Chicken Fest in Žitište | Tourist Calendar of Serbia

Chicken Fest is a traditional economic, cultural, and sports event that takes place every summer in Žitište, near Zrenjanin.

Gastronomy is just one segment of this event, which also includes a rich cultural and entertainment program featuring well-known names from the folk music scene.

Žitište is located in the middle of Banat and can boast seven centuries of continuous settlement by different peoples, making it a multicultural environment today. This municipality has become synonymous with poultry farming, as official data shows that one million broiler chickens are produced here annually.

The poultry processing industry was established with the intention of making this region the largest poultry center in former Yugoslavia. In addition to a number of farms that were built to raise chickens, there were plans to involve rural populations in bordering villages in cooperative relationships.

Therefore, in 2007, the General Association of Entrepreneurs in Žitište launched the Chicken Fest. The aim is to promote the municipality of Žitište and its main assets through this tourist-economic and cultural-sports event. Since poultry farming is a significant economic activity in this area, the chicken is the symbol of this event.

The central stage is set up in the square in Žitište, and over the course of three days, chefs, singers, dancers, and athletes take turns at several locations. The Chicken Fest includes competitions in various sports disciplines such as basketball, volleyball, water polo, and football. Folklore ensembles from different countries in the region participate in the folklore festival. Various exhibitions, car shows, amusement parks, and other entertainment activities are organized.

One of the biggest attractions of this Banat village is the monument to Rocky Balboa, a fictional character but a legendary boxer from the Hollywood film series portrayed by the famous American actor Sylvester Stallone.

Special attractions include horse-drawn carriage rides and cruises on the Begej River, which flows through Žitište. There are also special programs for the youngest visitors, including children's performances, workshops, karaoke, theater plays, and more.

The largest audience gathers in the evening hours when concerts by popular artists are held on the central stage. In 2021, records were broken when more than 15,000 visitors gathered in Žitište for Dragana Mirković's concert.

However, the most important part is the poultry fair, where equipment, poultry feed, and poultry meat products are exhibited. Special attention is given to the preparation of scrambled eggs and chicken paprikash. The scrambled eggs at Chicken Fest contain more than 1,000 eggs, and the paprikash includes hundreds of chicken wings.

For many, the most interesting part is the selection of the largest, heaviest, and fastest hen in Serbia. In the 20-meter race, the biggest challenge is to direct the hen towards the finish line, so their proud owners try various ways to motivate them to move in a straight line instead of going in circles. The hen that succeeds first receives a prize in the form of poultry feed.

The organizer of this rich program is the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Žitište. This year's edition of the Chicken Fest is planned for June 23rd and 24th, and you can find more details through the media.