| Culture > Celebrations |
Celebrations
The area of Psiloritis is an ideal place for the visitor that wants to mingle with the hospitable residents in friendly folk gatherings. These gatherings take place during religious celebrations, social events such as weddings, christenings and shearing, during local anniversaries, celebrations and gatherings at the squares of the villages.
The people of Psiloritis live their life to the full, with dances of love, sadness or war, with the Cretan poetry (madinada) and songs, with the sound of the lyre and the rhythm of the lute.
Dancing plays a central part in the social life of the people, especially those of the mountainous zone. We refer to dances that originate from the villages of Psiloritis, such as Maleviziotis and Anogianos dances. Around the Psiloritis area the locals celebrate and live every moment to the full all year long. Cultural events are organized in every Municipality and local associations of Psiloritis around the year. We refer as an example the events of "Tallaia" at the Municipality of Kouloukonas, the "Celebration of nature and people" at the Municipality of Rouvas, the "Cultural Gathering" at the Municipality of Geropotamos, the festival called "In squares and yards" at the Municipality of Arkadi as well as the "Cultural August at the Municipality of Anogia". Similar celebrations where the visitor has the opportunity to participate in plays, concerts, exhibitions, conferences take place in the Municipalities of Zaros, Krousonas, Tylisos ("Cultural August"), Sivritos and Kourites as well as in the commune of Zoniana. The celebration of citrus at Garazo village (15th August), the Hyacinth celebration at Anogia village (July), the theatrical play "Boudalia" at Margarites village in Mylopotamos (end of August), and the celebrations that are organized by the Cretan Youth at the Monastery of Vrondisi are all well known in the island.
During the Sunday of the carnival period at Perama village in Mylopotamos, the Carnival takes place. At Clean Monday the folk proceedings called "Apokriyiomata" at Gergeri village (wedding, bear-like dancing), the event called "kidnapping the bride" at Melidoni village in Mylopotamos and the carnival proceedings at Meronas in Amari (games called "lerades", "Camel", "Chotzas", "Shoemaker", "Bear" and the "Match-maker") take place. We suggest you to participate in the celebration of the "Krousaniotis shepherd" at Krousonas village, the celebration of Agios Giorgis at Gergeri where the new wines are tasted, the pastural celebration of Agios Ioannis at the Forest of Rouvas, the celebration of sultana variety at Korfes village with the competition of Cretan poetry (mandinada), the celebration of cherries at Sarchos in Malevizi and Veni village in Mylopotamos, the celebration of water at the lake of Zaros and the celebration of honey at Vorizia village. You should not miss the traditional harvesting and threshering at Fourfouras and Meronas villages in Amari.
