Under the motto “Për kokërr të qejfit” (Just for fun), the 10th edition of Hardh Fest, the most popular grape harvesting festival in Kosovo, opens its doors on Friday, featuring a musical program and numerous activities.

The artists headlining the three nights of the festival include: former Guns N’ Roses lead guitarist Bumblefoot, Gipsy Kings by Diego Baliardo, George Gakis, and many local artists.

The festival goers will be treated to a vibrant mix of live music, traditional activities, and international performances in Kosovo’s southern town of Rahovec. 

Agron Sokoli, the festival’s director, highlighted that this jubilee edition brings a new feature—a larger stage and a bigger international audience.

“We’ve set up the largest stage ever for this festival, especially because we have the Gipsy Kings. Eighty percent of the festival venue is already free entry. The Fanpit tickets are for those close to the stage because of the sound system, requested by the Gipsy Kings to meet international standards,” Sokoli told BIRN.

“There is a lot of interest, and many tickets have been purchased by an international audience,” he added.

As is customary, the festival will kick off with the agricultural machinery parade, marking the official opening of Hardh Fest 2024. One of the festival’s highlights remains the Wine Fair, which is expected to attract many companies and producers.

One of the most popular activities is the grape-stomping competition. Another activity is Hardh Kids, where children get to express their creativity through various crafts.

The Hardh Talk conference will focus on the theme, “The Cultural and Historical Heritage of Grape Vine Cultivation and Wine Production.”

Hardh Fest has been organised since 2001. Initially put together by local associations, it has grown into a national tradition, celebrating the start of the grape harvest by local vine growers.

The festival will take place from September 6 to 8.