Buregdžijada in Niš | Tourist Calendar of Serbia

Buregdžijada is a tourist-gastronomic event held in mid-August in Niš. This event is dedicated to the preparation of this traditional dish, but it also involves guests from other Balkan countries where burek is a beloved breakfast.

The people of Niš proudly claim that the first burek was made in this city back in 1498, and this was the reason to perpetuate this centuries-old tradition with the event in 2003. Buregdžijada has made the Niš burek entered the Guinness Book of Records when it reached a diameter of over two meters and a weight of around 100 kilograms. This record has been repeated for years, making the giant burek next to the Nišava River an essential part.

During the four-day event, which Buregdžijada lasts, gourmets gather on the Quay near the Officers' Club to enjoy the taste of the giant burek. In 2019, several hundred visitors ate this enormous burek in less than half an hour. It was the first time it was made with pork rinds, using about 30 kilograms of them, along with 50 kilograms of flour and 20 kilograms of fat.

Apart from satisfying the visitors, during those days, bakers also strive to please the jury that decides the winner of the best burek preparation. Perhaps the most interesting competition is the one where bakers demonstrate their skill in throwing and stretching the dough for the crust.

Traditionally, burek in this city is made with meat or cheese, but new flavors are added year after year. Thus, the offer has been enriched with sweet burek with various additions like cream and bananas. However, when it comes to sweet burek, the Greek bougatsa with vanilla cream, sprinkled with cinnamon or powdered sugar, attracts the most attention.

Burek is prepared in Niš from a young age, so the youngest participant in this event was only 11 years old. As young Novak Stevanović explains, it is necessary to grease the surface on which the dough will be stretched with fat, but it is also important to skillfully turn the dough in the air with hands to achieve the desired thickness. After that, the dough is filled with the desired ingredient, and then it is baked.

In addition to stands with burek and other specialties, tables are set up for visitors to take a break and enjoy the traditional flavors. Since many people like to have burek with yogurt, dairy producers are also among the exhibitors.

The Days of Burek attract domestic and foreign visitors, and a cultural and entertainment program is provided for them. Cultural and artistic societies perform during the evening hours. The organizer of Buregdžijada is the Union of Bakers, with the support of the City of Niš, the Tourist Organization of Niš, and other institutions.

More information about this year's edition of Buregdžijada can be obtained through the media.