The city of Štip is preparing for one of Macedonia’s best known food and entertainment events, as Pastrmajlijada returns on September 18 and 19. This year’s festival will take place across two locations, the Vancho Prke promenade and the City Stadium, bringing together the traditional Štip pastrmajlija, live music and visitors from across Macedonia and neighboring countries. Organizers expect thousands of guests and have prepared a broader setup designed to make the popular local specialty available at both main festival locations. One of the main changes for this year’s event is that pastrmajlija will be served at both locations through unified food stands. More than 30 restaurants and food vendors have registered for the festival, while the price of a Štip pastrmajlija has been set at 250 denars despite increased operating costs. The decision is intended to make the signature local dish accessible to as many visitors as possible while allowing the festival to accommodate the large crowds expected during the two day celebration.
The festival officially begins on Friday, September 18, at 1 p.m. with the traditional cutting of a giant Štip pastrmajlija. The program will continue throughout the afternoon and evening with cultural and artistic groups, DJ performances and concerts. Lara Ivanovska, Tasko and Serbian singer Sara Jo are scheduled to perform at the Vancho Prke promenade, where the Friday program will continue until around midnight. Saturday will bring another full day of activities, beginning at 11 a.m. at the promenade before the event moves to the City Stadium at 7 p.m. for the main concert evening. Macedonian performers Jovan Jovanov and Elvir Mekic will appear before the headline performance by Serbian singer and songwriter Željko Joksimović. His appearance is expected to be one of the main attractions of this year’s festival and will bring a large regional music audience to Štip.
The city is also preparing additional parking areas and changes to traffic arrangements to make it easier for visitors to reach the festival locations. Pastrmajlijada has developed beyond a local food event into a major annual gathering centered around one of Štip’s most recognizable culinary products. By combining the traditional specialty with concerts and entertainment, the September festival is expected to once again bring large crowds to the city and put Štip’s food culture in the spotlight.
