The Festival of the Grain celebrates its 7th edition this year, bringing Myzeqe’s people together with pride and culture. It starts today, June 20, in Pojan, Fier, near the Apollonia National Archaeological Park.

Grain symbolizes life, heritage, and unity. More than a harvest celebration, this festival connects past and present, linking generations and blending ancient customs with modern culture.

Rooted in Illyrian Apollonia’s millennia-old Dionysian festivals, which honored life, fertility, and the earth’s gifts, the event pays tribute to the sacred bond between land and people.

This year, the festival honors not only the harvest and bread but also history, culture, and identity. It celebrates farmers, grandmothers who taught bread-making, and the silent heroes behind Myzeqe’s fields.

One cherished tradition is cooking “biba” (quail) under a saç (traditional cooker). Though simple, this dish carries deep gratitude and the warm taste of homemade bread. It revives ancient flavors and the spirit of the land and its people.

/a.p./