Gitarijada Rock Festival

Gitarijada is a contest first and a concert second. Young bands without a record deal play to a crowd that has come mostly for the headliners, and the jury and the audience each pick a winner. That format has not changed since 1966, when Momčilo Radenković, the guitarist and singer of Zlatni Prsti, started it in the Dom JNA hall in Zaječar. The festival is described as the largest in southeast Europe for young and unsigned bands.

The 59th edition took place in late August 2026, with a first evening that drew about 5,000 people. The jury prize went to the band Conspiracy from Skopje, and the audience vote to Arterije from Brod. The main stage stands at Kraljevica in Zaječar, and the festival names a different "rokonačelnik" (rock chief) each year; in 2026 it was Milan Đurđević.

The Zaječar Tourist Organisation, which is listed as the contact, says the festival draws tens of thousands of spectators and participants over the three days. Ticket arrangements can change from year to year, so check gitarijada.rs closer to the date.

How to go: Zaječar is a town in eastern Serbia, so plan the trip around the festival days and book a room early. The dates for 2027 have not been announced. The organiser has published a tender for a co-organiser for the next five festivals.