Closing of the summer season in Montenegro

On the Balkan Peninsula on the coast of the Adriatic Sea is located the truly beautiful and unique country of Montenegro. It is famous by its incredible nature, beautiful landscapes, historical sites and the hospitality of its people. We can talk endlessly about the incredible beauty of natural landscapes. Every year they invite tourists and photographers from all over the world and share their gifts with everyone.

The beach season on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro is from May to October. It is always goes active, interesting and tasty. The velvet season begins in September and goes until mid-October. Аt this time, when the sky is blue and it's still  warm and sunny, Montenegro officially announces the closure of the summer season. 

On the first Saturday of October, a wonderful holiday takes place in the main square of the Old Town - Shiruna Day (DAN ŠIRUNA). Shirun is a type of mackerel, a very popular fish in Adriatic waters. And the holiday is a real day of generosity and fun, dedicated to wine, beer and fish. All residents wait for this holiday all year to enjoy communication, delicious fish and a festive atmosphere.

The surprising thing is that Montenegrins are mostly meat eaters, but on the day the tourist season closed, they chose fish. According to legend, on this day fishermans must to give all their catch for free to everyone, to have big catch fish in future.

The organizers of the holiday are the tourism organization of Budva and the Shirun Sports Fishing Society. On this day, usually in the afternoon, in front of the walls of the Old Town, they grill fish, drink local wine, beer and enjoy a good mood and a great evening.

Wine and beer flow like a river. Absolutely everyone will be full and drunk. This year (2023), on October 7, this wonderful holiday took place. The organizers fried 1500 kg (over 3300 lb) of  fish. There were 5 grill spots on the square, so it was convenient for everyone and the lines didn’t seem so endless.

The festival was opened by the youngest artists and a gymnastics group. The children sang songs, danced and read poems. The little artists did their best and showed everything they could.

About an hour later, luxurious ladies dressed in dresses with crinolines joined the square to the accompaniment of the city orchestra. They played a march and greeted the guests.

At approximately 18.00, the concert of the female vocal ensemble “Harmony” began. These are exactly the same young ladies who were accompanied by the orchestra. Beautiful songs, strong voices and charming dresses decorated the stage and lifted everyone's spirits.

Immediately after the ensemble, a children's theater performance took the stage. The children performed the play “Turnip” in English. Next, the choir of teachers from the Second Primary School “Magdiyas” was introduced to the audience for the first time, and in the continuation of the program, talented children from the primary school of music education performed songs.

The next part of the program was traditionally exciting sports games. Participants competed in tug-of-war and the famous competition of removing prosciutto from a slippery beam.

And of course, the planned evening concert, which began at 20.00 by the famous Montenegrin pop singer Monika Knezović and the city choir "Nikola Đurković" from Kotor, who performed their varied musical repertoire.

The star of the evening was the vocal group "Cambi", which left no one indifferent. Handsome men sang songs, and the guests danced and continued to have fun.

The people continued to relax and have fun. Good music, dancing and delicious food contributed to the fun and good mood. The bright and festive lighting of the houses, palm trees and square created an incredible atmosphere. The guests happily ate fish, drank wine and beer, and took pictures with each other.

The end of summer festival in Budva is not only an opportunity to celebrate the end of the season, but also a great way to enjoy the rich culture and atmosphere of Montenegro. The holiday in Budva usually attracts both locals and tourists, and becomes a bright final note for the summer season. Budva says: “Goodbye, summer! We welcome a beautiful autumn and winter at sea!”