Crete Locals

Crete’s villages hold traditional festivals for Dekapentavgoustos on August 15-16

· By CreteLocals Editorial Team
Crete's villages hold traditional festivals for Dekapentavgoustos on August 15-16

Villages across Crete are holding traditional festivals, known as panigyria, on August 15 and 16, 2026, to mark Dekapentavgoustos, the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The events take place in all four prefectures of the island — Heraklion, Chania, Rethymno and Lasithi — and typically feature live Cretan music, dancing and communal gatherings in village squares, schoolyards and other public venues.

According to a listing published by CretaOne, the festivals on August 15, the feast day itself, and August 16 are organized locally, with named musicians performing at each venue.

Saturday, August 15, 2026

Heraklion

Episkopi Pediados, primary school courtyard: Giorgis Xylouris, Lambis Xylouris and Niki Xylouri. Pyrgos: Manolis Alexakis, Giorgos Papadakis, Giorgos Manoloudis. Nea Alikarnassos: Michalis I. Kounalis and Lefteris Georgiladakis. Panagia Pediados, courtyard of the cultural association hall: Vasilis Stavrakakis. Magarikari Mesaras (Gria Vrysi): Nikos Gonianakis. Farangiana, Farangianis Kefalas theatre: Giorgis Fasoulas and Kostas Kallergis. Alithini: Nikos Manioudakis. Potamies Pediados, former primary school: Michalis Charkiolakis and Giorgos Koudoumogiannakis. Voukino (Voutes): Vangelis Alexakis and Grigoris Paragioudis. Mochos, central square: Sifis Fasomytakis and Nikos Papadakis. Choustouliana, primary school: Charitos Tzagkarakis. Demati, primary school grounds: Kostas Nodarakis. Amariano Pediados: Kostas Kakoudakis and Michalis Petsakis. Vori: Giorgos Zervakis Nikiforou. Katalagari (To Kleidi): Antonis Leontidis. Agios Vasileios Pediados: Dimitris and Michalis Kounalis. Pigaidakia: Manolis Savvakis (Mountakis). Polythea Pediados: Antonis Kokkinos.

Chania

Souda, naval base football ground: Grigoris Samolis. Kolympari, football ground: Giorgos Frantzeskakis and Stelios Vamvakas. Anopoli, Sfakia: Giannis Giannoulakis and Nikos Sfinias, at an event described as a graviera cheese festival. Ano Drapanias, Kissamos, courtyard of the Church of the Virgin Mary: Nikos Polychronakis and Giannis Papadakis. Litsarda, Apokoronas: Nikos Pontikakis and Babis Vagionakis. Gavdos (Gorgona): Giorgos Vranas and Giannis Michalas. Chordaki, Akrotiri, at the Ntelikanis café-tavern: Giorgos Triantafyllou and Manolis Chrysocherakis. Exopoli, Apokoronas, at the Exopolis café-restaurant: Giannis Kaklis, Kyriakos Piperakis and Kyriakos Stavrianoudakis. Kalathenes, primary school: Giorgos Mylonakis. Kontomari, square: Stratis Skarakis. Kallikratis: Manousos Manouselis and Manolis Chamogiorgakis. Tylifos Gramvousas, Kissamos: Markos Renieris and Giannis Polychronakis.

Rethymno

Kyrianna: Nikos and Antonis Xylouris. Atsipopoulo, at the lyceum: Nikos Karkanis. Chromonastiri: Nikos Zoidakis. Agia Galini, harbour: Giorgos Alexantonakis. Margarites, Mylopotamos: Petros Maroulis. Koumoi: Giannis Spinthakis. Anogeia, at the Delina Mountain Resort café: Vasilis Skoulas. Axos, Mylopotamos, village square: Lefteris Kallergis and Manousos Kallergis. Ambelaki: Dimitris Spyridakis. Plevriana, Mylopotamos, football ground: Vangelis Lianakis. Skepasti, at the Allothi tavern: Nikos Dimotakis. Doxaro, Mylopotamos: Manolis Skoutelis. Kalyvos, Mylopotamos: Giorgos Oikonomos and Michalis Dramitinos.

Lasithi

Neapoli, square: Nektarios Samolis. Palaikastro, square: Dimitris Vakakis. Pachia Ammos, fishing shelter: Miltiadis Varouchakis and Giannis Smaragdakis. Sitanos: Kostis and Giorgos Saridakis. Armenoi, primary school: Michalis Kalergis and Charis Fasoulas. Tourloti, Sitia: Dimitris Betinis, Stavros Louloudis, Giorgos Psarakis and Nikos Metzakis. Milatos, at the Militos cultural park: Vasilis Vardoulakis. Neapoli, Evangelistria square: Dimitris Vererakis, Giorgos Keroulis and Vangelis Grigorakis.

Sunday, August 16, 2026

Heraklion

Praitoria, old primary school: Michalis I. Kounalis. Kalessa: Kostas Nodarakis and Giorgos Manolioudis. Kato Kastelliana: Vasilis Stavrakakis and Michalis Kallergis. Diavaide: Kostis Veligrantakis. Loukia, primary school: Giannis Smaragdakis.

Chania

Skine, tourist club venue: Nikos Zoidakis. Kournas, Apokoronas: Petros Maroulis.

Rethymno

Seisarcha, school courtyard: Psarogiorgis, Niki Xylouri and Psarolambis.

Lasithi

Kritsa, primary school courtyard: Nikomanolis Nyktaris and Kostis Vlasis. Malles, primary school: Antonis Martsakis. Agios Georgios, on the Lasithi Plateau: Kostis and Giorgos Saridakis. Kastelli Fournis, primary school: Kyriakos Karalakis and Stefanos Skoulikaris. Kalamafka, primary school: Chrysanthos Makrakis and Nikos G. Manioudakis.

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