Flute Players Festival in Žagubica | Tourist Calendar of Serbia

In order to preserve the authentic tradition and culture of the Homolje region, under the patronage of the Municipality of Žagubica, the traditional Assembly of Flute Players and Trumpeters - "Homolje Flute" is held every year in the village of Osanica.

The Assembly, organized by the Tourist Organization of Žagubica for 9 years now, takes place in May and is a competitive event in the category of children and adults playing wooden wind instruments, such as the flute and the duduk. The Assembly nurtures the culture and customs of the people from the Homolje valley area, as well as the art of playing the traditional musical instrument - the flute.

The beginning of the "Homolje Flute" event is traditionally marked by a parade of participants and cultural-artistic societies through the center of Žagubica, followed by the competitive and festive part of the event.

Each year, more and more societies from surrounding villages and hamlets such as Porodina, Stamnica, Neresnica, Petrovac, and Jasikovo, as well as cultural-artistic societies from the Žagubica municipality in Krepoljin, Osanica, and Laznica, participate in the cultural-artistic program.

The competitive part of the program is organized in five categories, with a focus on the competition for children up to 12 years old, followed by the category for flute players aged 12 to 16, and the category for young duduk players. There are also competitions for adults playing the flute and the duduk.

Žagubica is the seat of the eponymous municipality in eastern Serbia and is one of the oldest settlements in the Homolje region. It is surrounded by mountains such as Gornjak, Beljanica, Crni vrh, and the Homolje mountains, while the town itself is located in a plain and is adorned by a beautiful environment with numerous cultural, historical, and natural landmarks.

The most beautiful tourist attraction of this region lies in the southeastern part of Žagubica. It is Vrelo Mlave, a hydrological natural monument located on the outskirts of the settlement. The spring has a blue-green water color that is almost never murky, with temperatures reaching up to 11 degrees Celsius even on the hottest days. It is located at an altitude of 314 meters, and the water springs from sources on the sides and the bottom of the basin.

During the "Homolje Flute" event, visitors can also taste completely authentic culinary specialties of the Homolje region, including the famous dry shepherd's pies, boiled lamb in milk and on a spit, dried wild boar meat, Homolje-style cornmeal mush, and more.

Homolje cheese has a protected geographical origin since 1997. It contains a high percentage of fat, is saltier than other cheeses, and has a sharp taste and aroma. It is usually eaten with hot cornmeal mush but can also be added to various salads and served as a side dish.

A specialty of this region is the Vlach yellow cornmeal mush with dried bacon and boletus mushrooms. In the past, cornmeal mush was prepared in Homolje for village slavas (patron saint celebrations) and religious festivities. Some poor villagers worked for a daily wage of one kilogram of white cornmeal flour. It used to be cooked in a copper pot or a deeper pot. The cooked mush would be separated from the pot with a wooden paddle. Today, as in the past, it is cut into pieces with thread or a wooden knife. It is eaten with sheep or cow cheese and mixed with milk.

Žagubica is also known for acacia honey and the herbal brandy "Homolje Toast" (a natural plum brandy enriched with 14 medicinal herbs). Homolje honey has been a protected product in Serbia since 2008 and at the international level since 2010.

For more details and information about this year's Assembly of Flute Players, please contact the Tourist Organization of the Municipality of Žagubica.