With the traditional tree planting and poetry reading in the Poetry Park in honor of the winner of the 2026 Golden Wreath, Dutch poet Anneke Brassinga is opening the 65th edition of the Struga Poetry Evenings on Wednesday.
The official opening of the event will be Wednesday evening at 8:30 p.m. with the lighting of the festival bonfire and the reading of Konstantin’s “Longing for the South” at the House of Poetry, and will continue with the International Poetry Reading “Meridians”.
This year’s festival edition, according to the management of the Struga Poetry Evenings, has been raised to a higher organizational level, will last a day longer than previous years and is returning to the format of a professional festival.
In addition to the poetry readings, an essential part of the event is the poetry café and meetings with publishers, agents and professional visitors – VERSOPOLIS and the laureate, Anneke Brassinga, a portrait of Daniel Hinds, winner of the “Struga Bridges” award of the SVP and UNESCO for 2026, the reading of poets competing for the “Enhalon” award, the traditional “Matinee” – an international poetry reading and a visit to Ohrid and its sights. The official closing of the event is on Sunday with an international poetry reading and the ceremonial awarding of the “Golden Wreath”, “Miladinov Brothers” and “Struga Bridges” awards at the Poetry Bridge.
At the anniversary edition of the SVP, around 70 poets, critics, translators and literary workers from the country and abroad will have a unique opportunity to create, be inspired and create new verses along the shores of Lake Ohrid and the waters of the Crn Drim River.
