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Korça celebrates Summer Day with kulac, summer cakes and the symbolic fire of spring

2026-03-01 12:10:00, Kulturë CNA

Korça celebrates Summer Day with kulac, summer cakes and the symbolic

March 1st in Korça came like every year with the aroma of freshly baked bread and the symbolic flames that herald the end of winter.

The city celebrates Summer Day, a tradition passed down from generation to generation, which continues to remain alive in every Korçë family. The ladies of the city say that this celebration is part of the identity of the area.

Korça celebrates Summer Day with kulac, summer cakes and the symbolic

According to them, the Summer Day cake is prepared with devotion and shared among family members, accompanied by dried figs and “summer”, the symbolic red-and-white bracelets that are placed on the hand as a sign of the arrival of spring and good luck. At dawn on March 1, a fire is lit, a ritual that symbolizes the departure of the cold and the opening of a new season.

"As a tradition in the city of Korça, March 1st is Summer Day. This is inherited from generation to generation and we, as the older generation that we are, celebrate it by making the Summer Day cake and distributing it in parts. Yes, the city of Korça has preserved the traditions, we distribute the cake among family members accompanied by the fig and the "summer" that we place in their hands. By celebrating March 1st, we light a fire, it is a symbol of the passing of winter and the arrival of spring," says one of them.

"We cooked the traditional cake. Now we have come out with these children who have lit and are crossing the fire. Summer Day marks the departure of winter and the arrival of spring. The Korça area preserves these traditions very much and does them every year. We sow summer seeds, we make corn," says a woman from Korça.

Korça celebrates Summer Day with kulac, summer cakes and the symbolic

This year too, children were present near the flames, crossing the fire under the watchful eye of their parents. Residents say that this action represents the removal of the negative energies of winter and the welcoming of a beautiful and prosperous spring. In addition to the kulac and verorev, some families also prepare roasted corn as part of the traditional table on this day.

The little girls express their happiness at participating in the celebration with their friends and family. They say they have crossed the fire several times, considering this a special moment that brings joy and unity.

"We lit the fire with our friends and with our mother. We are having a great time, we have crossed the fire several times. It symbolizes the removal of the evils of winter and the arrival of a beautiful, new spring."

"It looks very nice, we're having a great time. These are beautiful moments with friends, with each other. We've each crossed the fire several times."

In Korça, Summer Day remains more than a calendar holiday and as a rite that unites generations, strengthens family ties and restores hope for warmer days. /CNA