GALICHNIK WEDDING 2024 marks half a century of partnership between Pivara Skopje and the event, alongside celebrating 100 years of SKOPSKO

The picturesque slopes of Mount Bistra and the impressive Galichnik will once again be the backdrop for witnessing unique wedding customs and rituals, the vibrant colors of folk costumes, original songs, and authentic dances characteristic of this region. The special attention of curious visitors will be drawn to the Galichnik bride Stefana Dimitrova, originally from Galichnik, and the groom Darijan Kochoski, who will say the fateful “YES” on Sunday, July 14. This year’s bride, Stefana, comes from well-known Galichnik families through her parents, and the wedding couple has previously participated in a Galichnik Wedding.

“The most positive aspect of the extensive preparations for the event, throughout the year, is that even after so many decades, the interest of young people in being part of the festivities does not wane; on the contrary, it grows every year. This is a clear sign that we are succeeding in our mission to keep our customs and traditional values alive and pass them on to the next generations,” said Aleksandar Kostikj, representative of the organizer, the Galicnik Local Community. He added, “With the support of our long-standing partners, Galichnik is ready to present its rich and unique tradition to all visitors this year, which continues to captivate everyone who experiences it.”

The institutional patron of the “Galichnik Wedding” is the President of our country, Gordana Siljanovska Davkova. Her involvement further underscores the significance of this event, which plays a crucial role in preserving and promoting original folklore, traditional values, architecture, and national creativity as the foundations of our cultural and national identity. This year, one of the traditional supporters of the event is the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Since its inception in 1963, this particular method of celebrating the Galichnik Wedding has seen 50 editions. This year, Pivara Skopje marks half a century of collaboration with the event, with its support and brands becoming emblematic of the occasion.

“In the year we celebrate 100 years of SKOPSKO, we also mark 50 years of cooperation with the Galichnik Wedding. When a partnership lasts for half a century, both sides share the same values – nurturing and preserving tradition and fostering unity and positive developments. Generations of ‘Pivarci’ are proud of this connection and the fact that our brands have become a symbol of this exceptional tradition,” said Marija Mininchikj, Manager of Community Partnerships at Pivara Skopje. She congratulated the newlyweds, Stefana and Darijan, and wished them health, happiness, and a life full of joy.

Traditionally, the wedding ceremony will commence on the evening of Saturday, July 13, marked by the “throwing” of three guns from the groom’s house and the waving and placing of the wedding flag. The evening continues with various customs, including the welcome of the drums, which will resound throughout Galicnik for two days, the mother-in-law dance, and the symbolic “Teshkoto” performed by members of NU “Tanec.” One particularly impressive sight is when the in-laws with kindling in their hands take the girl to fill water at the three taps at the famous plateau of “Upia”.

The wedding day, Sunday, July 14, will feature a series of attractive wedding rituals and customs, including the famous looking through the ring, the so called ‘inviting the dead,’ inviting the best man, shaving the groom, welcoming the in-laws, taking the bride, giving gifts, and other traditions. This year, a singing group will perform the long-forgotten ritual songs. The wedding will take place in the temple of “St. Apostles Peter and Paul,” and the ceremony will conclude with the departure of the drummers and trumpeters.

For the ritual part of the program, a “live” broadcast will be provided, which will be shown on a screen placed on the plateau in front of the Upia fountain. Those unable to attend the event in person can also watch it on social media.

A special traffic regime will be implemented for this year’s event, and the organizers and partners urge visitors to consume alcohol responsibly, refrain from driving if they have been drinking, and to take care of the environment and nature in the unique setting of Galichnik.