The smallest Burek weighed only 0.1 ounce and was baked in a beer bottle cap.
In 2017 a group of bakers led by Omer Isovic and Faruk Sahovic are looking to organise the making of the largest Burek and get it recorded in the Guinness World Record Book.
To learn more about Burek in Serbia I recommend that you read this great write up ‘Burek, the most famous breakfast food in Serbia’.
Unfortunately, the 2016 festival was postponed and then cancelled. The main sponsor pulled out (I couldn’t find out why), there was a forecast of bad weather and bakeries struggled to meet the cost to entry the festival. This lead to the theory that many spectators would not turn up. The financial crisis certainly contributed to the situation too.
Now back on track, 2017’s festival takes place on 28th August to 30th August.
Have you heard of National Burek Day?
National Burek Day is the 31st August. Join the National Burek Day campaign on social media and share you’re Burek photos or favourite recipes with the tag #nationalburekday
