There are many celebrations and festivals on the island of Amorgos. With the residents’ offers they gather the materials and the cooks produce the traditional dishes which are ‘patatato’ (a mixture of different kinds of meat and potatoes) and ‘xidato’ (soup with goat offal). A celebration with local musical instruments and songs follows.
FESTIVALS
–Hozoviotissa, on November 21
-Sotiras Christos (Savior Christ), on August 6
-Agia Paraskevi in Kolofana, on July 25-26
-Ascention in Potamos (moveable holiday, 40 days after Easter)
-Agioi Anargyroi in Tholaria, on July 1
-Panagia Epanochoriani in Lagada, on August 15
-Agios Ioannis Theologos in Krikelos, twice a year (May 8 and September 26).
THE FESTIVAL OF AGIA PARASKEVI
Everyone in Amorgos will have something to say about the festival of Agia Paraskevi (July 25-26), in Kato Meria, where up to 3.000 people participate. It is one of the biggest festivals in the Cyclades and that is why, beside the church, spacious facilites that include cells for hospitality, storage rooms, kitchens etc. have been created. The preparations begin 10 days before the celebration. They cook 14 cauldrons of ‘patatato’ and others of so-called ‘kofto’ (wheat poridge with Amorgian myzithra cheese), or of ‘xidato’ which looks like chopped tripe.
THE FEAST OF ‘PASTELI’ (SESAME SEED AND HONEY CANDY)
On the island there are celebrations with a more touristic nature, such as the one of “baked raki” in Katapola on July 26 and the one of “pasteli”, the traditional dessert of Amorgos, in Chora’s Loza, around the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (August 15). This feast is organized by the Cultural Association “Simonidis” during which the process of pasteli’s production is presented, which is offered to the visitors along with raki afterwards.
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In the traditional cafés and the little taverns of the villages you will listen to the Amorgian ‘mantinades’ (musical declamation in form of a narrative or dialogue) and the improvisations of the musicians who play the violin and the lute.
