From July 18 to 21, 2025, the Amari Valley once again transforms into a large, open workshop of culture, nature, and hands-on experience: Amari Green Festival celebrates its 10th anniversary, inviting young and old to four days full of activities, sounds, images, flavors, and stories that unfold from village to village, across the entire Municipality of Amari.
In the heart of Crete, where the slopes of Mount Psiloritis embrace historic villages, Amari Green Festival stays true to its vision: to highlight the region’s natural and cultural heritage, to connect people, and to inspire local communities and visitors with the values of sustainability, collaboration, and cultural continuity.
“How beautiful it was in the villages with their joyful feasts”:
The village feast as cultural heritage
With a central theme of Cretan village feasts, this year’s festival brings to light from collective memory the authentic moments of local celebrations: squares filled with voices, evenings in traditional cafés, the smells of home-cooked foods, the melodies of the lyra, and the circles of traditional dancing. Photography exhibitions, storytelling, culinary revivals, workshops, talks, and concerts turn the villages of Amari into vibrant hubs of memory and creativity, with participation from residents, associations, artists, and visitors from all over Greece and abroad.
10 Years of Amari Green Festival: From a local initiative to a nationwide institution
Starting a decade ago as a grassroots effort by active citizens and local institutions, Amari Green Festival has become a model event for sustainable development and cultural networking with a focus on community. This year, over 40 events are taking place across the municipality’s villages.
The festival is co-organized by the Municipality of Amari, the Region of Crete, the Regional Unit of Rethymno, the Chamber of Rethymno, and the Idaia Network – Psiloritis UNESCO Global Geopark, with support from numerous scientific, social, and cultural institutions, including the Natural History Museum of Crete, University of Crete, Hellenic Mediterranean University (ELMEPA), ESEE, The Smile of the Child, ARCHELON, and the Cultural Associations of all local villages.
Opening Day – Friday, July 18
The festival kicks off energetically with activities for all ages and interests.
Morning (9:00–12:00): A book exchange takes place at the Agia Fotini and Fourfouras municipal buildings, as well as at the Panakron Estate. Visitors can bring a book and take another. Surplus books will be distributed to remote village residents via the “Help at Home” program.
Afternoon (from 18:00): The traditional cycling event through the Amari countryside begins – a scenic route from Agia Fotini to Monastiraki, passing through Meronas, Nevs Amari, and Opsigia, in collaboration with the ATLAS Rethymno Cycling Club.
Simultaneously:
A traditional embroidery workshop for children and adults starts at the Panakron Estate’s play area, curated by artist Katerina Giavridi, along with documentary screenings.
5×5 soccer preliminaries take place at the fields in Platanos, Fourfouras, and Meronas.
At 19:30 in Platanos, there is a guided tour of the Museum of School Life by educator Maria Kalesiou – an immersive journey through the old classrooms of Amari.
At the same time in Meronas, Dr. Maria Papadakaki, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work at ELMEPA, gives a timely talk about the connection between entertainment and alcohol use, followed by a documentary screening.
From 19:30 to 21:00, at the Panakron Estate, butcher Manolis Neonakis presents traditional pork processing techniques (sausages, apaki, siglina, and tsigarides).
At 20:30, a presentation is held on the digital archive under development, which documents the intangible heritage of Amari, with emphasis on the period from the 1821 Revolution to the union of Crete with Greece.
The evening culminates at 22:00 with an outdoor screening of the film “Until the Last Breath”, directed by Manolis Sfakianakis, focusing on the early years (1821–1830) of Crete’s struggle for freedom and union with Greece.
Festival Highlights:
Gastronomy and Tradition:
Discover Amari’s flavors through hands-on workshops on traditional sausage-making, apaki, siglina, trahanas, and wood-fired bread. Taste the famous Amari pies (myzithra pie, Lenten pie, water pie) and traditional pork dishes.
Culture and Art:
Take part in children’s crafts workshops, explore traditional embroidery, and create ceramics with local clay. Enjoy photography exhibitions on old village feasts, virtual journeys into Amari’s history (1821–1913), and summer cinema nights featuring Greek films.
Nature and Environment:
Visit the Bee Garden, learn about the fascinating world of bees, join cycling tours through Amari’s natural landscapes, and discover ARCHELON’s work on sea turtle conservation.
Music and Dance:
Evenings at the School of Asomaton and Panakron Estate come alive with music and dance.
Saturday: The powerful voice of Eugenia Toli-Damavoliti opens the evening, followed by Stelios Bikakis and his band performing “I’ll Take the Mountains Beside Me.”
Sunday: An orchestra of renowned musicians presents “Tunes and Songs of Village Feasts in Crete and Greece.”
Participants include:
Zacharias Spyridakis (lyra)
Kostas Avyssinos (vocals, lute, mandolin, boulgari)
Manolis Kanakakis (qanun, piano)
Markos Renieris (violin, vocals)
Giannis Melampianakis (bouzouki, vocals)
Anthi Fourki (percussion, vocals)
Aretousa (vocals)
Monday: The “Pavlos Vlastos” Traditional Music Choir, under Antonis Micheloudakis, presents rare and beloved songs of the Cretan tradition, accompanied by:
Michalis Pavlakis (lyra, lyraki, vocals)
Stelios Iliakis (lute)
Vasilis Nikoloudakis (guitar)
Stelios Moulakakis (percussion)
Also on Monday night, Charalampos Angelakis and his group present “The Basil Smells: Songs of the Stool and the Gathering” – a themed concert journey through historic and contemporary folk songs celebrating companionship, love, and freedom.
Science and Knowledge:
Attend talks on the creative economy, alcohol use, the Cretan dialect, and best practices for the coexistence of agriculture and livestock on Psiloritis.
Sports and Games:
Watch the 5×5 football finals and join the 1st Amari Green Treasure Hunt!
Amari Green Festival & 5th Psiloritis UNESCO Global Geopark Festival “Idaean Celebrations”
On Monday, July 21, the festival connects with the 5th Psiloritis UNESCO Geopark Festival. Guided tours will take place to the Holy Monastery of Asomaton, Saint Anthony and the Patsos Gorge, as well as a vineyard walk and wine tasting at Kourkoulos Winery.
Artists, musicians, dancers, scientists, creators, volunteers, and cultural associations all contribute to this celebration, revealing the soul of Amari.
All events are free of charge.
Free transportation to and from Rethymno and the Panakron Estate / School of Asomaton is available from Saturday, July 19 to Monday, July 21, with departure from the Rethymno Bus Terminal at 18:00 and return at 00:00. This is made possible through sponsorship by KTEL Chania-Rethymno.
For more information and the detailed event schedule, visit the Municipality of Amari website and Amari Green Festival social media.
https://www.amari.gr/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/PosterPROGRAMMEAMGF-2025.pdf
