The festival has for years brought together residents of Mokra and visitors from across Albania, helping turn the mountainous region into a focal point for cultural activities and the promotion of local heritage.

Culture, Tourism and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja said on Sunday the latest edition had attracted thousands of visitors and highlighted Mokra’s traditions, hospitality, history and distinctive cultural identity.

“Mokra N’Fest 7 brought together thousands of visitors to celebrate the traditions, culture, hospitality, history and unique identity of Mokra, turning the event into a symbol of unity, a return to one’s roots and the promotion of one of Albania’s most authentic areas,” Gonxhja said.

The festival offered visitors an opportunity to experience aspects of Albania’s cultural heritage through traditional food, music, dance and local customs. Traditional dishes prepared by women from Mokra were among the attractions, showcasing the region’s culinary heritage.

The programme also included outdoor and cultural activities, including canoeing on the Shkumbin River, camping, artists’ workshops, a photography exhibition and activities for children and young people.

Organisers presented the festival as an opportunity to connect the region’s natural landscape with its cultural heritage, with traditional dances, local cuisine and community gatherings forming part of the celebrations.

Mokra’s mountainous landscape and villages provide a backdrop to the festival, which seeks to preserve and promote traditions passed down through generations while encouraging visitors to explore the area.

The event also highlights the role of cultural festivals in promoting tourism beyond Albania’s better-known coastal destinations, drawing attention to rural areas and their traditions, cuisine and natural surroundings.

“Mokra N’Fest” has become an annual celebration of the region’s roots and cultural identity, while offering visitors a chance to experience the traditions and hospitality of Mokra firsthand.

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Prime Minister Edi Rama said Tuesday that the fifth edition of “Mokra n’Fest” will take place in Potkozhan, birthplace of Zografi brothers, on August 23-24.

“An event already turned into a tradition to promote customs, best practices, culture, history and landscape of this gem in Albania, home to a highly promising potential for tourism development in the future,” PM Rama said.

This year’s edition of Mokra N’Fest, an event organized by the Municipality of Pogradec, will feature events and showcases of the traditions, customs, traditional dishes, games, concerts and horse riding.

The remote area of Moker is praised for its tourist, cultural and historic potential.

Moker is also known as the capital of the first Illyrian kingdom. Five monumental tombs engraved in the massive rock of Gradishta are historic evidence to the first Illyrian kingdom in the area.

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