Valandovo hosts 26th traditional homemade rakija competition

The 26th Valandovo Rakijada was held at the City Pool in Valandovo, bringing together twenty participants to showcase traditional homemade rakija production. Using local Vranec grapes that undergo a 21-day fermentation process, competitors demonstrated ancestral methods of distilling the popular Macedonian beverage.

Lazar Dimov and Trajce Zajkov secured first place, followed by Deni Delev and Krste Arabadziev in second, and Guna Markova and Katica Tungelova in third. The event, held under the patronage of the Valandovo Municipality, also featured students from the agricultural and veterinary program at the Goce Delchev secondary school.

Participants noted that the craft is passed down through generations. For example, long-time participant Gjorgji Zafirov shared that he learned the process from his father and has since passed the knowledge to his son.