September is grape-harvest time in Croatia. Each of our annual Croatian Language and Culture Courses, in different locations, normally takes in a visit to a winery to understand this important part of Croatian culture. The image shows a vineyard on Brač island, one of the many we have visited in recent years.

The Istrian town of Buje, however, takes the culmination of the grape growing season to a different level: from 18th to 20th September, Buje held the 120th Dani grožđa – Grape Days, a three-day celebration of grapes, wine, food, music and local traditions. The event has been part of life in Buje for more than a century and is the town’s best-known traditional festival.

The End Of The Beginning!

There is an interesting twist to this year’s anniversary: historically, Dani grožđa has traditionally celebrated the beginning of the grape harvest – berba grožđa. However this year’s warm and sunny weather meant that the grapes ripened earlier and the 2026 harvest was brought forward. So this year, the festival took place closer to the end of the harvest than the beginning; a reminder that nature and winemaking follow the seasonal rhythms of the weather and not the calendar!

The Festivities

The 120th Dani grožđa combines the grape-growing traditions of the region with a modern town festival.

Across the three days there are traditional games, food and wine, exhibitions, sporting events, a wine walk, activities for children and live music. One of Sunday’s highlights is the traditional allegorical procession, with floats depicting past and present life connected with viticulture and the grape harvest.

There is even a very particular anniversary creation this year: a traditional Istrian grape tart  (kroštata) made with 2,026 grapes, which will be sold to raise money for charity.

Some Grape Harvest Vocabulary

grožđe – grapes
grozd – bunch of grapes
berba – harvest / picking
berba grožđa – grape harvest
vinograd – vineyard
vinova loza – grapevine
vinogradar – winegrower / grape grower
vino – wine
vinar – winemaker
vinarija – winery
podrum – cellar
bačva – barrel
mošt – grape must (freshly pressed grape juice before fermentation)

And, of course:

Dani grožđa – Grape Days

For anyone learning Croatian, seasonal celebrations such as Dani grožđa are a great way to see how language, food and wine, culture and tradition combine. This weekend, they all came together in Buje – for the 120th time.

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Thanks to wine expert Katherine “Kit” Pepper for the photo of a vineyard on Brač which she sent to us as part of an interview she did with us in 2025: Dalmatia And Dalmatian Wine – An International Expert’s Voyage Of Discovery – Croatian Language School

And, on the subject of wine, the following post in May 2026 brings together a number of strands on wine from our annual Croatian Language and Culture trips around Croatia and elsewhere: Croatian Wine: An Essential Part Of Croatian Culture – Croatian Language School