Summer Day in Albania Date in the current year: March 14, 2024

Summer Day festival celebrates the end of the winter and the rebirth of nature. This festival origins are tracked to the temple of the Mountain Muse (Zana Malit), that was build near the city of Shkumbin (Elbasan). Muse was the goddess of hunting, forests and nature and she would come out of her temple only on March 14, which marked the beginning of the summer. This legend was passed from the generation to generation, and Summer Day festival is known for its unique cultural heritage and traditions.

Originally Summer Day was observed only in Elbasan, but today the festival is organized across the country. Thousands of visitors come to Albany to watch a unique celebration of the festival and participate it. National dishes are made to treat the participants of the festival. By the way, festive national dishes are cooked in a slightly different way, than usually. Kids usually get nuts and dried figs on this day.