Colors of Lefkada - traditions, festivals, mentality and lifestyle

Since 1962, Lefkada has been the permanent venue for important international event, Festival of folklore. The main theme of this interesting and colorful event is the promotion of friendship, peace and brotherhood among peoples of different cultures. Dances, folk music and craft traditions remain the main highlights of it. Travelers who visit the island during the festival will have an opportunity to dive into the culture of local people and learn a lot of interesting things about traditions and customs of people from other countries and continents.

Festival of folklore is a recognized and well-liked event, in recent years it was attended by hundreds of teams from around the world. Thousands of artists, dancers, musicians, writers and artists arrive to participate in the holiday. Each team prepares a program of performances; popular singers, musicians and dancers often represent to the audience their joint projects. Hosts of the festival are involved in preparation and do the best of they can. Typically, entertaining and cultural events are attended by at least three hundred natives.

The festival is held in August, and beyond the immediate participants in this period the island is visited by a huge number of travelers. Entrance to the majority of cultural events is free; many concerts and performances are held in the open-air stage. During the festival, outstanding performers and artists are awarded various honors and awards, ceremonies are always very solemn and beautiful. As with any large event, the festival won’t be complete without fair and culinary events. Open markets offer their wares, local and foreign craftsmen and talented chefs acquaint visitors with traditions of different countries. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

According to the tradition, the festival begins with a colorful parade, which is attended by all teams that came to the event. Parade of peace and friendship, as well as relevant opening of the festival is usually held in the next to last Sunday of August. Festival ends in exactly one week; the closing ceremony is also very amazing. On the last day of the event, participants exchange mementos. The grand celebration finishes with the final dance, the dance of peace, which also involves all folk groups arriving to the island.

Most of the festivals in Lefkada are religious and held in the summer. Such include the feast of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary (Αναχώρηση της Παναγίας) widely celebrated throughout the island. At this time, solemn divine services are held in all cities of Lefkada and folk Greek music can be heard on central streets. Another religious holiday celebrated throughout the island is Easter (Πάσχα). During its celebration, you can also witness festive services in every local town. Apart from the above holidays, each city of Lefkada celebrates its own religious holiday dedicated to its patron saint.

In early June, gourmets flock to the capital of the island, Lefkada City, as food courts offering national dishes open on the central streets. Restaurants and cafes join the celebration where eminent chefs show all their skills in preparing certain dishes. Besides tasting food and thus getting acquainted with the local culture, all kinds of culinary workshops organized by chefs are also available to visitors.

The beginning of the second summer month is marked by the Music Week, which takes place in the island's capital. Chamber music concerts are held in numerous cultural institutions at this time. You can also enjoy opera in theaters. In mid-July, Karya hosts a festival called Riganada. This is another gastronomic festival fully dedicated to such Greek dish as "Riganada". It is a simple snack of bread spread with tomato, feta cheese, and spices. Despite the simplicity, there are several variations of the dish, and local chefs compete for the title of the best riganade chef. Meanwhile, wonderful performances of musicians take place on the central streets of the city.

The end of July is marked by the Fiesta del Canal, a music festival taking place in the capital of the island. The venue is the coastal zone where themed parties are organized and fireworks are launched in honor of the fun festival after dusk. At the same time, that is, at the end of July, the so-called "Traditional Wedding" is held. This is a holiday dedicated to Greek culture, and in particular, family customs. Here, guests of the city can see first-hand how a traditional Greek wedding is celebrated. It must be said that it is one of the most spectacular events on the entire island lasting two days. The location of the festival is Karya.