Zelnik Festival in the village of Zhabokrat

The Kyustendil region in Bulgaria is famous for its delicious cuisine, but locals are particularly skilled at making banitsa and zelnik. For the 18th consecutive year, the village of Zhabokrat invites fans of traditional Bulgarian dishes to taste some of the best zelnik in the region.

The organizer of the “Festival of Zelnik and Sweet Temptations” is the local community cultural center “Saglasie 2007”, which is included in UNESCO’s national list of “Living Human Treasures” as a guardian of the tradition of preparing Kyustendil-style zelnik.

• From watermelon madjun to Dervishovden - Bulgaria's newest Living Human Treasures

The festival will take place on 25 and 26 April. Folk singer Georgi Ilievski will be a special guest. Groups from Bulgaria and abroad have confirmed their participation, along with amateur ensembles from the local community center. The program also features numerous skits, surprises and folk performances.

Participants in the culinary competition for the best zelnik, banitsa and traditional pita bread will be judged based on criteria such as presentation, taste, thinness of the pastry layers, density, and variety of the filling.

The festival, which showcases local traditions and the culinary heritage of the Kyustendil region, will also feature rituals dedicated to bread.

The event is organized with the support of the Municipality of Kyustendil.

Edited by Darina Grigorova

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov