In the village that has preserved the living tradition of blacksmithing for over five centuries, the fire will burn again this year not only in the forges but also under the ‘peka’ (dishes cooked ‘under the bell’). Ocevija, a village located at the foot of Mount Zvijezda in the municipality of Vares, will on August 9th become the center of merging traditional cuisine and craft heritage, thanks to the 9th edition of “Pekijada – the international competition in preparing dishes under the peka.”
The organizer of this event is the Local Community of Ocevija in cooperation with the association “Eko turist” from Vares, with the support of the Municipality of Vares, numerous sponsors, and the relevant ministries of the Zenica-Doboj Canton (ZDC) and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH).
According to the organizers, this year’s Pekijada is breaking all previous records. Culinary skills will be tested by 41 teams from BiH, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, and, for the first time, Montenegro. The competition begins at 12:30 p.m., and the announcement of winners is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.
A special charm of the event is the gathering of representatives from three places that nurture similar gastronomic traditions – Nova Gajdobra from Serbia (Sac Fest), Danilovgrad from Montenegro (Sac Fest), and the host Ocevija. This turns “Pekijada” into a regional dialogue of flavors, culture, and heritage.
While the aroma of peka fills the air, visitors will have the opportunity to visit the last active water-powered blacksmith forges in Europe. These blacksmith masters, whose trade has been passed down from generation to generation for more than 500 years, preserve the metalworking skill that has shaped the history of this region.
“Pekijada is not just a gastronomic competition; it is the guardian of the spirit of an era. It is an opportunity to revive crafts, tradition, and community that are slowly fading before the modern way of life,” say the organizers.
They invite lovers of authentic experiences to become part of a unique story on August 9th – a story of skills, flavors, and heritage that resists the passage of time.
