Folklore festivities

In Serifos, as in most of the Aegean islands, dozens of folk festivals take place during the year, thus preserving this timeless tradition.

Favorite social events of the Serifians, since the old years, these feasts always were a traditional form of entertainment and religious worship. The church “puts on its festive outfit” and honors its Saint, usually from the previous day, with locals and visitors sitting around the church’s table and dining altogether after the evening prayers, while the liturgical celebration takes place the day after, on the Saint’s name day. In some celebrations the feast takes place on the same day, whereas other Saints are celebrated with just a church service.

All the preparations, as well as the general maintenance of the church, are undertaken by the so-called “ktitores” (meaning “owners”), that is descendants of the families that owned the surrounding lands and who financed the construction of the church. The institution of the festival is very important for the ktitores and a huge part of their heritage, since besides the Saint, they also honor the memory of their ancestors. Nowadays, people outside the family also take place in the organization of the feast, who out of love and care decide to actively contribute to the preservation of the custom.

In Serifos’s feasts the amount of food is rich and is distributed for free. It includes local delicacies such as fava, potatoes, macaroni and roast or cooked meat – which is replaced by fasting relishes when there is a fasting period. In the meantime, the Serifian wine flows unstoppable all night long, small talk comes and goes and the fun flares up. In some festivals you need to pay for soda, beer, fried potatoes and souvlaki, which partly alters the traditional spirit of the feast. The amount of money that is gathered, however, is usually offered to the church and is used for its maintenance.

Many of the feasts are accompanied by traditional musical instruments, with songs and dances from the Cycladic islands that do not cease till dawn. In some of these, such as the festivals of Agia Thekla, Panagia Skopiani and Agios Sostis, the festivities continue the next day, after the service.

Do not miss the chance to join a traditional folklore festival and amuse yourselves along with the Serifians. In fact, it is quite possible that your visit to the island coincides with one of them: